Blues surge past Glacier

WHITEFISH - When the Glacier Twins and the Calgary Blues resumed play Friday after Thursday's contest was suspended due to a blackout, Twins catcher Brad Nielsen entered the batter's box with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the third inning.

Nielsen promptly punished Curtis Zacher's first pitch, only for Blues third baseman Ken Forrester to range to his left, make a high stab on a tough hop and race back to the bag to end the inning.

It was that kind of day for Glacier at the 24th Annual Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Baseball Tournament at Memorial Park. The Twins threatened in every inning, but stranded 12 baserunners en route to a 9-2 loss.

"We missed the big, clutch base hit with two outs several times," Twins coach Ryan Hadfield said.

"To start off the game, Nielsen hit one of the hardest balls he's hit all summer, and the guy came up with it. That happens."

The Twins finished 2-2 in American Division pool play. They will face the Kalispell Lakers at 1 p.m. in today's Championship Round matchup of No. 3 teams. The Lakers went 2-2 in the National Division.

The Vauxhall Spurs (4-0) will battle the Lethbridge Spitz Elks (3-1) in today's 7 p.m. all-Alberta championship game.

The Blues (2-2) meet the 2007 champion Chino Reds of California in the 4 p.m. showdown of No. 2s, while the Black Hills Lobos (0-4) of Olympia, Wash., open the day against the KPC Blazers of Estevan, Saskatchewan, (2-2) at 10 a.m.

Zacher pitched 4 1/3 innings Friday to earn the win after Kyle Blair pitched the first 2 2/3 on Thursday. Zacher allowed four hits and four walks while hitting a batter, but he escaped two bases-loaded jams while racking up four strikeouts.

"We've got to relax a little bit when we have runners in scoring position, especially with two outs," Hadfield said.

"We have to make sure that we're not striking out with guys in scoring position; just putting the bat on the ball, forcing the other team to make the play."

Scott Yogodzinski returned to the mound for Glacier after tossing three shutout innings Thursday. The Blues took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, thanks to RBI knocks by Fraser Armstrong and Terrence Myers.

Dustin VonFeldt's hit-and-run double to right-center field scored Yogodzinski in the fifth inning as Glacier pulled within 2-1. But Armstrong's solo home run highlighted Calgary's three-run sixth inning, and the Blues pulled away on Myers' three-run blast in the seventh.

"We hit the ball really well today for a change," Blues coach Darwin Kraft said. "We finally came out of a bit of a funk that we were in, and we hit the ball really well.

"We played well defensively, our pitcher pitched really well; a very good effort from everybody."

The Twins' second run came on Yogodzinski's sixth-inning Texas Leaguer, which plated Cody Elek from third. Yogodzinski went 3-for-3 while pitching 6 1/3 innings and striking out five.

Zane Ridings (2-for-4) had Glacier's other multi-hit game, while VonFeldt and Scott Palmer had a hit apiece.

The Blues made two errors, but only after they had built a commanding lead. The Twins' two errors proved costly as both allowed runs to score.

"You give good teams extra outs, and it's very difficult to win," Hadfield said.

Myers finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs, and Blake Carruthers and Armstrong both went 2-for-4.

The Twins know they must capitalize on clutch situations to succeed against Kalispell's stingy pitching staff.

"Any time you play the Lakers it's gonna be a good game," Nielsen said. "There's a lot of competition between us two.

"They're definitely going to be throwing somebody that they think will shut us down. We've got to stay focused at the plate, have a good approach, and look to cut down on our errors."

Hadfield said the Twins will string a few pitchers together today because they resume Western AA play Tuesday at Medicine Hat.

"It's a nice matchup to have," Hadfield said of facing the Lakers, "because it'll be well attended and a good way to end the tournament."

Calgary 000 203 4 - 9 9 2

Glacier 000 011 0 - 2 7 2

Kyle Blair, Curtis Zacher (3) and Jamie Mitchell. Scott Yogodzinski, Kyle Yogodzinski (7) and Brad Nielsen. W - Zacher. L - S. Yogodzinski.

CALGARY - Blake Carruthers 2-4, Fraser Armstrong 2-4, Sawyer Pahl 0-3, Terrence Myers 3-4, Mitchell 1-3, Harrison Zivot 1-3, Tyler Warner 0-3, Ken Forrester 0-2, Reid MacDonald 0-1, Travis Sormaz 0-2, Quinn Johnsen 0-1.

GLACIER - Scott Palmer 1-4, Zane Ridings 2-4, S. Yogodzinski 3-3, Dustin VonFeldt 1-3, Ryan Caron 0-3, Nielsen 0-2, Wayde Martinson 0-4, K. Yogodzinski 0-2, Adam Pisk 0-1, Cody Elek 0-1.

RBIs - Myers 4, Armstrong 2, Carruthers, Mitchell, Zivot; VonFeldt, S. Yogodzinski. HR - Armstrong, Myers. 2B - Myers, Zivot, Carruthers; VonFeldt. SB - Carruthers, Paul, Mitchell; Palmer 2, S. Yogodzinski, Nielsen.

24th Annual Sapa-Johnsrud

Memorial Baseball Tournament

At Memorial Park, Whitefish

Friday's Scores

Chino Reds 5, KPC Blazers 0

KPC Blazers 11, Lethbridge Spitz Elks 2

Vauxhall Spurs 11, Black Hills Lobos 8

Calgary Blues 9, Glacier Twins 2

Today's Championship Round

10 a.m. - Black Hills Lobos (Am. No. 4, 0-4) vs. KPC Blazers (Nat. No. 4, 2-2)

1 p.m. - Glacier Twins (Am. No. 3, 2-2) vs. Kalispell Lakers (Nat. No. 3, 2-2)

4 p.m. - Calgary Blues (Am. No. 2, 2-2) vs. Chino Reds (Nat. No. 2, 3-1)

7 p.m. - Vauxhall Spurs (Am. No. 1, 4-0) vs. Lethbridge Spitz Elks (Nat. No. 1, 3-1)