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Knights upset East Champion Mavericks to kick off State Championship

Jul 27, 2017 | 12:51 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The Medicine Hat “A” Knights kicked off the Montana State Championship with a bang Thursday morning, upsetting the number one seed from the East District, the Miles City Mavericks with a dominating 12-2 victory.

Knights starter Ethan Boutkan lasted all six innings, collecting six strikeouts and allowing just five hits. A stark contrast to the Mavericks mound, which saw five different arms take turns in a loss which knocks them into a do-or-die position.

Medicine Hat caught fire early, throwing five runs on the board in the first. Boutkan, Ethan Loran, Easton Brooks, and Travis Small each drove in runs in the opening frame.

Held scoreless until the fourth, the Knights flipped the switch a second time with another five runs scored.

As impressive Boutkan’s performance was on the mound, his work at the plate was just as outstanding. The first year Knight went 3/3 with four RBI and three runs. Ethan Loran batted in a pair of runs on his only hit of the game. Only one Knight was credited without at least one hit — Joel Herron who was given two chances to reach base aside from a walk and being hit by a pitch.

Medicine Hat will now take on either the winner between the Kalispell Lakers and Belgrade Bandits, which is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon from Three Forks, MT.