Lakers roll into tourney
Kalispell Lakers' Bryant Eickert runs towards home, but is tagged out by Joe Pistorese as Greg Seaman looks on during a practice drill Wednesday afternoon at Griffin Field. The Lakers host the Canadian Days Tournament, which begins Friday. Nate Chute/Daily Inter Lake
This year's Canadian Days Tournament has another nice offering for local baseball fans - 20 ballgames in three days.
The 10-team get-together, hosted by the Kalispell Lakers, is set to start Friday with AA and A round-robin action that lasts through Sunday. The AA squads will play at Griffin Field while the A games will be next door at Archie Roe with one game scheduled for Kidsports Complex.
"The weather sounds like it's going to be nice, so it's going to be a good weekend for baseball," Lakers AA coach Ryan Malmin said.
The weekend weather is forecasted to get brighter and warmer each day.
The Glacier Twins AA and A squads are in the mix along with the Mission Valley Mariners out of Polson.
This year's tournament includes five teams from both the AA and A. Each team will each play four, seven-inning games.
At last year's tournament, the West Kootenai Eagles of Trail, British Columbia, defeated the defending champion Lakers in the AA title game. The Eagles were originally scheduled to return this year to defend their title but had to drop out a month ago.
The Lakers (7-3) enter its first tournament of the season having won three of the last four games. Three strong starting pitchers have the upstart Lakers looking like the team to beat at this year's tournament once again.
Last Sunday, Ben Sansaver (2-1) tossed a no-hitter in a 11-0 win over Belgrade.
A day earlier, Joe Pistorese threw a one-hit gem and struck out 12 in a 3-0 win over Helena.
"We've been pretty pleased with where we're at right now," Malmin said.
"This weekend we're looking for some kids to add some depth to that pitching staff."
The weekend's action finishes with a rival game between the Lakers and the Twins (3-2).
The Mariners, a force in Western A, are playing against the AA teams. The Missoula Pioneers, a senior Babe Ruth league team, are playing the A teams.
2009 Canadian Days Tournament
AA Schedule
Friday
Griffin Field
5:30 p.m. - Glacier Twins vs. Mission Valley Mariners
8 p.m. - Kalispell Lakers vs. Edmonton Cardinals
Saturday
9 a.m. - Sherwood Park A's vs. Glacier Twins
11:30 a.m. - Edmonton Cardinals vs. Glacier Twins
2 p.m. - Sherwood Park A's vs. Kalispell Lakers
4:30 p.m. - Mission Valley Mariners vs. Edmonton Cardinals
7 p.m. - Kalispell Lakers vs. Mission Valley Mariners
Sunday
10 a.m. - Sherwood Park A's vs. Edmonton Cardinals
12:30 p.m. - Mission Valley Mariners vs. Sherwood Park A's
• p.m. - Kalispell Lakers vs. Glacier Twins
A Schedule
Friday
Archie Roe
3:30 p.m. - Kalispell Lakers vs. Fort MacLeod Royals
6 p.m. - Glacier Twins vs. Missoula Pioneers
Saturday
9:30 a.m. - Fort MacLeod Royals vs. Edmonton Cardinals
Noon - Glacier Twins vs. Kalispell Lakers
2:30 p.m. - Edmonton Cardinals vs. Glacier Twins
5 p.m. - Missoula Pioneers vs. Kalispell Lakers
Kidsports Complex
1 p.m. - Fort MacLeod Royals vs. Missoula Pioneers
Sunday
Archie Roe
10 a.m. - Missoula Pioneers vs. Edmonton Cardinals
12:30 p.m. - Glacier Twins vs. Fort MacLeod Royals
• p.m. - Edmonton Cardinals vs. Kalispell Lakers