Twins topple Mavs, again

MISSOULA — As of Tuesday, the Glacier Twins hadn’t beat the Missoula Mavericks in American Legion Class AA play since 2007.

On Thursday, they did it for the second time in two days, toppling the conference power 12-7 to sweep a two-game series in Missoula and make a 16-game losing streak against the Mavericks feel like a distant memory.

The victory followed a 10-8 Glacier win over the Mavericks on Wednesday.

“You just tell them that from here on out there are no excuses,” Glacier Coach Lindsay Fansler said of his talk with his team following the win. “We know how good of a team we have and now we just have to bring it every game.”

Cody Hill pitched eight solid innings for the Twins, earning the win while allowing six runs.

Fansler said Hill did an admirable job of keeping Missoula batters in check as the Twins built a steady lead.

“It was just a good effort on his part to allow our offense a chance to maintain,” Fansler said.

Four Glacier batters had multi-hit games. Kyler Blades and Cody Elek both went 2 for 4 while Devyn Rocker was 2 for 3. Jack Cronin added another two hits and Chris King, Geoff Streeter and Jeremy Neilson each had a hit apiece.

A stellar defensive play prevented the Mavericks from getting back in the game late, Fansler said.

The Mavericks had already scored a run in the eighth inning and seemed poised to do more offensive damage with runners on first and second.

Brody Miller hit a line drive that appeared destined to sail over the head of Blades at shortstop.

“He made a leaping stab and was able to whip the ball over to second and end the inning,” Fansler said.

“Missoula is a good team and they can get runs in bunches at just about any time. The was a great play for us.”

Blades batted in three runs as well while Rocker had two RBI.

“It was a good offensive performance,” Fansler said. “We scored in multiple innings and that’s our recipe, it’s to have offensive pressure consistently throughout the game.”

The Twins are now 3-4 in conference play and 18-16 overall. They head to Alberta Sunday for a doubleheader against Medicine Hat.

Missoula, 3-3 and 34-9, hosts the Kalispell Lakers on Monday for one nine-inning contest. That league contest begins at 1 p.m.

Glacier 330 004 101 — 12 11 2

Missoula 301 101 010 — 7 8 7

Cody Hill, Carl Talsma and Jim Jumper. Tres Cunningham, Kyle Booi (6), Tanner Rheinschmidt (6) and Luke Bewley, Steven DeYoung (6). W – Hill. L – Cunningham.

GLACIER – Jeremy Nielson 1-3, Jack Cronin 2-5, Kyler Blades 2-4, Cody Elek 2-4, Geoff Streeter 1-5, Chris King 1-3, Talsma 0-4, Jumper 0-4, Devyn Rocker 2-3.

2B - Rocker, RBI — Blades (3), Rocker (2), Streeter, King, Talsma

MISSOULA – Rheinschmidt 1-3, Brody Miller 1-4, Riley King 1-5, DeYoung 2-5, Nathan Jewett 1-5, Andrew Sopko 0-3, David Resner 1-3, Conner Anderson 0-0, Booi 0-3, Alec Bouchee 0-0, Bewley 1-3.

2B – Rocker. HR – Jewett, DeYoung. RBIs – Blades 2, Streeter, C. King, Talsma, Rocker 2, Rheinschmidt, Miller, DeYoung, Jewett 3.