Lakers advance at Sell tourney
HELENA - The Kalispell Lakers are 3-0 in the 16th annual Keith Sell Invitational Tournament with wins Saturday over the Edmonton Cards (17-9) and the Butte Miners (12-9).
Kalispell has earned a spot in tonight's 7 p.m. semifinal.
"We've done a much better job offensively. We're a little more aggressive on the base paths and that's paid off a little bit for us," said Lakers coach Ryan Malmin.
"And our pitchers have done a pretty good job. They're throwing strikes and allowing our defense to make plays," he added.
The first five innings of Saturday's morning game were tight - the Lakers and Cards entered the sixth tied at nine-all.
But the Lakers erupted for nine runs and came away with the victory.
Dominic Eickert was 3-for-4 to ignite Kalispell. Dillon Matteson was 2-for-4 with a double. Matt McLean was 2-for-4. Joe Pistorese had a triple and Sean O'Connell a double.
Kalispell scored three runs in the last two innings of the second game to outlast Butte..
Michael O'Connell lit up the scoreboard, going 2-for-4, with a pair of doubles and five RBIs. Joe Pistorese was 3-for-5, and Dillon Matteson drove in two runs. Dillon Eaves and Pistorese shared the pitching duty for Kalispell.
Other teams competing in this tournament are the Helena Senators, Butte Miners, Eastside (Kennewick, Wash.) Baseball Club, Edmonton Cards and Calgary Blues.
The event runs through Monday.
Kalispell Lakers 700 09 - 17 NA NA
Edmonton Cards 100 530 - 9 NA NA
Matty McGee, Dylan Oullette, Harasymchuk and Logan Wedgewood; Louis Fruedenburg, Dillon Eaves and Cody Dopps.
KALISELL - Dillon Matteson 2-4, Dopps 1-3, Michael O'Connell 0-3, Joe Pistorese 1-3, Sid Schenck 1-3, Sean O'Connell 1-1, Dominic Eickert 3-4, Nate Bengtson 1-3, Scoob Decker 0-3, Dillon Eaves 0-1, Matt McLean 2-4.
EDMONTON - James Federhof 1-4, Tylar Heigh 1-2, Ryan Kosolofski 1-3, Markus Fergusson 2-3, Cooper Langley 1-3, Logan Wedgewood 1-3, A. Kostcherofski 0-3, Craig Wohler 1-2, Kurtis Smith 0-1, Dylaney Brown 1-3.
2B - Matteson, S. O'Connell; 3B - Pistorese; RBIs - N/A.
Kalispell Lakers 230 312 1 - 12 11 NA
Butte Miners 131 130 0 - 9 12 NA
Eaves, Pistorese and Kendrick Lee, Dopps; Bryon Baker, Kade Henderson, Jared Kingston, Keiffer Heppola and Kelly Kissell.
KALISPELL - Matteson 1-3, Eickert 1-4, M. O'Connell 2-4, Pistorese 3-5, S. O'Connell 1-4, S. Schenck 1-5, Lee 0-2, Dopps 1-1, Freudenburg 0-1, N. Bengtson 0-0, McLean 1-3.
BUTTE - Bucky Bugni 1-3, Sean Curran 1-3, Baker 1-2, Jared Kingston 0-2, Matt Berg 2-4, Shawn Duffy 1-3, Henderson 1-4, K. Kissell 1-3, Gabe Kissell 1-3, Anthony Honer 3-3.
2B - M. O'Connell 2, Baker; 3B - Berg; RBIs - M. O'Connell 5, Matteson 2, Bugni 2, G. Kissell 2, Pistorese, Dopps, McLean, Curran, Duffy.