Brendan Brown tossed a complete-game shutout in helping the Mavs to a 3-0 victory in the first game before a five-RBI effort from designated hitter Sean Dwyer helped lift Missoula to a 12-6 win in the nightcap at Lindborg-Cregg Field.
The pair of wins left the Mavs at 5-1 through two weeks of play and 16th-year Missoula manager satisfied with what he's seen from his club in the season's early stages.
The Mavs scored a single run in the bottom of the third in the opener on a single by Dwyer, who caught the first contest. Brown took care of the Great Falls bats, rebounding from a loss to the Great Falls Stallions in Missoula's season opener the week before.
Brown (1-1) needed 102 pitches to go the distance, allowing six hits and striking out six. He issued just one walk and made a strong case for becoming the ace of Missoula's starting rotation.
“Obviously that was a much better performance than the one he had the last time out,” Hathaway said. “But he's still not nearly as good as he's going to get. He set the benchmark last year when he beat Coeur d'Alene and threw a two-hit game. That's where we want to get him back to. He's not there yet, but we know what his capabilities are.”
Mavs DH Drew Lytle gave Brown some insurance in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run double deep into the left-field corner.
After surrendering a one-out single to Tucker Cook, Brown shut the door in the bottom half by fanning Ethan Hortick and getting Joel LaRance to ground to second for the game's final out.
Electrics starter John Reilly, who was tabbed with the loss, and reliever Casey Johnson combined to limit the Mavs to five hits. Dwyer, the lone Maverick to post a multi-hit game, finished 2-for-3 with a double.
After a rocky beginning by starter Anthony Maes (1-0) in the second game, Missoula rallied to earn the sweep. Missoula reliever Shawn Griffith allowed a single run in the final two frames in his first appearance on the mound for the AA club.
“We were pretty pleased with Anthony and Griffith today,” Hathaway said. “We got a good five innings out of Anthony. He was throwing strikes. For a good portion of the time he was throwing it over the middle of the plate and at times he paid for it. But he had enough composure to throw strikes throughout the game.”
The Electrics took a 4-1 lead in the top of the second before the Mavs broke it open by scoring five in both the second and third frames.
Missoula pounded out 14 hits, including triples from Dwyer, catcher Andy Freeman and second baseman Taylor King, making his season debut. Dwyer's bases-loaded triple in the third was the highlight of Missoula's offensive attack.
Hortick got the start and took the loss for Great Falls (0-4) by lasting just 1 1-3 innings and allowing six runs on seven hits.
Great Falls' offense was paced by Hunter Carlyon, who was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
The Mavs return to the field Wednesday when they head to Hamilton for a 6:30 p.m. nine-inning contest.
First game
Missoula 3, Great Falls 0
Great Falls 000 000 0 - 0 6 0
Missoula 001 002 x - 3 5 1
John Reilly, Casey Johnson (6) and Tyler Brinka. Brendan Brown and Sean Dwyer. W - Brown (1-1). L - Reilly (0-1).
GREAT FALLS - Taylor Shanahan 2-3, Reilly 1-3, Johnson 1-3, Hunter Carlyon 1-3, Brinka 0-1, Tucker Cook 1-3, Ethan Hortick 0-3, Joel LaRance 0-2, Kody Shupe 0-1, Reid Tramelli 0-2.
MISSOULA - Kendal Maier 0-2, Ben Roberts 1-3, Dwyer 2-3, Cody Burgmeier 0-3, Sam Sopko 0-1, Drew Lytle 2-3, Wes Martens 0-1, Cubby Pierre 0-3, Lincoln Mansch 0-2
2B - Shanahan, Dwyer, Lytle. RBIs - Dwyer, Lytle 2.
Second game
Missoula 12, Great Falls 6
Great Falls 310 010 1 - 6 10 1
Missoula 155 001 x - 12 14 3
Hortick, Carlyon (2), Shanahan (3) and Brinka. Anthony Maes, Shawn Griffith (6) and Andy Freeman. W - Maes (1-0). L - Hortick.
GREAT FALLS - Reilly 3-4, Carlyon 2-4, Johnson 2-4, Shanahan 1-3, Tyler Brinka 0-3, Cook 1-3, Hortick 2-2, Tramelli 0-2, Shupe 0-1, Greg Schroeder 0-4.
MISSOULA - Taylor King 2-3, Roberts 1-3, Dwyer 2-4, Taylor Nordby 1-3, Maier 1-3, Brown 0-2, Sopko 0-2, Jake Schilling 0-1, Freeman 2-2, Pireer 3-4.
2B - Carlyon, Freeman. 3B - Carlyon, King, Dwyer, Freeman. RBIs - Carlyon 2, Johnson, Hortic 2, King, Dwyer 5, Nordby, Maier, Brown, Pierre.
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