BILLINGS -- With his future North Dakota State University baseball coach in the stands cheering him on, Easton Reimers pitched the Missoula Mavericks past Fort Collins, Colorado, 9-0, in the first round of the American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament at Dehler Park on Wednesday.
Reimers, pitched the first 5.1 innings, limiting the Colorado state champions to a pair of hits while fanning four. He didn't issue a single walk as the Montana-Alberta State AA champion Mavericks won their ninth straight to improve to 55-24-1. Reimers, who committed to NDSU last August prior to his senior year at Missoula Sentinel, was delighted to help his team advance in the winner's bracket side of the tournament and was also happy his future coach with the Bison, Tyler Oakes, was in attendance.
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"He came out to see me. He said he could come watch and see us play," said Reimers. "It's exciting he made the trip. It's a sweet opportunity."
While the Mavericks played a solid all-around game to advance to a Thursday winner's bracket game against Gillette, Wyoming (51-26), at 4 p.m. at Dehler, the host Billings Royals were dealt a setback.
Competing against an Idaho Falls program that has earned two American Legion World Series championships and a runner-up trophy since 2019, the Royals fell by a score of 10-0 in six innings to the Bandits to complete play on Wednesday.
The Royals will play Portland, Oregon, (39-4) in a loser-out game on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at Dehler.
Mavericks 9, Lambkins 0
Missoula totaled nine hits in the victory and didn't commit any errors in playing a complete all-around game. The Mavs' big inning was the fourth when they scored five runs for a 7-0 lead.
Carter Taylor and Colter Nicolarsen hit back-to-back two run doubles in the frame to power the Mavs.
"Our bats came alive and we played good defense," said Reimers. "You can't ask for more."
Scoreboard: Northwest Region 7 AA Regional American Legion baseball tournament
Missoula coach Brent Hathaway, who has led the Mavericks for 33 years and spent 35 total years in the program including two years coaching the Class A squad before being hired to coach the AA team, said winning the first game and advancing in the winner's bracket is key.
"I was really, really pleased with the start. Easton was sharp and (reliever) Stellan (Stark-Ridley) threw strikes and we didn't kick anything around," said Hathaway. "We got a couple timely hits. And we got Easton out under 60 (pitches). So, he's available a day earlier than planned. So, it was a good start."
"It's huge. That's the biggest win of the tournament right there. You've got to stay in the winner's bracket as long as possible and day one is important. So, we're really happy with this."
Missoula Mavericks standouts Carter Taylor and Easton Reimers bound for SDSU, NDSU
For the Mavs, Taylor finished 2 for 4 from the leadoff spot with two runs and two RBIs and Nicolarsen drove in three runs. Rylan Davis was 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs and Stark-Ridley was 2 for 2 and scored two runs. Bryce Ostrom crossed the plate for three runs. Overall, Missoula batters belted four extra-base hits with Taylor, Nicolarsen and Stark-Ridley all doubling and Ostrom tripling.
"We're playing good baseball and this is our time," said Reimers, the 2024 State AA tourney MVP. "We want to play our best baseball at the end. So, we're ready to go, excited to be here and blessed with the opportunity."
On Thursday against Gillette, the Mavericks plan to send reigning state tourney MVP Schuyler Fairchild to the mound. Gillette opened play on Wednesday with a 22-3 five-inning victory over Anchorage, Alaska.
"We've got a good pitcher on the mound, so continue to play defense for him and find bats and just score runs," said Reimers of what will be key against Gillette. "With runners in scoring position, we need to have our best at-bats and just continue to play as a team."
Anchorage (22-5) and Fort Collins (23-11-1) will play in a loser-out game at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Dehler.
Bandits 10, Royals 0
Idaho Falls totaled eight hits and Bandits pitchers Carter Bowen and Brock Bowman held the Royals to three singles as the Bandits scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth and another three in the sixth to enforce the mercy rule.
With the win, the Bandits (39-10) advance to the 7 p.m. Thursday game against Yakima Valley, Wash. (28-10). Yakima Valley defeated Portland 6-5 in eight innings in the second game Wednesday.
The Royals committed two errors and Idaho Falls was charged with one, per statistics for the game found on GameChanger.
Kooper Beard was 2 for 3 for the Royals and Camden Wilson was 1 for 2. Nick Martin pitched the first four innings for the Royals, and Ryland Humphrey worked the final 1.2 innings.
"They're a great team," said Royals coach David Swecker of the Bandits. "They're as advertised. There's a reason that they are competing in the World Series a lot and competing for regional championships a lot and they just did the little things right. They threw strikes and they got big hits when they needed them, and they played great defense. And you've got to do those three things if you want to win."
Billings Royals' 'hard-nosed worker' Anthony Williams 'loves' baseball
Royals catcher Anthony Williams threw two Bandits out attempting to steal second base.
"Anthony did a great job back there," said Swecker.
The Royals are embracing the opportunity to play in the regional as the tourney host and are aiming to defeat Portland on Thursday so they can continue to compete in the tourney on Friday.
"We're looking forward to going out there and competing our tails off against Oregon," said Swecker.
Photos: American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament American Legion Baseball Northwest Regional Tournament
Email Gazette Sports Editor John Letasky at [email protected] or follow him on X/Twitter at @GazSportsJohnL
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