The Cubs’ Michael Tibbits was on the mound for the Methow Valley team at the Deer Park tournament.
The 12U Methow Valley Cubs closed out their 2026 summer season of youth baseball with a third-place finish at Deer Park over the July 24-26 weekend. The local boys completed the Deer Park tournament with a 4-2 won-loss record, defeating team Lakeland (Idaho) twice, 4-3 and 12-11, Okanogan 16-5, and Colville 18-1.
Their two losses were a pair of one-run games, 2-1 and 3-2 to Brewster-based Farmers, the eventual tourney champions.
Coach Chad Patterson was pleased with the efforts of his charges through the tournament.
“Overall, the boys played exceptionally well,” said Patterson. “If a couple little things would have gone our way, we would have won them both [against Brewster].”
With four of the six games being one-run affairs, it’s not a stretch to see Patterson’s point. He pointed to pitching as a key to success at Deer Park.
“Pitching throughout the tournament was exceptional,” Patterson said. Even in the two losses, only five runs were surrendered in the 12 total innings played.
The 12U Methow Valley Cubs baseball team won the championship trophy at a tournament in Colville this summer.
The most dramatic game of the weekend was for third place between the Cubs and Lakeland of northern Idaho. The Cubs fell behind by nine runs in the early going and then began to crawl out of that hole. Benji Horner came in to pitch the final three innings, shutting down the Lakeside offensive completely as the Cub bats came to life.
After a midgame rally to bring the Cubs back within reach at 11-8, solo home runs by Asher McAuliffe and Talon Lovette closed the gap in the bottom of the fifth inning to 11-10, and Cody Slater came through with a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning for the win in walk-off style.
“It was the most exciting game I have ever coached,” said Patterson. “I am so proud of how well the boys finished the season.” They won championships in two of their summer tourneys, at Colville and Chewelah, after a pair of early season losses.
The boys closed the season with 24 wins against six losses and one tie. “It was extremely fun to be a part of it,” the coach said.
