Twins end season with split

The Daily Inter Lake

WHITEFISH - Once again, Glacier turned it around - just as it had all year.

The Glacier Twins split a Western AA American Legion baseball doubleheader with the Great Falls Stallions on Sunday, falling 11-0 before responding with an 8-4 season-ending victory.

"To finish the season with a win was indicative of their attitude toward our improvement," said Twins coach Jarod Grubb, who inherited the team during the 2006 season.

The Twins finished conference play with a 10-14 record after winning just one Western AA contest a year ago. Glacier isn't headed to next month's state tournament in Billings, but the team had plenty to feel good about following its final game.

"We made strides in the right direction," Grubb said. "All the kids improved their game.

"I wasn't perfect as a coach as far as lineups and decisions go, and I made some rookie coach mistakes, but, overall, it was a successful season and we showed improvement all the way around.

Stallions 11, Twins 0

Great Falls pitcher Caleb Kovatch held the Twins to two hits as the Stallions took advantage of Glacier's mistakes in a game shortened to five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

"It was more of us being flat than him dominating," Grubb said.

Glacier committed three errors, including one in the first inning as the Stallions jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

"From there on out, they just hit," Grubb said. "And we were really flat on offense and defense."

The Stallions scored twice in the second inning before adding two runs in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth.

Dan Olinger and John Coleman led Great Falls with two hits apiece while Taylor Ferradas smacked a home run.

Roo Grubb and Justin Collom singled for Glacier's lone base hits.

Great Falls 320 24 - 11 10 0

Glacier 000 00 - 0 2 3

Caleb Kovatch and Cole McPherson. Justin Collom, Zane Ridings (2), Michael Hader (5) and Brad Bell. W - Kovach. L - Collom.

GREAT FALLS (NA) - Phil Parrish 1-3, Dan Olinger 2-4, Tanner Bleskin 1-3, John Coleman 2-4, Rick Hedstrom 1-4, McPherson 1-2, Taylor Ferradas 1-3, Zach Griffith 0-2, Kyle DeBolt 1-2.

GLACIER (9-14) - Scott Palmer 0-2, Scott Yogodzinski 0-3, Roo Grubb 1-2, Bell 0-1, Josh Peterson 0-1, Ridings 0-2, Collom 1-2, Ryan Caron 0-1, Hader 0-1, Rusty Hill 0-2.

HR - GF 1 (Ferradas), Gla. 0. 2B - GF 1 (DeBolt), Gla. 0. SB - GF 2 (Parrish 2), Gla. 0.

Twins 8, Stallions 4

Collom and Brad Bell ignited Glacier's offense with bunt singles as the Twins scored five runs in the first inning.

Twins starter Zane Ridings turned in another strong outing after pitching in relief during the previous game.

"He's a young 17-year-old, too, so her matured a lot as far as his approach on the mound and hitting his spots," coach Grubb said.

Great Falls trimmed Glacier's lead to 5-4 with two runs in both the third and fifth innings, but Josh Peterson belted a three-run homer to left field in the sixth inning.

The Twins received multi-hit games from Roo Grubb, Bell, Collom and Brad Nielsen.

Great Falls 002 020 0 - 4 7 2

Glacier 500 003 x - 8 12 1

Phil Parrish and Cole McPherson. Zane Ridings, Brad Nielsen (5) and Nielsen and Ryan Caron (5). W - Ridings. L - Parrish.

GREAT FALLS (NA) - Parrish 1-4, Dan Olinger 1-4, Tanner Bleskin 2-3, John Coleman 1-4, Rick Hedstrom 0-1, McPherson 1-4, Taylor Ferradas 1-2, Kyle DeBolt 0-3, Will Sutherland 0-2.

GLACIER (10-14) - Scott Palmer 1-3, Michael Hader 0-1, Roo Grubb 2-4, Brad Bell 2-4, Justin Collom 2-4, Weston Chambers 1-2, Ridings 0-1, Josh Peterson 1-3, Rusty Hill 0-4, Caron 1-3, Nielsen 2-3.

HR - GF 0, Gla. 1 (Peterson). 2B - GF 1 (Olinger), Gla. 1 (Grubb). SB - GF 0, Gla. 2 (Caron, Collom).