Twins outlast Loggers in Wood Bat Tournament
WHITEFISH - The AA Glacier Twins got the victory they wanted to open the A and AA Invitational Wood Bat Tournament at Memorial Park, but they know they'll need their gloves to repeat as champions.
The Twins beat the Libby Loggers 7-4 on Friday night despite committing seven errors.
Glacier (7-4) scored in each inning but the first while tallying eight hits, including two apiece by Ryan Caron, Zane Ridings and Dustin VonFeldt. Libby managed just three base knocks, but remained close thanks to six Twins miscues over the final four frames.
"I've never won a game where we made seven errors," Twins coach Ryan Hadfield said.
"Really good pitching and some timely hitting. I'm amazed it turned out as well as it did with seven errors."
Twins starter Josh Schott hurled five strong innings while improving to 3-1. He allowed just three hits and two earned runs while fanning four.
Libby went up 2-0 in the first inning when Rory Hendrickson singled home Colton Cannon, and Steve Bertelsen scored on an error. Schott bounced back to strike out the side in the second.
"He found his groove and threw a lot of strikes," Hadfield said. "This is his fourth quality outing."
Tied 3-all in the fourth inning, Caron and Ridings notched RBI Texas leaguers to reclaim Glacier's lead. Wayde Martinson and Caron scored in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, for breathing room.
Kyle Yogodzinski threw two innings of hitless relief, allowing just one unearned run to close the door.
Bridger Beach provided Glacier's biggest blow with a two-run double to deep left-center in the third inning. Martinson singled in the fifth.
Bertelsen, Matt Schad and Ryan Stapley each went 1-for-3 for the Loggers, who made three errors of their own.
"I think the biggest factor right now is this is the first time that we've played under the lights when it's been really, really dark," Hadfield said.
"We had a few pop-ups get above the lights, and our guys just aren't used to seeing that."
There were some defensive highlights, though. Glacier catcher Brad Nielsen gunned down a Logger at third base to end the fifth inning with the potential go-ahead run at the plate. The Twins also turned a 5-4-3 double play to clear the bases in the seventh.
Libby faces the Trail Jays of British Columbia at 5:15 today, while Glacier battles the Rocky Mountain Bandits of Cranbrook, British Columbia, at 8.
"If we play this kind of defense, we won't beat Rocky Mountain," Hadfield said.
"But I like the hitting. Guys seemed to adjust to the wood bat pretty well."
Libby 200 101 0 - 4 3 3
Glacier 012 211 x - 7 8 7
Steve Bertelsen, Dustin Morningstar (5) and Matt Schad. Josh Schott, Kyle Yogodzinski (6) and Brad Nielsen, Cody Elek (7). W - Schott (3-1). L - Bertelsen.
LIBBY - Colton Cannon 0-3, Bertelsen 1-3, Rory Hendrickson 0-2, Schad 1-3, Nate Peltier 0-3, Derek Benefield 0-3, Ryan Stapley 1-3, Morningstar 0-3, Eric Grotjohn 0-2, Mitch Cotton 0-1.
GLACIER (7-4) - Ryan Caron 2-4, Zane Ridings 2-3, Scott Yogodzinski 0-3, Bridger Beach 1-3, Wayde Martinson 1-4, Dustin VonFeldt 2-2, Nielsen 0-3, Michael Hader 0-2, Adam Pisk 0-3.
RBIs - Hendrickson, Stapley; Beach 2, Caron, Ridings, VonFeldt. 2B - VonFeldt, Beach, Caron. SB - Bertelsen, Stapley; Ridings 3, Beach, Martinson, Nielsen.
A and AA Invitational
Wood Bat Tournament
At Memorial Park, Whitefish
Friday's Scores
Glacier Twins A 6, Mission Valley Mariners B 5
Glacier Twins AA 7, Libby Loggers 4
Today's Games
9 a.m. - Glacier Twins A vs. Kootenai Valley Rangers
11:45 a.m. - Mission Valley Mariners B vs. Kootenai Valley Rangers
2:30 p.m. - Mission Valley Mariners B vs. Salmon River Savages
5:15 p.m. - Libby Loggers vs. Trail Jays
8 p.m. - Glacier Twins AA vs. Rocky Mountain Bandits