MISSOULA — The home team came into the Missoula Mavericks Memorial Tournament red hot, but the Walla Walla Bears cooled them off on Thursday evening at Lindborg-Cregg Field, 9-4, in American Legion Baseball action.
The visitors from Washington scored six runs in the top of the fourth inning to blow open a close game. Walla Walla extended the lead to 9-1 in the top of the fifth and almost finished off the game due to the eight-run rule in the tournament. Missoula stayed alive a while longer with three runs in the bottom of the fifth but never got any closer.
Kyren Morris and Kobe Morris both provided three hits in the middle of the order for the Bears. Kobe Morris and Caleb Ephan each drove in a pair of runs. Bridger Johnson gave the Mavs a 2-for-4 performance with two RBI.
The Mavericks will take the field again in the tournament at 7:30 p.m. Friday against the Lewis-Clark Twins from Idaho.
