Kalispell bows out at state

The Daily Inter Lake

GREAT FALLS - Big bats.

The Billings Royals tallied 17 hits, including two doubles and a triple en route to a 13-3 victory over the Kalispell Lakers Monday night in loser-out play of the Class AA American Legion baseball tournament.

The Royals advance to play the Bozeman Bucks at 4 p.m. today.

Billings scored three runs in the fourth, then had another three in the sixth.

"The fact that we had to move some kids into different positions (the Lakers were missing two starters) and play some inexperienced kids kind of played a role in some things today," said Lakers coach Ryan Malmin.

"We had things going every inning, but we hit into four double plays," he added.

The Lakers had seven hits.

Zach Brosten led Kalispell offensively, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Ben Sansaver was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI and Brian Sneck was 1-for-4 with a double.

"We were disappointed we didn't make the final four. We just fell a little short of what we expected from ourselves," he said.

"We lose five good baseball players - but five great young men," he went on.

Tyler Reichhoff, Adam Olson, Derek Keller, Greg Neils and Austin Roehl will also be moving on from the Laker program.

Royals 13, Lakers 3

Billings 001 303 051 - 13 17 3

Kalispell 00 001 020 - 3 7 4

John Kent, Adam Ketterling (8) and Anthony Lagaly. Brian Sneck, Greg Neils (6) and Zach Brosten. W - Kent. L- Sneck.

Billings Royals (2-1) - Kelly Vannoy 2-6, Marice Burrough 1-5, Dillon Ness 3-6, Anthony Lagaly 0-6, Blake Lorran 1-4, Jeremy Bailey 1-1, Gerald Schmaing 0-0, Devin Scott 2-3, Devon Hedin 2-5, Matthew Edwards 4-5, Adam Ketterling 1-5, John Kent 0-0.

2B: Vannoy, Edwards.

3B: Bailey.

RBIs: Vannoy 1, Ness 3, Bailey 2, Scott 1, Edwards 2, Ketterling 2.

Kalispell Lakers (1-2) - Derek Keller 0-4, Ben Sansaver 1-3, Tyler Reichhoff 1-3, Adam Olson 0-5, Pat Hergesheimer 1-1, Brian Sneck 1-4, Austin Roehl 1-3, Zach Brosten 2-4, Greg Neils 0-3.

2B: Sansaver, Sneck.

RBIs: Sansaver 1, Roehl 1, Brosten 1.