Big Plays, Close Calls: Day 1 of the Northwest Regional

Day 1 in the Books

Day 1 of the American Legion 2025 Northwest Regional is in the books, with games set to continue throughout the weekend at Dehler Park in Billings. The Missoula Mavericks continued the momentum from their Montana State Championship run, while the hosting Billings Royals started slow. Here’s how Friday unfolded in Billings.

For a full breakdown of the teams, tournament format, and key storylines, check out our Northwest Regional Primer

Gillette Roughriders 22, Anchorage Service Cougars 3 – Roughriders Open With Offensive Onslaught

Game 1 of the Northwest Regional began with a bang, as the Gillette Roughriders put on an offensive clinic, scoring 22 runs on 17 hits over just three innings. Anchorage kept it close through the first, drawing two walks and scoring on an RBI single from Kegan Lennox. Cason Loftus started the bats for the Roughriders with a walk, before being pushed in by a Seth Petersen triple (who then scored on a balk to make it 2-1 after the first).

Gillette ran away with it from there, scoring 14 in the second on ten hits and a chorus of RBI singles across the lineup. Their offensive surge continued into the third, extending the lead to 22–1. Anchorage wasn’t able to overcome the run-rule deficit despite a pair of RBIs in the top of the fifth.

Yakima Valley Pepsi-Pak 6, Portland Barbers 5 - Free Baseball Thriller for Northwest Rivals

Free baseball was played in game 2, with the neighboring states of Oregon and Washington going at it into extra innings. The Washington-representing Yakima Valley Pepsi-Pak jumped out to an early lead in the third, starting with the first home run of the tournament off the bat of Alex Morales to score three runs. The Pepsi-Pak quickly reloaded, bringing up Logan Kruger with the bases loaded to drive in two more with a single through the left side.

The Portland Barbers were able to add one of their own in the bottom of the third, a pair of runs in the fifth, and a pair of clutch runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie it up at 5-5 at the end of regulation. The tie wouldn’t last long, as the Pepsi-Pak started the eighth with a Corbin Goodlake triple, and he was then driven in by a single to right to give Yakima Valley the winning run.

Missoula Mavericks 9, Fort Collins Lambkins 0 - Reimers and Ridley Combine for Seven-Inning Shutout

Unable to put it away early, the Missoula Mavericks continued their state-winning form in game 3 of the Regional. All-State pitcher Easton Reimers started on the bump for the Mavericks, and with the help of fellow All-State reliever Stellan Ridley the two shut out the Fort Collins Lambkins through seven innings. Reimers pitched 50 pitches (42 strikes) to seventeen batters, only allowing two hits and earning four strikeouts in his 5.1 innings.

Their offense started in the first, with Rylan Davis hitting an RBI single to right, and after a lull in the second he once again drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. The Mavericks exploded in the fourth, with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch driving in a run, a Carter Taylor double driving in two more, and capped off with another double RBI double by Colter Nicolarsen. Stellan Ridley took home on a wild pitch in the fifth, and Colter got another RBI on the stat sheet in the sixth.

Idaho Falls Bandits 10, Billings Royals 0 - Mercy Rule Ends Royals’ Night Early

Game 4 saw the hosting Billings Royals take on the Idaho-winning Idaho Falls Bandits, who stole the spotlight from the Royals Wednesday night. After a quick first, the Bandits struck in the second after back-to-back RBI singles from Cole Croft and Greyson Martin. After four innings at the plate, the Royals had only two hits from the bats of Kooper Beard (third) and Camden Wilson (fourth), and the Bandits kept the pressure on with a Lincoln Stallings RBI single. The batting woes continued into the late stages, with Kooper Beard earning his second hit of the night (and the last for the Royals) in the fifth. The Bandits scored four more in the fifth, and a trio in the sixth to end the game via mercy rule.

Nick Martin got the call for the Royals, going 4.0 innings and throwing 97 pitches. He allowed five hits, six earned runs, four walks, and struck out five across 25 batters. Ryland Humphrey came on in relief and went 1.2 innings, throwing just 35 pitches to eight batters. He gave up three runs on three hits, with one walk.

What’s Next in the Northwest Regional

Day 2 of the Northwest Regional begins at 9:30 a.m., with the Anchorage Service Cougars taking on the Fort Collins Lambkins in Game 5. Game 6 will follow, featuring the Portland Barbers and the Billings Royals. Both are elimination games — the losers will be knocked out of the tournament.

The Gillette Roughriders will face the Missoula Mavericks at 4:00 p.m., followed by the Yakima Valley Pepsi-Pak facing the Idaho Falls Bandits in the nightcap. Winners of those matchups will move on, while the losers will drop into elimination games against the winners of Games 5 and 6.