Kalispell defeats Lethbridge
LETHBRIDGE, Alberta - Joe Pistorese threw a complete game and hit a solo home run as the Kalispell Lakes defeated host Lethbridge 5-4 in an American Legion baseball game before a boisterous crowd on Sunday.
The game, which was a make-up, qualifies the Lakers (35-20) for the Class AA state tournament in Butte, which begins Wednesday. Kalispell opens the tournament against the Billings Scarlets. The time has yet to be determined.
Pistorese struck out 11 Spitz Elk batters, gave up six hits and walked two. He also set up the game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning with a sacrifice bunt.
"It was great to see the resiliency of the kids, to come back today and compete after a tough day yesterday," said Kalispell coach Ryan Malmin.
Lethbridge drew first blood with a run in the first inning, but Pistorese led off the second inning with the home run and Kalispell added two more runs in that inning to go ahead 3-1.
Top hitters for the Lakers on the day were Dillon Matteson and Dillon Eaves, both 2 for 4.
Chris Stodolka led the Elks with a home run.
Lakers 031 000 1- 5103
Lethbridge 110 020 0 - 462
Missoula 10, Glacier 6
WHITEFISH - Zach Maassen hit his first-ever grand slam and Kyler Blades had a home run and a double, but it wasn't quite enough for the Glacier Twins on Sunday.
The Western AA regular season conference champion Missoula Mavs downed host Glacier 10-6 in an American Legion baseball game at Memorial Field.
The loss, coupled with a couple other scenarios from around the conference, dropped the Twins from contention for a state tournament berth.
"It was a good day of baseball in the western conference. It's been a long time since the Glacier Twins have played meaningful baseball this late in the season. We were definitely proud of the position we put ourselves in, but we couldn't get the win today," said Glacier coach Lindsay Fansler.
"Still, we were playing good baseball until the last weekend," he said.
The positives for the Twins were many, the coach said.
Not only did they practically double their win totals on past years, but they also beat every team in the conference at least once, he said.
Fansler thanked the parents and the community for the support this season.
As for next year, things will be made more difficult by the fact that Glacier loses all but three of the current team members.
"But I've got some good athletes coming up," Fansler said.
The Twins have the added incentive of playing host to the state tournament next year.
Although the host team gets an automatic slot, the Twins have higher goals in mind.
"We're going to make sure our goal is to qualify for that," Fansler said.
Missoula 104 050 000 - 10 9 2
Glacier 000 510 000 - 6 9 2
Brent Daugherty, Shawn McCarthur (6), Tanner Rheinschmidt (7), Nathan Jewett (9) and Steven DeYoung, Luke Bewley (6). Cody Hill, Zach Maassen (5), Devyn Rocker (9) and Jim Jumper, Jeremy Neilson (4). W - Daugherty. L - Hill.
Missoula - Ben Roberts 3-4, Brody Miller 1-3, Riley King 1-4, DeYoung 2-5, Jewett 1-3, Rheinschmidt 0-3, Kyle Booi 0-2, Conner Anderson 0-1, Andrew Sopko 0-2, Bewley 0-1, Tres Cunningham 1-3.
HR - King. 3B - Roberts. 2B - Cunningham. RBI - Roberts 1, King 2, Jewett 1, Anderson 1, Bewley 1.
Glacier - Devyn Rocker 1-4, Jumper 0-2, Neilson 1-2, Kyler Blades 3-4, Cody Elek 0-2, Geoff Streeter 1-4, Chris King 1-4, Chase Anderson 0-1, Carl Talsma 1-2, Zach Maassen 1-3, Jack Cronin 0-3.
HR - Blades, Maassen. 2B - Blades. RBI - Maassen 4, Talsma 1, Blades 1.