The Bitterroot Buccaneers, the younger team of the Bitterroot Bucs organization, finished their run for the state title on Sunday after losing to the Missoula Mavs in the semi finals.
The Buccaneers defeated the Mavs in pool play on Thursday, 9-6. They also defeated the Bitterroot Red Sox B team in pool play, 5-2. They did lose to the 406 Flyers out of Billings, 4-3, to round out their pool play.
On Saturday, the Buccaneers played the Glacier Twins for a chance to advance to the semi finals. The young north Bitterroot team jumped out to an early lead, scoring 15 runs in the first two innings. They then had to hold on to that lead as Glacier clawed back into the game, inning by inning. Bitterroot switched their pitchers out to stop the surging Twins. Gabe Philbrick made a diving catch in the top of the seventh inning to give the Buccaneers their second out and Austin Craun finished the game with a strike out for the save.
With the win, the Buccaneers advanced to the semi final game against the Missoula Mavs. After a scoreless first inning, the Missoula bats got hot while their defense held the Buccaneers scoreless. Missoula went on to win, 9-0.
The Bitterroot Red Sox B team played in the pool play. They lost to the Buccaneers, 5-2; the 406 Flyers, 8-3; the Mission Mariners, 12-4; and the Cranbrook Bandits, 2-1.
The American Legion A tournament will be in Florence next week and will feature the A teams of both the Red Sox and the Bucs.