Mariners clinch State A Legion Berth, fall in West district final

HAMILTON — The Mission Valley Mariners went into Sunday with two goals at the West A Legion District tournament: qualify for State and win the championship. 

They completed the first goal with a 6-1 victory over Cranbrook, but couldn't finish the second as the Bitterroot Red Sox nabbed a 9-6 victory in the championship game. Had Mission Valley won, they would have needed a second win over Bitterroot to claim the title. 

Both the Red Sox (38-2) and Mariners (24-15) earned spots at the state tournament in Dillon starting Wednesday. 

Mariners 6, Bandits 1

Cody Haggard put Mission Valley ahead 1-0 in the first inning with an RBI double to center. 

The lead held until an Olly Williams single in the fourth tied the game at one, scoring Clark Reimer. 

Haggard was hit by a pitch in the fifth to break the deadlock as Cole Wadsworth scored. Later in the frame, Brayson DuMont plated a pair with a single to center making it a 6-1 Mariners lead. 

Liam Jackson went all seven innings on the mound for Mission Valley, allowing five hits and sitting down four. 

Red Sox 9, Mariners 6

Trevyn Bakken drove in two runs at the plate and tossed 2 2-3 innings on the mound as Bitterroot finished off a perfect tournament. 

Bakken allowed six hits and three runs in his time on the mound, fanning two. 

Jackson Lubke singled in the first to cap off a three-run frame that helped Bitterroot to the early lead. 

Mission Valley's offense started to roll in the fourth as Holden Emerson launched a lead-off homer. A bases-loaded hit batsman and a sacrifice fly from Justin Brown tied the game at three. 

The Red Sox quickly responded with an RBI double from Joe Hixon in the bottom half of the frame. 

Bakken's two-run single helped Bitterroot to a 7-4 lead in the fifth.  

Hunter Luedtke provided a late spark with a two-run double in the seventh, but Bakken worked a double play and a strikeout to end the rally.