O'Connell's HR rallies AA Lakers past AA Twins

WHITEFISH - Michael O'Connell's three-run homer to left field in the seventh inning started a five-run rally and Kalispell came back with two more runs in the seventh to slip past Glacier's Twins 7-5 in American Legion AA baseball action on Wednesday.

Glacier (11-8 overall, 1-0 league) jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings. Geoff Streeter smacked a two-run opposite-field homer to right in the third inning for the Twins.

Kalispell (13-4 and 1-0) scored its final two runs with two outs on a passed ball and a single by Dillon Matteson.

"We're really happy with the kids perseverance," Lakers coach Ryan Malmin said.

"We were on our heels right away. After a few innings, we were able to put a few things together."

The Lakers had plenty of chances. They left the bases loaded twice and stranded runners at second and third another time.

"Give them credit," Twins coach Lindsay Fansler said.

"They kept their offense going.

"It was a tough loss," he added.

"We got it going early against (Joe) Pistorese. But he settled in and ended up with 10 strikeouts.

"We were trying to get to their bullpen," Fansler said.

"He threw 158 pitches, but he's a great pitcher. He kept our bats down and gave their offense a chance."

Kalispell 000 000 520 - 7 13 4

Glacier 302 000 000 - 5 6 1

Joe Pistorese and Kendrick Lee; Cody Hill, Isaac Venezio (7), Devyn Rocker (9) and Jimmy Jumper. W - Pistorese. L - Venezio.

KALISPELL - Dillon Matteson 1-6, Lee 1-4, Michael O'Connell 2-6, Pistorese 1-4, Sidney Schenck 2-5, Cody Dopps 2-4, Alex Stanley 0-4, Dominic Eickert 3-5, Nate Bengston 1-3.

2B-Sneck, Dopps, Eickert; HR-O'Connell; RBI-O'Connell (3), Eickert (2), Matteson.

GLACIER - Cody Elek 1-3, Jeremy Nielson 0-4, Kyler Blades 1-4, Chris King 1-2, Venezio 0-2, Jack Cronin 0-3, Geoff Streeter 3-4, Hill 0-4, Jumper 0-4, Rocker 0-4.

2B-Streeter; HR-Streeter; RBI-Blades, Streeter (2)