Missoula Impact Sweeps Kootenai Valley in Twin Bill
Labbe, Mitchell, and Bay Brilliant on Hill, Elliott Delivers Clutch Hits
May 28, 2022 - By Dave Smith
MISSOULA – Cooper Elliott lined a clutch two-out, two-strike triple to plate the tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning, then walked it off with a line drive single in the 11th inning to lead Missoula Impact to a dramatic come from behind victory over the Kootenai Valley Rangers, 5-4, in the opener of a doubleheader on Saturday at Playfair Park in Missoula. Sophomore Brennan Labbe slammed the door on the Rangers in the nightcap, hurling a sparkling two-hit shutout as Impact took care of business with a ten-run rule victory in five-innings, winning 13-0.
Sophomore closer Carson Bay was the difference-maker in the first game, tossing four brilliant frames of extra innings relief to notch the win. Bay spaced four hits, allowed zero earned runs, walked only one, and struck out three in a gutsy performance with the game on the line. Starter Easton Mitchell set the table for Bay with another strong outing on the hill, limiting the Rangers to only seven hits, two earned runs, and two walks through seven innings of solid work that kept Impact within reach while the Missoula hitters scuffled. Kootenai Valley’s strike-throwing starter, Kyle Durden, handcuffed Missoula for six sparking innings, allowing only singles to Elliott, Mitchell, and Luke Kunz as the Rangers built a 3-0 lead.
“Our pitching was dominant from beginning to end today,” said Michael Hutcherson, Impact Manager. “We struggled offensively in the first game but pitching and defense kept us in the game until we found our bats in the seventh inning.”
Matty Herzog led off the bottom of the seventh by reaching on an error by the left fielder on a fly ball, then Kunz drilled a line drive single to center. Mitchell’s grounder to third was booted, plating Herzog. Labbe then tapped an RBI groundout to first, cutting the gap to 3-2. Facing Kootenai Valley reliever Corbin Hurst, Elliott got down in the count 0-2 but fouled off a two-strike pitch to stay alive. Finally, with Missoula one strike from defeat, Elliott got a pitch he could drive to the opposite field and laced a slicing drive over the right fielder’s head for the game-tying RBI triple.
Kootenai Valley scored an unearned run in the ninth on a sharp RBI single by Durden. However, the relentless Impact hitters, as they have all season, would not go quietly. Kunz crushed a ringing double off the right field fence to lead off the inning, and Mitchell followed with a walk, but Hurst retired Gunlock and Labbe to again get Missoula down to their final out. This time, Elliott’s popup was dropped by second basemen, Cole Hurst, allowing Kunz to score the tying run.
Kootenai Valley’s Dominic Peltier laced a single to lead off the 10th inning but was nailed trying to steal second on a rocket throw by Dillon Gunlock, Missoula’s tremendous defensive catcher. Gunlock’s throw proved critical when the next hitter, Oliver McKim, blooped a single to right. Bay fanned Cheetrih Wise on a 3-2 fastball, then retired leadoff hitter Tristan Butts to end the rally.
Cole Smith drilled a single up the middle to lead off the bottom of the 10th inning, but Hurst pitched out of the jam. Bay efficiently retired the side in order in the 11th, setting up the dramatic finale. Gunlock walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a passed ball, but Hurst got Labbe on a flyout to left. Elliott then ripped a line drive RBI single to right field to score Gunlock with the winning run.
Labbe’s sparkling pitching performance was the story of the nightcap. The talented southpaw had excellent command of his breaking ball in cruising through five mostly spotless innings, notching six strikeouts while allowing only two hits and three walks.
Missoula took advantage of the wildness of starter Sam Hall, who issued seven walks in failing to make it through the first frame. Impact staked Labbe to a 9-0 first inning lead with only three hits, batting around nearly twice in the inning. Labbe and Elliott had RBI singles and Smith, Herzog, and Bay had RBI walks in the lengthy inning. Kunz plunked a two-RBI single, and Mitchell ripped a sharp single to left to cap a four-run fourth inning that sealed the outcome. Young Impact players Shane Hutcherson, a seventh grader, and 14-year-old Dawson Mentzer contributed solid at bats in the fifth with a walk and groundout, respectively.
Elliott led the way in the nightcap with three hits, capping a spectacular 6-for-9 day at the plate. Herzog made two beautiful running catches in center field, robbing the Rangers of extra base hits on both occasions. Missoula (13-6), which remained unbeaten at home this season with its seventh consecutive home field victory, takes to the road for a key doubleheader with the Mission Valley Mariners on Sunday in Polson, starting at 1:00. Make the trip up north and support the entertaining Missoula Impact ballclub!
