Amazing Twins perfect

Glacier tops Pullman; 3-0 in tourney action

By DIXIE KNUTSON/The Daily Inter Lake

WHITEFISH - They've grown up a bit, they're stepping up a lot … and now the Glacier Twins are 3-0 in the 2009 Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Tournament.

The Twins, behind Willie Roche and Adam Pisk, dumped the Pullman Patriots 6-3 in Thursday's nightcap.

"Step 3 of the journey. It was a great win for us," said Glacier coach Bill Sapa.

"We scored six runs in the first three innings, then their pitcher started throwing us a little more off-speed and it put us off-balance a little bit, but I'm awful proud of the way the kids are playing. It's great to be 3-0," he added.

"We're playing well."

The Twins scored two runs in each of the first three innings. They had three of their team six hits in the second inning and put their first two base runners aboard in the third inning with a walk and a hit batsman. Both later scored on passed balls.

Meanwhile, the Glacier defense got the job done behind starter Roche.

The Patriots plated one run in the first, but lost a chance to score another when right fielder Joe Johnson hit what could have been a double to center field, but changed his mind midway between second and third base and got caught.

Roche walked the first batter of the second inning, but shortstop Chris King took care of business with a double play on the next batter.

"Our defense has been solid," Sapa said.

"Earlier in the year, we struggled with defense, but now we're keeping the errors down. That's helped us stay in the game.

"Pretty much everybody contributed offensively," Sapa said.

Roche was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs before injuring his hip in the fourth inning. King was 1-for-3 with a double and one RBI.

Sapa also had compliments for third baseman Pisk, who came in to pitch after Roche got hurt.

"Pisk came in and finished it up. He did a good job. He was 1-2-3 in the fifth, 1-2-3 in the sixth and then gave up a single in the seventh. He came in and threw strikes, did a good job, closed the game out. Excellent job in relief," the coach said.

The Twins take on Calgary at 5:15 p.m. today. That will be followed by the tournament all-star game.

The tournament ends Saturday.

Glacier 222 000 0 - 6 6 2

Pullman 100 200 0 - 3 3 2

Willie Roche, Adam Pisk (5) and Jeremy Nielsen. Brent Druffel and Zach Young. W-Roche. L- Druffel.

Glacier - Roche 1-3, Kyle Knox 0-1, Kyler Blades 0-3, Cody Elek 0-1, Chris King 1-3, Nielsen 1-3, Trevor Miller 0-2, Pisk 1-3, Zach Maassen 1-2, Devyn Rocker 1-2. 2B - Roche, King; RBIs-Roche (2), King.

Pullman - Brent Druffel 0-2, Tyler Druffel 1-3, Joe Johnson 0-2, Dustin Huber 0-3, Jake

Druffel 1-2, Roby Spooner 0-3, Bernie Druffel 1-3, Zach Young 0-2, Andrew Tietjen 0-1, Nate Jacobs 0-3. RBI-Johnson.

Knox hurls Glacier past Lethbridge

The Daily Inter Lake

WHITEFISH - The Glacier Twins made it two straight in their 25th Annual Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Tournament on Thursday by clubbing Lethbridge 8-1.

Lethbridge came into the game having won twice on Wednesday during opening-day play.

Kyle Knox checked Lethbridge on four hits, while striking out two. He issued two walks.

Glacier totaled 13 hits, led by Willie Roche, Kyler Blades, Chris King and Adam Pisk. All four went 2-for-4.

"We were real aggressive at the plate," Twins coach Bill Sapa said.

"We've been working on that. We executed today.

"We've turned the corner," he added.

"These guys are starting to click. It's exciting to see them play well."

Glacier 010 313 0 - 8 13 1

Lethbridge 000 001 0 - 1 4 2

Kyle Knox and Cody Elek; Pat Mclean, Mcveau (7) and Sheldon Haughian. W - Knox (4 hits, 2 strikeouts, 2 walks). L - Maclean.

LETHBRIDGE - Kym Barthel 0-2, Cole Stober 0-2, Mark Clauson 1-3, Tanner Grandberg 1-3, Mitch Maxwell 1-3, Haughian 0-2, Derek Grubel 0-2, Mclean 1-3, Ryan Aiken 0-2, Cole Lencucha 0-2, Dillon Houghton 0-1.

GLACIER - Willie Roche 2-4, Kyler Blades 2-4, Elek 2-3, Chris King 2-4, Jeremy Nielsen 1-3, Trevor Miller 1-4, Adam Pisk 2-4, Devyn Rocker 0-1, Zack Maassen 1-3, Knox 1-3.

2B-Maassen; RBIs-Pisk (2), Miller (3), Blades.