Lakers split with Electrics

What we have here is … a royal mess.

With two days left in the American Legion baseball AA season, the Kalispell Lakers still don't know a whole lot about their state chances.

The Lakers (13-9) split a twinbill with visiting Great Falls Electrics Saturday afternoon at Griffin Field.

Kalispell won the first game 6-3, but dropped the nightcap 9-2.

But the top of the Western Conference is a jumble.

Lethbridge, 13-8, topped the conference Saturday evening, followed by Kalispell, Missoula 12-11, Great Falls Stallions, 13-11, and the Medicine Hat Moose Monarchs, 11-11.

But …

Lethbridge has three games remaining, including a noon game today at Missoula and Kalispell takes on Medicine Hat in a doubleheader today, starting at 1 p.m.

So, best guess is Kalispell needs at least a split today.

"We still have plenty of incentive to win," Kalispell coach Mike McFarland said.

"We still have a chance to take first, too. Fifteen wins could get you first place. I've never seen (the conference) so close."

In addition to a possible trip to this week's state tournament, the Lakers have several athletes who will be taking their last run onto Griffin Field this afternoon.

"We want to have a good performance for them," the coach said.

As for Saturday, "I think we ran out of gas with pitchers," McFarland said.

Matt Venturini got the complete game victory in the first game and Sam Freudenberg got the start in the second game.

"Sam wasn't ready to start," McFarland said. "It's a little different mentality to start. But he'll help us a lot yet," he hastened to add.

"And the Electrics are a good team. They hit the ball well. We've never taken them lightly," he said.

And the pitcher throwing the second game for Great Falls - Blaze Culliton - got better with each passing inning.

Kalispell led 2-1 after the first inning.

"I thought we were going to be off and running," McFarland said.

But Culliton stopped the Lakers at every turn for the next five innings.

"You could see him getting confident, picking up his rhythm, mixing up his fast ball and his curveball. He had good stuff today and he kept us off balance."

LAKERS 6, ELECTRICS 3

Great Falls 000 210 0 - 3 7 1

Kalispell 012 201 x - 6 9 2

Eric Chaon and Levi Johnson. Matt Venturini and Jake Fitzsimmons, Carl Christianson (7). WP - Venturini. LP - Chaon. 2B - Johnson (GF), Jacobson (GF), Chambers (K), Hogan (K).

Great Falls - JT King 1-5, Levi Johnson 1-4, Kevin Corwin 0-2, Kody Swartz 2-4, Shaun Tatarka 0-4, Jared Jacobson 1-3, Tyler Fayden 0-2, Jeff Paul 2-3, Troy Wassmann 0-2.

Kalispell - Stefan Malkuch 2-4, Dan Conners 1-2, Jake Fitzsimmons 0-2, Jeremy Chambers 1-1, Geoff Hogan 1-1, Nick Hergesheimer 1-2, Craig Olson 2-4, Ryan Grubb 0-3, Chris Hooley 1-2.

ELECTRICS 9, LAKERS 2

Great Falls 130 003 0 - 9 12 0

Kalispell 200 000 0 - 2 6 2

Blaze Culliton and Jared Jacobson. Sam Freudenberg, Tom Gregory (2) and Carl Christianson. WP - Culliton. LP - Freudenberg.

Great Falls - Johnson 2-4, Wassmann 1-3, Corwin 1-4,Swartz 1-4, Fayden 3-4, Paul 1-3, Ryan Haman 1-3, Nick Wingerter 1-4.

Kalispell - Malkuch 2-3, Conners 0-1, Hogan 1-3, Hergesheimer 0-3, Olson 2-3, Venturini 0-3, Grubb 0-3, Christiansen 1-3, Hooley 0-2, Fitzsimmons 0-1.