Missoula designated hitter Brendan Brown smacked a third-inning triple and drove in a team-high three runs and Lincoln Mansch pitched the final 2 1-3 innings as the Mavs moved to 30-9.
In other tournament contests, the Lewis-Clark Twins from Lewiston, Idaho, defeated the Billings Royals 4-2; Bellevue, Wash., Honda beat the Royals 2-1; and the Prairie Cardinals from Post Falls, Idaho, posted a 10-2 victory over Bellevue in six frames due to the tourney's eight-run margin rule.
“I just went out and he said he felt something pop,” said Missoula manager Brent Hathaway. “He said it seemed like (the pain) was a little more on top rather than in the back where it could be a rotator cuff, so I'm hoping the situation isn't as bad as it could be. We're thin at pitcher as it is.”
After Griffith surrendered a two-run homer to Gonzaga recruit Tyler Olson in the top of the first, the Mavs came back with three in the bottom half on a Ben Roberts RBI triple, an error and a run-scoring single by second baseman Kendal Maier.
Missoula took advantage of another error to make it 4-2 in the second and the Mavs scored twice more in the third, highlighted by Brown's triple.
When Griffith left in the fourth, Anthony Maes relieved and struggled with control. After just three batters, he was pulled in favor of Mansch, who was scheduled to start one of Missoula's two games on Saturday.
“We gave Anthony an opportunity out there and he just couldn't find the plate tonight,” Hathaway said. “So we had to make a change.”
The Bandits, who rallied from a 9-2 deficit in the fifth to beat Billings 14-12 Thursday, pulled to within 6-5 on an RBI single by designated hitter Alec Albinson in the in the top of the fifth.
But the Mavs answered with three in the bottom half to pull away for good. Included in the inning were a bunt single, three hit batters and a Sean Dwyer sacrifice fly to right.
Mansch (6-0) also struggled, but squeezed out of a jam by yielding just one run in the sixth, then retired the side in order in the seventh to slam the door shut. He finished by striking out Connor Roff on a 2-2 fastball.
“I told Lincoln we would piece it together inning by inning,” Hathaway said. “I wanted to get him comfortable and I asked him if he wanted to finish this one or start tomorrow and he said he wanted to finish this one.”
Missoula shortstop Taylor King went 2-for-3 and third baseman Cubby Pierre was 2-for-4.
Danny Jordan tripled and was 2-for-3 in Spokane's leadoff spot and Olson added a triple to his first-inning homer.
Max Manix took the loss for the Bandits on the mound, going five innings and surrendering eight hits and a walk. He fanned four.
“We feel good about being 2-0 in this tournament with a real competitive field,” Hathaway said. “Hopefully (Saturday), we can come out and get a couple of good starts from our pitchers, whoever they might be.”
The Mavs take on Lewis-Clark at 4 p.m. Saturday before meeting Bellevue at 7 p.m.
Spokane 200 121 0 - 6 8 6
Missoula 312 030 x - 9 9 1
Max Manix, Stephen Hertz (6) and Trenton Hauff. Shawn Griffith, Anthony Maes (4), Lincoln Mansch (4) and Andy Freeman, Sean Dwyer (6). W - Mansch (6-0). L - Manix.
SPOKANE - Danny Jordan 2-3, Jacob Olusfka 1-3, Billy Moon 0-4, Tyler Olson 2-3, Hauff 1-4, Michael Holmes 0-3, Evan Ewing 0-3, Galen Duff 0-1, Alec Albinson 2-4, Connor Roff 0-3.
MISSOULA - Taylor King 2-3, Ben Roberts 1-4, Brendan Brown 1-3, Dwyer 0-3, Kendal Maier 1-4, Cody Burgmeier 1-3, Jake Schilling 0-0, Dew Lytle 0-0, Taylor Nordby 1-3, Freeman 0-1, Sam Sopko 0-1, Cubby Pierre 2-4.
2B - Smith. 3B - Jordan, Olson, Roberts, Brown. HR - Olson. RBIs - Olusfka, Olson 2, Albinson, Roberts, Brown 3, Dwyer, Maier.
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