Elks stop Twins for title

The Daily Inter Lake

WHITEFISH - Mitch Maxwell's bat and arm helped the Lethbridge Elks defend their American Legion baseball title at the 25th Annual Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Tournament on Saturday.

Maxwell held the Glacier Twins to one hit and crushed a home run to right center in the fifth inning as the Elks cruised to an 11-0 victory.

Lethbridge finished the three-day tournament with a 5-1 record. The one loss was to Glacier, 8-1 on Friday.

Dillon Houghton also homered for Lethbridge, a solo shot in the second inning to right field, for a 1-0 lead.

Lethbridge added a run in the third, scored four in the fourth and five times in the fifth.

Tanner Grandberg and Maxwell both finished with two hits.

Cody Elek had Glacier's only hit, a single in the first inning.

Glacier finished tournament play with a 3-3 mark. The Twins won their first three games.

Glacier was looking for its first tournament title since 1987. Current Twins coach Bill Sapa was named the tournament MVP that year as a player for Glacier.

Glacier lost to the Kalispell Lakers 6-3 Saturday morning in a final pool play game.

The Twins and Lakers were tied with identical pool play records, forcing a tie-breaker to determine who would advance to the title game. The Twins won the tie-breaker.

Lethbridge 011 45 - 11 9 1

Glacier 000 00 - 0 1 3

Mitch Maxwell and Ryan Aiken; Kyle Knox, Kyler Blades (5) and Jeremy Nielsen. W - Maxwell. L - Knox.

LETHBRIDGE - Kim Barthel 1-3, Mark Clauson 1-2, Patrick Mclean 0-0, Tanner Grandberg 2-3, Spencer Farrell 1-3, Maxwell 2-4, Dillon Houghton 1-2, Tyson Hudson 1-2, Aiken 0-2, Sheldon Haughian 1-1, Tyler Czech 0-2, Derek Grubel 1-1.

GLACIER - Willie Roche 0-2, Blades 0-2, Cody Elek 1-2, Chris King 0-2, Jeremy Nielsen 0-2, Adam Pisk 0-2, Conner Watrude 0-2, Zack Maassen 0-2, Devyn Rocker 0-0, Knox 0-1.

2B-Grandberg, Aiken; HRs-Houghton, Maxwell; RBIs-Houghton, Grandberg (2), Barthel (2), Clauson, Maxwell (2), Grubel, Haughian.

Saturday's Results

Pool Play

Pullman Patriots 6, Calgary Blues 1

Kalispell Lakers 6, Glacier Twins 3

Championship Round

Fifth/Sixth

Calgary 14, Pullman 6

Consolation

Kalispell Lakers 8, Spokane Blue Devis 6

Championship

Lethbridge Elks 11, Glacier Twins 0