GVO opens district against Anaconda A’s

 By Mike Brandt • Staff Writer

Gallatin Valley opens the Southern A District tournament Thursday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. against Anaconda in Deer Lodge. The Outlaws are the number one seed from the East Sub-district with a 10-2 record. Anaconda finished the West Sub-district with a 0-12 record.

The Outlaws (38-33) have been playing very well of late, winning 10 of their last 13 games. First baseman/pitcher Cameron Frost said that the Outlaws are playing like a family.

“I think we’re really coming together as a team. We’re like a family, not a team,” he said. “We’re going to be a tough team to beat come district time.”

While they’re a No. 1 seed, the Outlaws aren’t going to look past Anaconda or anyone else in the district tournament. It something the team could easy do since they already have a free pass to the state tournament as the host team.

“We’re looking forward to state, but district is on our mind right now,” said Frost. “That’s our main priority. Then after district we get to host state and everyone is pretty excited for it.”

Frost feels that every team in the district tournament has a chance to win the title and take a number one seed into state.

“Every team can beat us and we can beat every team. It’s really who comes ready to play,” said Frost. “We’re going to be ready to play like we’re playing a AA team.”

Gallatin Valley manager Duwayne Scott also stressed that the Outlaws won’t be looking past anyone this weekend.

“We’re going to come out and compete and see what happens,” he said. “It’s a really tight race. Nobody is really dominant. It’s going to be a wide open tournament.”

Infielder/pitcher Matt Workman added that the team is approaching things one game at a time in Deer Lodge.

“We definitely want to win our first game. Then move on from there,” he said. “Play one game at a time. That’s what we have done the last couple of weeks. We want to earn the right to go to state. But if we lose out or take third that’s okay. But, I’d rather have us go in (to state) as the number one seed or number two.”

Also on Thursday, Helena (8-4, 44-22-1), the number two seed from the East, takes on the third seed from the West in Butte (8-4, 16-29) at 8:30 a.m. Then at 11:30 a.m. it will be Dillon (8-4), the top seed from the West sub-district, battling Bozeman (1-11, 14-38), the fourth seed from the East.

The first day of action will come to a close when Deer Lodge (8-4, 19-27-2), the second seed from the West, plays Livingston (5-7), the third seed from the East at 5:30 p.m.