TWINS WIN IN 15, MAKE TITLE ROUND

Shoults' RBI double is difference as L-C wins 3rd straight loser-out game at Regionals

MISSOULA, Mont. - The Lewis-Clark Twins had already made a long journey through the losers' bracket.

It got a whole lot longer Saturday night. But they're exactly where they want to be - in the title round of Regionals.

Ryder Shoults, who had entered the game as an injury replacement, laced an RBI double in top of the the 15th inning to decide a wild game rife with great escapes by the Twins as the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley team outlasted Missoula 6-5 in the Northwest Regional Legion baseball tournament.

"This was one of the crazier games I've ever been a part of," Twins coach Kevin Maurer said. "Lots of ups and downs, but nothing but heart by our guys."

The Twins (38-11) claimed their third straight losers' bracket victory and now face the team that vanquished them in the first round, Washington champion Yakima. That game starts at noon PDT today and the winner then plays Missoula for the championship at 3 p.m. PDT.

Missoula, the host team, had been undefeated in the tournament until losing to the Twins, who escaped three bases-loaded jams in extra innings, one of them with no outs.

In the 15th, Kolt Olson beat out a bouncer over the pitcher's head, then dashed to second base when the throw was errant. He scored on Shoults' double as the Twins drew two wins away from their first regional title and World Series berth since 2001.

Shoults had entered the game earlier to replace Riley Way, who sustained a facial injury fielding a grounder and is questionable for today's action.

Chase Adkison pitched eight innings in relief for the Twins in a game that, despite its length, saw only four players take the mound for the two teams. The Twins' starter was Julian Washburn.

Adkison struck out eight and wriggled out of bases-loaded situations in the 10th, 11th and 12th innings.

"Not too many guys can handle the kind of pressure he was put in time and time again," Maurer said, "but it also showed the character of our team to get through those situations. You don't see many teams maintain their belief that they can come out of it like our guys did."

The Twins trailed 4-3 in the eighth before Jaden Phillips singled, advanced on a bunt and a passed ball and scored on Jackson Fuller's single on a 0-2 count. In the previous at-bat, the Missoula second baseman made a diving catch of a line drive by Danny Robinson.

AJ Davis tallied four hits for the Twins, and Fuller finished with three.

Lewis-Clark 100 002 010 010 001-6 18 4

Missoula 001 102 000 010 000-5 16 2

Julian Washburn, Chase Adkison (8) and Jackson Fuller. Drew Leonard, Andy Brooks (8) and Schock.