By CHAD DUNDAS of the Missoulian
Brent Hathaway doesn't remember the last time his Missoula Mavericks won this many games in a row.
With Missoula experiencing a period of such unparalleled success the hot topic of conversation amongst the team must be the upcoming challenge of this weekend's Scott Klaudt Memorial Tournament, which the Mavs have not won since 2000.
Right?
“You know, we didn't even talk about the Klaudt,” Hathaway said after Tuesday's game. “In fact, we talked about next week, we talked about the (next) conference game with Kalispell. It's hard to beat anybody four times and that's going to be the challenge.”
Missoula travels to Kalispell on June 20 with a trio of wins over the Lakers already under its belt. It would seem the streaking Mavs are targeting that next meeting as a possible stumbling block brought on by over-confidence or apathy or ... something.
In fact, it's hard to imagine things going much better for Missoula these days. The Mavs are 25-9 - their last loss coming back on May 20 against the Billings Scarlets - and they are thumping the ball on offense while looking rangy and slick on defense.
As for the Klaudt, the annual tournament Missoula hosts at Lindborg-Cregg Field, it certainly isn't being overlooked. Hathaway just thinks it won't take much to get the Mavs psyched up for it.
“I think they'll be excited (for the Klaudt),” he said. “We've got some good teams coming in and there's kind of a prize involved there because we haven't won that tournament in a long time. I think they'll come out ready to play.”
Missoula racked up 19 hits on Tuesday, with four singles and a pair of RBIs off the bat of right fielder Travis Johnsen.
Johnsen, who finished 4-for-5, got his final hit in the midst of a four-run eighth inning, which also included two tallies coming to the plate after a throwing error by Lakers pitcher Adam Olson.
Conor Dwyer reached base four times for Missoula, twice on errors by the Kalispell defense. He finished 2-for-5 and stole three bases, swiping second and third on one trip around the sacks in the sixth.
Catcher Chris Bartenhagen knocked a double to deep left field in the third and ended 2-for-3, while designated hitters Adam Ponton and Sean Dwyer each went 2-for-2.
Needless to say, Hathaway said he was pleased with the team's effort.
“Our two DH guys both hit the ball very well, I'm happy with them,” he said. “Max (Smith) made a great play at third and turned a nice double play. We did a lot of good things and we usually do, so we've got to keep that going.”
Kalispell managed just two hits off Missoula starter Brendan Brown through six innings. In the seventh a fatigued Brown surrendered four hits, one of them a double from Lakers starter John White, and gave up two runs.
Brown was relieved in the eighth by Brian Fowler, who did not allow a hit in two innings of work.
White finished 1-for-3 at the plate for Kalispell.
Missoula opens play at the Scott Klaudt Tournament on Thursday at 7 p.m. against Post Falls.
Missoula 10, Kalispell 2
Kalispell 000 000 200 - 2 6 3
Missoula 002 022 04x - 10 19 1
John White, Adam Olson (7) and Pat Hergesheimer. Brendan Brown, Brian Fowler (8) and Chris Bartenhagen. W - Brown. L - White.
KALISPELL - Jake Scott 0-4, Austin Zapata 0-4, Tyler Reichhoff 0-3, Greg Neils 0-1, Olson 1-3, White 1-4, Zach Davis 3-4, Hergesheimer 0-3, Zac Ford 1-3, Tucker Hankinson 0-3.
MISSOULA - Taylor King 1-6, Dan Belet 2-4, Conor Dwyer 2-5, Mac Cuffe 2-5, Bartenhagen 2-3, Mike Ponton 2-2, Sean Dwyer 2-2, Travis Johnsen 4-5, Taylor Nordby 1-5, Max Smith 1-5..
2B - Bartenhagen. White. RBIs. - Davis. Cuffe, Bartenhagen, Ponton, S. Dwyer, Johnsen 2, Nordby.
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