Missoula earned a come-from-way-behind 13-11 victory over the Bozeman Bucks in the first of a nonconference doubleheader, then fell 8-6 in the nightcap, but not before nearly rallying again in the final frame.
The Mavs proved their moxie in the opener by erasing an 11-5 deficit with an eight-run sixth inning. They nearly pulled off a four-run comeback by scoring twice and sending the winning run to the plate in the seventh inning of the second game.
“I didn't see anybody give up and I didn't see anybody get down,” Hathaway said. “That first game is one you have to tuck away in your memory bank because there's going to be a game down the line that could end your season and you might be down by five or six. But you can't give up.”
The Bucks (7-2), who swept visiting Missoula in a season-opening twin bill on April 21, looked poised to make it another long afternoon for the Mavericks in the first game. They tallied eight runs in the top of the fourth to pull ahead 10-4, highlighted by Gabe Weidenaar's towering two-run homer.
Down 11-5, the Mavs helped reliever Travis Johnsen (1-0) post the win by plating eight of their own in the sixth. Missoula took the lead for good when second baseman Taylor King jacked a three-run shot - his first of the year - to left-center with two away.
“Last year when he (King) hit his first one it surprised me,” Hathaway said. “You don't expect to see power from somebody of his stature, hitting in the leadoff spot. But he's got some pop in his bat.”
Johnsen allowed a two-out single in the top of the seventh, but got Ryan Minkoff to line to center to seal the win.
Mike Ponton doubled and drove in three runs for the Mavs, while Taylor Nordby and Drew Lytle had two RBIs apiece.
Bozeman's offense was paced by Sean Potkay, who was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
The Bucks breezed to an 8-4 lead in game two behind Weidenaar, who tripled twice and finished 3-for-5 with an RBI. Minkoff, Potkay and Chris Schmidt drove in two runs apiece for Bozeman,
But again the Mavs refused to fold. In the seventh, Bucks reliever Loren Carosella loaded the bases on two walks and a Conor Dwyer single. Sean Dwyer followed with a run-scoring walk before Taylor Nordby's RBI fielder's choice put runners on first and second with two out.
Mike Spritzer then sent a hard ground ball down the third-base line. But Minkoff dove to rob Spritzer of extra bases, then made a perfect throw to get the game's final out at first.
“We still got the winning run to the plate,” Hathaway said. “Both ends of that game-winning play were very well done. If that's what it takes to beat us, I can live with that.”
Brendan Brown (1-1) took the defeat for the Mavs, throwing 3 2/3 innings of eight-hit ball.
King's first-inning triple was the Mavs' lone hit for extra bases. Sean Dwyer added two RBIs.
First game
Missoula 13, Bozeman 11
Bozeman 011 801 0 - 11 14 4
Missoula 013 018 x - 13 11 3
Gabe Weidenaar, Jeff Squire (3) Colter Joyce (3), Jared Bies (6) Brendan Phillips (6). Conor Dwyer, Travis Johnsen (4) and Sean Dwyer. W - Johnsen (1-0). L - Joyce.
BOZEMAN - Weidenaar 1-4, Trevor Peck 1-3, Caleb Schlender 1-5, Sean Potkay 3-4, Ryan Minkoff 3-5, Matt Comer 2-4, Andy Pike 0-3, Chris Schmidt 1-1, Squire 0-1, Joyce 2-3, Bies 0-0.
MISSOULA - Taylor King 2-4, Johnsen 1-5, Cody Burgmeier 2-4, S. Dwyer 1-2, Mike Ponton 1-2, Taylor Nordby 2-4, MIke Spritzer 1-3, Brendan Brown 0-3, Drew Lytle 1-1.
2B - Potkay, Comer, Burgmeier, S. Dwyer, Ponton, Nordby. HR - Weidenaar (1), King (1). RBIs. - Weidenaar 2, Potkay, Minkoff, Comer, Schmidt 3, Joyce, King 3, Burgmeier, Ponton 3, Nordby 2, Spritzer, Lytle 2.
Second game
Bozeman 8, Missoula 6
Bozeman 102 302 0 - 8 12 2
Missoula 200 200 2 - 6 6 3
Anthony Rinard, Loren Carosella (5) and Squire. Brown, Spritzer (4), Nordby (7) and Mac Cuffe. W - Rinard. L - Brown (1-1).
BOZEMAN - Weidenaar 3-5, Comer 1-4, Minkoff 3-4, Potkay 1-4, Schmidt 2-3, Pike 0-2, Schlender 0-2, Will Spears 1-4, Squire 0-3, Brendan Phillpis 1-3.
MISSOULA - King 1-3, Johnsen 0-2, C. Dwyer 1-4, Cuffe 0-2, S. Dwyer 1-3, Nordby 0-3, Spritzer 1-4, Max Smith 2-3, Lytle 0-3.
2B - Minkoff 2, Potkay. 3B - Weidenaar 2, Minkoff, King. RBIs. - Weidenaar, Comer, Minkoff 2, Potkay 2, Schmidt 2, King, Cuffe, S. Dwyer 2 , Nordby, Smith.
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