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By Robert Gagliardi for the Mail Tribune August 10. 2015 2:00AM Champions Medford starting pitcher Cody Coggins is tackled by his teammates after striking out Gillette's Tyler Tennant for the final out in a 12-2 win on Sunday to help the Mustangs clinch the Northwest Regional championship and secure a berth in the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C. WYOMING TRIBUNE EAGLE / BLAINE MCCARTNEY CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Cody Coggins improved to 10-0 on the season for the Medford Mustangs on Sunday, and his 10th victory could not have come at a better time. Using a strong effort on the mound from Coggins and a potent offensive attack, the Mustangs downed Gillette, Wyo., 12-2, in eight innings at Powers Field to capture the American Legion AAA Northwest Regional crown. Medford (42-13) advances to play Brooklawn, N.J., in its fifth American Legion World Series appearance in team history. The game starts at 9:30 a.m. PDT Thursday in Shelby, N.C. The tournament concludes Aug. 18. Games can be seen on ESPN3, with semifinals and finals on ESPNU. The New Jersey squad, the Mid-Atlantic regional winner, has won the last two World Series titles. The Mustangs finished 5-1 in Cheyenne. Coggins allowed two runs on six hits and struck out eight in eight innings. The game was called after eight innings due to the 10-run mercy rule. "I think I mixed my pitches pretty well, and (Gillette) had some pretty good bats in their lineup," said Coggins, who went 2-0 in the tournament and also had a save. "Between mixing pitches, the defense I got behind me and the great hitting we had, it was just awesome." Medford pitching allowed four or fewer runs in all but one of its games in the tournament. The Mustangs also beat Gillette twice, including an 8-3 win on the tournament's second day. Medford committed three errors in the game, and two in the bottom of the first inning that led to a Gillette run. But that defense turned a double play in the bottom of the sixth inning after Gillette loaded the bases with no outs. The Rough Riders scored a run in the inning, but the double play minimized the damage. The Mustangs scored five runs in the top of the third on five RBI singles — all with two outs. They put the game away by scoring seven runs over the final four innings as they got to a depleted Gillette pitching staff that went through four pitchers. "We were looking fast ball, and trying to stay away from curve balls," said Medford catcher Austin Zavala, who went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs. Zavala said he was working for the first part of the season, but after seeing the success the Mustangs were having decided to come out and play. "This is way better than working," he said with a laugh. Bryce Rogan went 3-for-4 with two runs and Micah Brown 2-for-4 with three runs for Medford. Jared Evans finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs, Steen Fredrickson and Cole Carder were both 2-for-4 and Colton Westfall was 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Gillette (64-24) set several program records this season, including victories, and also reached the regional title game for the first time in team history. The Rough Riders rallied to beat Lakeside Recovery out of Bellevue, Wash., 8-7 on a walk-off single by Tyler Tennant in the bottom of the ninth earlier in the day to get the chance to play Medford. It was Gillette's second straight walk-off win in the tournament, and it rallied from deficits of 4-0 and 5-3 in that game. "We fought so hard to get back here. It's a credit to our guys. We never quit the whole tournament, and I don't think many people expected us to be here," Gillette coach Nate Perleberg said. "I'm proud of this team and how they compete. "To be in the championship is a huge step for our program. We wanted to win it, but we ran out of arms in this game." Medford;005;011;32;—;12;16;3 Gillette;100;001;00;—;2;6;4 Coggins and Zavala; Tennant, Harris (6), Langdon (6), Arbach (7) and Hladky. W — Cogggins (10-0). L — Tennant. 2B — M: Rogan. 3B — M: Evans. MEDFORD 12, GILLETTE, WYO. 2, 8 INN.WHAT: Cody Coggins improves to 10-0 on the mound and the Mustangs rack up 16 hits en route to winning the American Legion AAA Northwest Regional title.UP NEXT: Thursday, Medford vs. Brooklawn, N.J., 9:30 a.m. PDT, American Legion World Series, Shelby, N.C.COVERAGE: Games can be seen on ESPN3, with semifinals and finals on ESPNU. http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20150810/SPORTS/150819990 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->