A nice ring to it

By PETE DELMOE Chronicle Sports Writer

The Bozeman Bucks certainly looked like defending champions Wednesday night.

ALTON STRUPP/CHRONICLE Bozeman Buck Dan Bashore gets the sign that he is going to be safe at third after a double by Chris Schmidt in the top of the seventh inning Wednesday night. The Bucks beat the visiting Belgrade Bandits 15-1. On the same night they received their 2007 state championship rings, the Bucks defeated the Belgrade Bandits 15-1 in seven innings at Heroes Park.

It was also the Bucks seventh game in six days, but the tired team managed to squeeze out one more win and will not play again until Monday when Chino, Calif., visits for a doubleheader.

“I’m happy to come away with a win and get a few days off,” said Bucks head coach Mitch Messer. “We need a mental break.”

The Bucks took control early, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Left fielder Matt Comer drove in the first run on a single to left, but he was just warming up.

The Bucks big inning came in the fourth when they scored nine runs, with four of them coming when Comer drilled a grand slam to left to make it 9-1.

Comer also hit the first ever home run at Billings’ new Dehler Park on Sunday. The historic shot is going to be put on display in Billings.

“He’s had a couple of monumental home runs lately,” third baseman Ryan Minkoff said.

The Bucks also scored three runs in the sixth, but for a team that’s used to putting up huge numbers every night, the 12 hits seemed to disappoint some.

“It took us a few innings to get things going,” said Minkoff, who was 1-for-2 on the night with two RBIs. “We knew it would come around but we can’t afford to wait.”

With the Bucks (31-14, 13-5) worn down and needing some fresh arms, Messer turned to Brendan Phillips, who hasn’t pitched much this year - and he came up huge.

Phillips went the distance, giving up one run on seven hits while striking out three.

“That was the highlight of the night, seeing Brendan pitch the way he did,” Messer said. “After tonight’s performance we’ll be throwing him again.”

For the Bandits, it was their third loss in two days to the Bucks, but Bandits head coach Johnny Graham said when you play a team like the Bucks, you know it’s going to be difficult.

“They’re one of those teams that’s in the hunt for another title,” Graham said. “I think they’re going to go deep (into the state tournament) again.”

The ring ceremony prior to the game helped some of the tired players keep focus on what their goal is.

“It’s really great to have that and remind you of what a great summer it was,” Minkoff said. “It also motivates the younger guys. We want another one too and we don’t want anyone else to get one.”

Pete Delmoe can be reached at pdelmoe@dailychronicle.com and 582-2670.

Bucks 15, Bandits 1

Bandits 010 000 0 n 1 7 1

Bucks 300 903 x n 15 12 0

Brendan Phillips and Andy Ballinger. Ryan Rothing, Phil Prickett (4) and Connor Schultz.

Bandits (0-10, 9-30) n Prickett 0-3, Jordan Prester 1-3,Schultz 1-3, Joel Barnett 2-3, CJ Layman 2-3, Justin Halvorson 0-2, Lane Berberet 0-1, Keldon Graff 0-2, Steven McAdams 0-3, Pat Freund 1-2, Jake Messinger 0-1.

Bucks (31-14, 13-5) n Ryan Minkoff 1-2, Jeff Squire 0-1, Trevor Peck 1-3, Matt Comer 2-4, Justin Abbott 0-1, Sean Potkay 1-2, Colter Joyce 0-1, Will Spears 2-3, Anthony Rinard 0-3, Dan Bashore 0-1, Ballinger 1-2, Chris Schmidt 3-4, Kyle Britt 1-2.

2B n Schmidt 2, Barnett 2. 3B n Peck. HR n Comer.

Tuesday

Game 1

Bucks 12, Bandits 8

Bozeman 112 310 4 - 12 16 4

Belgrade 111 410 0 - 8 12 1

Colter Joyce, Jeff Squire (5), Ryan Minkoff (7), and Minkoff, Andy Ballinger (5). Joel Barnett and Connor Schultz.

Bucks - Minkoff 3-5, Brendon Phillips 2-4, Caleb Schlender 1-3, Sean Potkay 3-5, Matt Comer 0-2, Ballinger 1-2, Will Spears 2-4, Trevor Peck 1-3, Ben Leister 1-4, Kyle Britt 0-0, Squire 2-2, Joyce 0-0.

Bandits - Phil Prickett 2-3, Jordan Prester 1-3, Schultz 2-5, Barnett 2-5, CJ Layman 1-3, Keldon Graff 1-2, LD Severson 1-4, Steven McAdams 1-3, Pat Freund 1-4.

2B n Minkoff 2, Potkay, Spears, Peck; Barnett, Freund. RBI n Phillips 2, Schlender 2, Potkay 2, Squire 2, Minkoff, Ballinger, Spears, Leister; Schultz 2, Barnett 2, Graff 2, Severson.

Game 2

Bucks 17, Bandits 2

Bucks 110 708 - 17 17 0

Bandits 011 000 - 2 7 4

Anthony Rinard and Minkoff. Graff, Severson (4), and Schultz.

Bucks - Minkoff 3-4, Phillips 3-5, Schlender 0-2, Potkay 2-4, Comer 1-3, Spears 2-3, Peck 2-5, Britt 1-3, Squire 3-4, Rinard 0-0.

Bandits - Prickett 0-4, Prester 1-3, Schultz 0-1, Barnett 1-1, Layman 2-3, Justin Halvorson 1-2, Ryan Rothing 0-1, Severson 1-3, McAdams 0-2, Freund 1-3, Graff 0-0.

2B n Minkoff, Potkay, Peck; Barnett. RBI n Peck 3, Minkoff 2, Phillips 2, Schlender 2, Potkay 2, Squire 2, Comer, Spears; Layman 2.

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