Lakers pull out walk-off victory
WHITEFISH - Kalispell's Dean Stimpson got the winning hit, but his parents get the save.
Just before the Lakers' American Legion baseball game against the Pullman Patriots on the second day of the 25th Annual Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Tournament, Stimpson realized that he had brought the wrong colored uniform.
The Lakers were forced to take the field with their starting second baseman on the bench as Stimpson's parents ran home to grab the right jersey.
Well, they made it back, and the Lakers are glad they did.
In the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded and the game tied at 4-all, Stimpson stepped into the batter's box wearing a clean, red jersey.
With the Pullman infield crowding in for a possible squeeze play, Stimpson laid down a bunt that crept along the first base line. Kalispell teammate Zach Brosten darted from third towards home as Pullman's pitcher rushed and grabbed the ball and zipped it to his catcher. But Brosten was already sliding in like a dust storm.
Running full stride towards first base, Stimpson peeked over his shoulder and signaled "Safe" with his arms.
Game over.
"I didn't think I'd get to bat, but the guys produced in the last inning," Stimpson said. "I knew anybody on the team would have gotten that (bunt) down because we've been practicing it it seems like for years almost. That's definitely a situation you want to be in."
While Stimpson was the seventh-inning hero in the Lakers' 5-4 victory, starter Michael O'Connell shined in the first six. From the mound, O'Connell issued no walks and struck out seven, including four of the first six batters he faced. In the batter's box, O'Connell went 3-for-4 with an RBI triple.
Brosten followed suit, going 3-for-4 with an RBI single in the first inning and a double in the fifth for Kalispell.
"We were able to manufacture runs in each of those first four innings and it was a good job by Dean to come through," Kalispell coach Ryan Malmin said.
"And Mike did a great job. He's had three straight good solid outings for us. We're really happy with his progress."
The Lakers continue tourney play today against the Spokane Blue Devils at 9 a.m.
The Patriots rallied late from 2-down and loaded the bases in both the sixth and seventh. Pullman managed to tie the game off relief pitcher Ben Sansaver after Joe Johnson hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh.
"We definitely fought offensively," Pullman coach Evan Hecker said. "We were kind of stranding runners early on but we kept fighting and scratched a couple together to tie it up so that was great."
In the bottom half of the seventh, Brosten led off with a single and then Zane Ridings reached base on an error. Pullman intentionally walked Joe Pistorese to load the bases with one out and Stimpson stepped in for his first at-bat of the game.
It ended up being the only one he needed.
"It's tough, they just battled, but we battled hard so you can't be mad about that," Hecker said.
NOTES - O'Connell leads the Lakers with 39 RBIs and a .369 average on the season. Brosten follows with 38 RBIs and .344.
Pullman 002 001 1 - 4 8 2
Kalispell 111 100 1 - 5 9 2
Tyler Druffel and Jake Druffel. Michael O'Connell, Ben Sansaver (6) and Zach Brosten. WP - Sansaver, 5-3; LP - Druffel.
PULLMAN - Brett Druffel 1-3, Tyler Druffel 1-3, Joe Johnson 1-3, Jake Druffel 0-3, Dustin Huber 1-4, Roby Spooner 1-3, Andrew Tietjen 1-3, Zach Young 0-3, Bernie Druffel 2-3.
2B - Bernie Druffel; RBI - Brett Druffel, Tyler Druffel, Johnson.
KALISPELL - Sansaver 1-4, Mat O'Brien 0-1, O'Connell 3-4, Pat Hergesheimer 0-4, Brosten 3-4, Zane Ridings 1-4, Toby Liechti 0-0, Joe Pistorese 0-3, Blaine Matulevich 0-2, Dean Stimpson 1-1.
3B - O'Connell; 2B - Brosten; RBI - Sansaver, O'Connell, Brosten, Stimpson.
Sapa-Johnsrud
Memorial Tournament
Thursday's Other Games
Glacier 8, Lethbridge 1
Lethbridge 8, Spokane 6
Spokane 12, Calgary 10
Glacier 6, Pullman 3
Today's Games
9 a.m. - Kalispell vs. Spokane
11:45 a.m. - Spokane vs. Pullman
2:30 p.m. - Calgary vs. Lethbridge
5:15 p.m. - Glacier vs. Calgary
8 p.m. - All Star Game