Bucks, Red Sox advance to State A championship

CONRAD — Rolen Quezada hit a two-out walk-off single to power the Bozeman Bucks over the Vauxhall Spurs 7-6 and into Sunday’s Montana-Alberta A State Legion Tournament against the Bitterroot Red Sox.

The Red Sox defeated the Gallatin Valley Outlaws 6-4 to secure their spot in the championship. 

To claim the title, Bitterroot needs to take a pair of victories, while Bozeman needs just one win thanks to their 3-0 win over the Red Sox Friday. 

Bucks 7, Spurs 6

Bozeman led 6-2 heading into the seventh before Vauxhall plated four to tie the game at six. Landon Howg drove in three with a bases clearing double to center, while Eric Reiling sent Howg home with an RBI double. 

The game seemed destined for extras as the Spurs put the first two Bucks batters away in the seventh, then walks to Quinn Schnabel and Caiden Pershing set the stage for Quezada. 

Brycton Kelley threw five innings for the Bucks, allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out a pair. Graysen Trenka pitched the final two innings, allowing four runs on five hits. 

Micah Fontaine went three innings for the Spurs, allowing three runs on a pair of hits. 

Red Sox 6, Outlaws 4

Small ball powered the Red Sox as two squeeze bunts, two RBI groundouts and a fielder’s choice brought six runs home. 

Brady Demoss drove in a pair of runs and scored once after reaching on a fielder’s choice. He did not earn one of the three hits for Bitterroot. 

Hunter Harness and Elijah McNair-Neal also sent home runs without collecting hits. 

Connor Quinn threw six innings for the Red Sox, allowing three runs on six hits. He fanned six. 

Dawson Davis went the distance for the Outlaws, allowing three earned runs on three hits. 

Lucas Petersen hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to close the deficit to 6-4. 

Friday 

Bucks 3, Red Sox 0

Sean Higgs shut down the Red Sox bats, throwing a one-hit shutout for Bozeman. 

Boedy Tadvick picked up the lone hit for Bitterroot with a fourth inning double. 

The Bucks’ offense seized control in the fifth as a walk to Miles Sgamma and two hit batsmen loaded the bases for a Quezada three-run double. 

Jackson Lubke threw six innings on the mound for the Red Sox, striking out nine batters and allowing three runs on four hits. 

State A Tournament 

July 30-Aug. 3, Conrad 

Wednesday, July 30

Game 1: Bitterroot Red Sox 6, Miles City Mavericks 0 

Game 2: Laurel Dodgers 15, Bitterroot Bucs 10 

Game 3: Vauxhall Spurs 9, Gallatin Valley Outlaws 2 

Game 4: Bozeman Bucks 5, Tri-County Cardinals 0 

Thursday, July 31

Game 5: Gallatin Valley 5, Miles City 2 

Game 6: Bitterroot Bucs 12, Tri-County 1 

Game 7: Bitterroot Red Sox 12, Vauxhall 2 

Game 8: Bozeman 5, Laurel 3 

Friday, August 1

Game 9: Vauxhall 9, Bitterroot Bucs 2 

Game 10: Gallatin Valley 4, Laurel 3 

Game 11: Bozeman 3, Bitterroot Red Sox 0 

Saturday, Aug. 2  

Game 12: Bitterroot Red Sox 6, Gallatin Valley 4  

Game 13: Bozeman 7, Vauxhall 6 

Sunday, Aug. 3

Game 14: Bitterroot Red Sox (39-13) vs. Bozeman Bucks (42-10), noon, championship 

Game 15: If necessary