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Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Since We Asked Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend August 13, 2006 Maurer, Mavericks handcuff Montana From staff reports SHERIDAN, Wyo. — Along with a team from Washington, Montana's baseball team has been the talk of the town the past few days at the American Legion A Northwest Regional Tournament. Featuring three returning college players and five graduated seniors, the team from Hamilton, Mont., had turned heads as men among boys entering Saturday's second-round game against the North Medford Mavericks. But what the Montana team boasted in experience, the Mavericks countered in talent to pin an 11-2 defeat on their elders. Incoming high school freshman Matt Maurer limited Montana to six hits with a season-high 13 strikeouts and only one walk in a nine-inning masterpiece for the Oregon squad. "To me that was his best performance of the year," Mavericks coach Brett Wolfe said of the left-hander. "All the hype for the game was there so he was a little nervous early, but it was a good experience for him and certainly will help for the future. He calmed right down and stayed focus and went right after them." Advertisement With Maurer in charge, Wolfe stayed with his power-pitching phenom. Maurer struck out the side in the ninth to seal the victory and improve his record to 9-0. North Medford ran its season record to 46-10-1. "His fastball was located real well, he had command of his curveball and got ahead of hitters," said Wolfe. "And the nice thing about it was he only gave up one free pass with the walk." North Medford advances to play Utah at 6 tonight in the third round of the championship bracket. Utah rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Washington 5-4 on Saturday. The eight-team, double-elimination tourney runs through Tuesday at Thorne-Rider Stadium. While Maurer had the defense covered with his effort on the mound, Shea Bedortha and Jordon Bostwick did the brunt of the damage on offense for the Mavericks. Bedortha belted three doubles and finished 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs, while Bostwick was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs. "Shea had a great game," said Wolfe. "He works really hard and is a big, strong kid and leader on our team. He wanted to step up a little bit as a senior guy after all the talk was about those older kids for Montana. He accepted that challenge and came up with some big at-bats." Zack Earle also had two hits for the Mavericks and scored twice — the first coming in the opening inning on a sacrifice fly by Bedortha to give North Medford a 1-0 lead. The Mavericks built their lead up to 4-1 with three runs in the third, then gave Maurer plenty of cushion with three more runs in the fourth. Earle once again sparked the offense with a leadoff double in the fourth, then advanced to third on a single by Aaron Marlia. Wolfe put Marlia in motion on a 3-1 pitch and Bostwick did his part with a liner to right field that got past the outfielder and allowed two runs to score. Bedortha followed with an RBI double. North Medford's lead ballooned to 9-2 in the sixth thanks to an RBI single by Colin Sowers and a perfectly executed RBI push-bunt by Blake Mitchell. The Mavericks capped the scoring in the seventh with two more runs on an RBI triple by Bostwick and RBI double by Bedortha. Tom Isbell led Montana by going 2-for-4 with two doubles. Hamilton, which is about 45 miles outside Missoula, Mont., does not have an American Legion AAA squad, according to Wolfe, so all local players are eligible for the Legion A team. Hamilton, Mont......................010 001 000 — 2 6 1 North Medford...................103 302 20x — 11 12 1 Hanna, Goble (5), Salmelak (8) and Stephens; Maurer and Yeigh. W — Maurer (9-0). L — Hanna. 2B — M: Isbell 2; NM: S. Bedortha 3, Earle, Wolfe. 3B — NM: Bostwick. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems California Casinos Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Advertisement s