Pistorese fans 21 as Lakers KO Senators
BUTTE - Simply put, Joe Pistorese was fantastic.
The Kalispell hurler struck out a career best 21 batters and held Helena's Senators to two hits as the Lakers stayed alive at the Montana/Alberta Class AA State American Legion baseball tournament on Friday with a 8-1 loser-out victory.
"His performance today kind of showcased his progression as a pitcher in the last three years where he maintained his poise, pounded the zone and didn't give in on counts he was behind on," Lakers coach Ryan Malmin said.
"That allowed us a chance to win, score runs."
Kalispell (36-21) scored five times in the first three innings.
Helena was not allowed a run until the fourth inning.
"He was remarkable," Malmin said.
"His fastball and curveball were pretty consistent today. He hit his spots all day long."
Malmin said Pistorese struck out 14 of the first 15 batters he faced.
Michael O'Connell led the Lakers offense. He finished 3 for 6 and clubbed a solo home run in the ninth inning.
Pistorese was next with two hits.
Eight Lakers had a hit in the contest.
"The kids played well," Malmin said.
"We made plays. Again, we produced runs in four of the nine innings. We did a great job of getting guys on base."
Kalispell stranded 14 runners in the game.
Helena had no trouble scoring runs on Wednesday in its opener. The Senators had nine hits in a 16-15 loss to the Great Falls Chargers.
The Lakers lost to the Billings Scarlets on opening day, 10-4.
Kalispell is back in action today at 3 p.m. The Lakers face Billings Royals.
The Medicine Hat Moose Monarchs also stayed alive Thursday with a 6-1 loser-out victory over the Butte Miners.
In quartefinal action, the Billings Scarlets topped the Great Falls Chargers 15-8 and the Missoula Mavericks outlasted the Billings Royals 24-15.
Thursday's Boxes
Loser-out Games
Kalispell 014 020 001 - 8 11 1
Helena 000 100 000 - 1 2 8
Joe Pistorese and Kendrick Lee. Raymond Schnur (2), Tanner Rook, Matthew Burgess and Jacob Harris.
KALISPELL - Dillon Matteson 1-4, Cody Dopps 1-4, Michael O'Connell 3-6, Pistorese 2-6, Dillon Eaves 1-5, Sean O'Connell 1-3, Dominic Eikert 1-5, Lee 0-2, Nathan Bengston 1-5.
HELENA - James Mayer 0-3, Jarin Gassett 0-1, Colter Sternhagen 1-4, Jacob Harris 1-4, Anthony Roberts 0-3, Schnur 0-1, Rook 0-0, Matthew Burgess 0-2, Brendan McGuire 0-3, Bradley Rook 0-3, Zachary Fisher 0-2, Lee Mueller 0-1, Colter Andriolo 0-0, Josiah Coker 0-3.
2B - Dopps. 3B - Harris. HR - O'Connell. RBI - Eaves 2, Eikert 2, Dopps, O'Connell, Bengston.
Medicine Hat Moose Monarchs 6,
Butte Miners 1
Butte 010 000 000 - 1 6 2
Medicine Hat 110 101 20x - 6 14 1
Anthony Honer and Kade Henderson. Chad Hodges and Konner Lutz.
BUTTE - Bucky Bugni 1-4, Honer 1-4, Bryon Baker 0-4, Matt Berg 1-3, Shawn Duffy 0-4, Buzzy Davies 1-1, Jared Kingston 0-2, Kade Henderson 2-4, Gabe Kissell 0-3, Keiffer Hepola 0-3.
MEDICINE HAT - Braden Goldade 2-5, Curtis Bader 1-3, Greg Adams 2-4, Lutz 1-4, Austin Weisgerber 3-4, Garrett Weise 1-2, Cody Florkowski 2-3, Andy Scott 1-4, Tanner Ross 0-3, Zach Zubrecki 1-1, Hodges 0-0.
2B - Florkowski. HR - Adams. RBI - Adams 2, Florkowski 2, Weise.
Winners' Bracket
Billings Scarlets 15,
Great Falls Chargers 8
Great Falls 100 052 000 - 8 10 2
Billings 104 261 10x - 15 10 6
Tyson Patterson, Tanner Watson (5) and Taylor Davis. Brady Muller, Justin Black (9) and Nick Funyak. W - Muller (1-0). L - Patterson (0-1).
GREAT FALLS (36-24) - Taylor Davis 1-4, Trevor Johnson 0-2, Tanner Watson 2-5, Hunter Carlyon 1-3, Cayden Napierala 1-5, Spenser Hortick 3-5, Spenser Hart 1-4, Robbie Schwenck 0-1, Tyler Stanich 0-2, Tyson Patterson 0-1, Dusty Popham 0-1, A.J. Griffith 0-1, Chad Barrett 1-3.
BILLINGS (46-8-1) - Ty Gilmore 2-5, Justin Black 2-3, Dillon Ness 1-2, Max Tolstedt 0-3, Nick Funyak 1-4, Brady Muller 3-3, Nate Smith 0-1, Justin MacDonald 1-1, Clay Compton 0-4, Quinn Huppert 0-2.
2B- Barrett, Hortick, Ness, Muller. 3B - Muller 2. RBIs - Watson 2, Napierala 2, Johnson 1, Carlyon 1, Hortick 1; Ness 3, Muller 3, MacDonald 2, Gilmore 1, Black 1, Funyak 1.
Missoula Mavericks 24,
Billings Royals 15
Billings 220 041 510 - 15 24 3
Missoula (11)00 130 45x - 24 22 4
Nick Scanson, Brady Henan (1), Garrett Heywood (2), Hunter Kovash (7), T.J. Jacobs (8) and Chance Ackerman, Nick Scanson (1). Kyle Booi, Michael Melugin (2), Nathan Jewett (7) and Steven DeYoung. W -- Melugin (1-0). L -- Scanson (0-1).
BILLINGS ROYALS (32-17) -- Adam Feralio 3-7, Luke Reinschmidt 2-5, Jordan Kern 3-5, Josh Benjamin 4-6, Chance Ackerman 0-6, Nick Scanson 1-6, Eli Gunderson 0-0, Brady Henan 0-1, Garrett Heywood 4-4, Hunter Kovash 0-0, William Kent 1-1, Zach Lindsey 2-5, T.J. Jacobs 4-6.
MISSOULA MAVERICKS (52-15) -- Ben Roberts 3-4, Brody Miller 1-2, Riley King 3-5, Steven DeYoung 5-5, Nathan Jewett 3-4, Tanner Reinschmidt 2-5, Andrew Sopko 3-5, Conner Anderson 1-4, Nate Ratts 1-2, Tres Cunningham 0-4.
2B -- Benjamin 2, Lindsey 2, Jacobs 2, Roberts, Jewett 2, DeYoung, King. 3B -- Feralio, L. Reinschmidt, Jewett. HR -- Roberts, King, DeYoung (gs). RBIs -- Benjamin 4, Heywood 3, Feralio 2, L. Reinschmidt 2, Kern 1, Ackerman 1, Scanson 1, Jacobs 1; DeYoung 7, King 4, Jewett 4, Roberts 3, T. Reinhardt 3, Sopko 2, Miller 1.
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Late Wednesday
First-Round Game
Missoula Mavericks 24, Butte Miners 4
Butte 002 002 0 - 4 9 5
Missoula 169 143 x - 24 23 3
Bryon Baker, Buzzy Davies (3), Matt Berg (5) and Kelly Kissell, Kade Henderson (5). Andrew Sopko, Shawn McArthur (7) and Luke Bewley. W - Sopko (1-0). L - Baker (0-1).
MISSOULA (18-33-1) - Bucky Bugni 3-3, Kelly Kissell 0-2, Kade Henderson 0-2, Bryon Baker 1-4, Matt Berg 0-3, Shawn Duffy 2-3, Buzzy Davies 0-3, Anthony Honer 1-2, Gabe Kissell 1-3, Sean Curran 1-3.
MISSOULA (51-15) - Ben Roberts 1-4, Brody Miller 4-6, Riley King 4-6, Steven DeYoung 1-4, Nate Ratts 1-1, Nathan Jewett 4-4, Tanner Reinschmidt 3-4, Alec Bouchee 0-1, Kyle Booi 1-3, Conner Anderson 1-1, Luke Bewley 1-4, Tres Cunningham 2-4.
2B - Reinschmidt, Miller, Booi, King 3. 3B - Bugni, Roberts, Jewett, Cunningham. HR - Reinschmidt, Miller. RBIs - Bugni 1, Baker 1, Duffy 1, Curran 1; King 6, Miller 4, Jewett 4, Reinschmidt 4, Anderson 1.