The Bitterroot Red Sox are a veteran team who bring experience and talent to the field. The Bitterroot Bucs are a young team with a lot of hustle who are coming together just at the right time. The two teams battled on Thursday night when the two played a double header. The first game was a seven-inning game but the second game went into extra innings due to a tie. It was eventually called because of darkness with the score tied at three. That game resumed Monday afternoon but the results were not in at press time.
The first game was a prelude to the second. The Red Sox scored a run in the top of the second inning and the Bucs came back in the bottom of the fourth to tie it up. But in the top of the sixth, the Red Sox took advantage of a few pitching errors. Tylor Nixon hit a 2RBI single with the bases loaded. Zach Ringer hit a single and Kody Lane a double to add to the score and Austin Ray had a sacrifice fly for RBIs. Zach Ringer pitched the entire game and had three hits.
Dylan Gavlak was the starting pitcher for the Bucs. Marcus Zeiler came in to relieve him in the top of the
Chance Sage took the mound for the Bucs in the second game and wound up pitching over 120 pitches before being relieved by Bo Zeiler. After allowing one hit in the first inning, Sage held off the Red Sox for four innings before allowing two runs in the sixth inning.
The Bucs were steady on offense, with runs scored in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Shane Thorson knocked an RBI single to tie the game in the third. Bo Zeiler was hit by the ball in the fourth inning to get on base. He scored the go ahead run when Sage was tagged out at second. It was a passed ball that scored Braxton McCullough for a 3-1 lead at the end of five innings.
IN the top of the sixth, Austin Ray scored when Joe Johnson hit an RBI double. Johnson then scored on a wild throw and the game was tied. The two teams buckled down and played tough defense with some outstanding plays on both teams. The game was called at the end of 10 innings because it was getting too dark.
Rich Polquin, manager of the Red Sox, said this was a great way to get ready for the district tournament that will begin this Wednesday in Polson.
“We’re have a veteran team,” he said. “We have strong hitters, pitchers, and they show a lot of grit.”
The Red Sox picked up wins over Libby on Sunday, 20-2 and 12-0. 