Rolling Lakers ready for tourney
The week leading up to today's annual Canadian Days legion baseball tournament has been unusually busy for the hometown Lakers.
Because of rising water levels, the creek behind Griffin Field has grown closer to the right field wall than the Lakers would like. So on Tuesday, instead of practice, the boys had a "sandbag" drill, you could say.
Add that with a game on Wednesday and a field preparation day on Thursday, and for once Friday feels here too soon.
"We've been pretty preoccupied this week," Kalispell head coach Ryan Malmin said.
The Lakers are winners of six-straight entering today's AA/A round-robin tourney. Kalispell (9-3) plays Sherwood Park in the 8 p.m. nightcap of three AA games and two A contests.
Six AA teams and five A teams are competing this year.
"We always have great competition with the Canadian teams that come down," Malmin said.
This tournament is also the first meeting between the Lakers and Twins before conference play starts.
Canadian Days Tournament
Friday-Sunday
AA Teams - Calgary Redbirds, Edmonton Cardinals, Glacier Twins, Kalispell Lakers, Sherwood Park A's, Trail Jays
A Teams - Cranbrook Rocky Mountain Bandits, Edmonton Cardinals, Glacier Twins, Kalispell Lakers, Missoula Pioneers
Friday
Griffin Field
3 p.m. - Trail vs. Edmonton AA; 5:30 p.m. - Calgary vs. Glacier AA; 8 p.m. - Kalispell AA vs. Sherwood Park
Archie Roe
3:30 p.m. - Kalispell A vs. Cranbrook; 6 p.m. - Glacier A vs. Edmonton A
Saturday
Griffin Field
9 a.m. - Glacier AA vs. Trail; 11:30 a.m. - Kalispell AA vs. Trail; 2 p.m. - Glacier AA vs. Sherwood Park; 4:30 p.m. - Calgary vs. Sherwood Park; 7 p.m. - Edmonton AA vs. Kalispell AA
Archie Roe
9 a.m. - Cranbrook vs. Glacier A; 11:30 a.m. - Cranbrook vs. Edmonton A; 2 p.m. - Glacier A vs. Missoula; 4:30 p.m. - Edmonton A vs. Kalispell A.
Kidsports Complex (West Field)
9:30 a.m. - Kalispell A vs. Missoula; Noon - Edmonton vs. Calgary.
Sunday
Griffin Field
10 a.m. - Edmonton AA vs. Glacier AA; 12:30 p.m. - Sherwood Park vs. Trail; 3 p.m. - Calgary vs. Kalispell AA
Archie Roe
10 a.m. - Edmonton A vs. Missoula; 12:30 p.m. - Cranbrook vs. Missoula; 3 p.m. - Glacier A vs. Kalispell A