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(Photo by Ryan Brennecke) Miscues prove costly for Mavs North Medford falls short in championship game at American Legion A Northwest Regional From staff reports SHERIDAN, Wyo. — The North Medford Mavericks couldn't close the deal in the American Legion A Northwest Regional Tuesday. Despite collecting 14 hits and receiving 10 walks, the Mavericks suffered a heartbreaking 10-9 loss to Bitterroot, Mont., in the championship game. The Mavericks (47-12-1) had the upper hand in the tournament after being the only undefeated team through the first three rounds, including an 11-2 victory over Montana in the second round. Montana had to get by Richland, Wash., earlier Tuesday before its matchup with the Mavericks. Richland handed North Medford its first loss,13-8, on Monday "The great thing is we got to play to the very last day and the last out in the American Legion season," North Medford coach Brett Wolfe said. "Anytime you can do that, you have to be proud of what we accomplished." Advertisement In the championship game, North Medford led 3-2 after six innings, but three errors led to eight runs — five unearned — in the seventh and eight innings. "The difference in the game was we gave them some extra outs and that will hurt you," Wolfe said. "We were able to focus at the plate and had the ability to battle back. The kids did not get down on themselves, we just came up one run short." Montana took leads in the first and third innings by scoring single runs, but each time North Medford answered with the tying run in the bottom of the inning. The Mavericks took their first lead in the sixth when Hayden Wolfe doubled with two outs and Aaron Marlia delivered an RBI single. North Medford might have gotten out of the seventh inning without allowing any runs but an error on a relay throw to home cost one run, followed by an infield error that allowed a second run in. By the time the inning came to an end, Montana had tallied four runs — all unearned — off North Medford starter Andrew Jones and grabbed a 6-3 lead. The Mavericks picked up one run in the bottom of the inning, but Bitterroot added four more runs in the eighth, highlighted by Tony Isbell's two-run double. Another error in the inning led to one unearned run. While the North Medford errors proved costly, Montana came up with a defensive gem in the bottom of the eighth that eventually proved decisive. The Mavericks loaded the bases with one out in the eighth on singles by Marlia, Jones and Shea Bedortha. Collin Sowers followed with a double in the outfield gap. Two runs scored on the hit, but Bedortha was thrown out at the plate on the play. Blake Mitchell grounded out to end the inning and North Medford trailed 10-6. "It was an incredible throw by their shortstop Cam Edman," said the Mavericks coach. "He made the throw from deep in the outfield." Medford pushed Montana to the limit in the ninth. After scoring three runs, with the help of four walks, the Mavericks trailed 10-9 with the bases loaded. But Mitchell hit a two-hopper back to pitcher Jeremiah Hannah to end the game. Marlia went 4-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs to spark the Mavericks' offense. "Aaron has been a great player for us all summer," said Brett Wolfe. "He was able to step up for us today." Jones added three hits and two RBIs and Hayden Wolfe contributed two hits. "We've been playing great defense all year," said Brett Wolfe. "It just so happened we had two big errors back-to-back in the seventh. We were in the driver's seat if we would have played better fundamental baseball. We could have taken this thing home." Montana.........................101 000 440 — 10 14 0 North Medford.................101 001 123 — 9 14 3 Isbell, Hannah (7) and Stephens; Jones, Maurer (7) and Sowers. W — Isbell. L — Jones (10-3). 2B — M: Isbell 2; NM: Jones, Wolfe, Sowers. 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