Key win for Lakers over Mavs

MISSOULA — Cody Dopps drove in three runs and Dillon Eaves and Adam Frandsen both had two RBIs as the Kalispell Lakers dumped the Missoula Mavericks 11-6 in AA American Legion baseball play on Saturday.

Kalispell (7-8 in Western AA play, 23-17 overall) blew the game open with five runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth.

The Lakers had 12 hits, led by Kendrick Lee, Frandsen, Charlie Obermiller and Jake Johnson, all with two each. Frandsen and Dillon Matteson tripled for Kalispell.

The Lakers are currently in fourth place in the league standings. Kalispell hosts Missoula (10-2) on Tuesday for a single game starting at 3 p.m.

The Lakers have 10 league games left in the regular season as they make their final push for a state tournament berth.

“It was an important win,” Lakers coach Ryan Malmin said. “It was a good one to have.

“Matt (McLean) threw well for us again today. He pounded the zone, minimized the free passes and let our defense play behind him.”

Lee made some big plays behind the plate. He threw a Missoula runner out and blocked the ball well.

Kalispell 105 300 020 — 11 12 5

Missoula 020 000 202 — 6 8 2

Matt McLean, Dillon Eaves (8) and Kendrick Lee. Tres Cunningham, Anthony Contonio (4), William Keffeler (4) and Matt McHugh. W – McLean. L – Cunningham (8-3).

KALISPELL – Lee 2-4, Dillon Matteson 1-6, Sean O’Connell 1-3, Eaves 1-3, Adam Frandsen 2-5, Cody Dopps 1-4, Charlie Obermiller 2-5, Nate Bengston 0-4, Jake Johnson 2-5.

MISSOULA – Tanner Rheinschmidt 3-4, Alec Bouchee 0-4, Riley King 0-5, Shane Olson 1-5, McHugh 0-4, Nathan Jewett 0-3, Josh Meader 0-3, Nick Evans 4-4, Tanner Maier 0-4.

3B – Frandsen, Matteson. RBIs – O’Connell, Eaves 2, Frandsen 2, Dopps 3, Obermiller 2; Rheinschmidt 3, King, Evans.

Mariners A 13, Ferris 3

Robbie Gauthier and Nick Crawford both drove in three runs to lead the Mission Valley Mariners A to an easy victory over Ferris at the John R. Harp Tournament at Griffin Field.

Jack Humphreys had seven strikeouts and walked five Ferris hitters.

Ferris 000 12 — 3 6 5

Mission Valley 544 0 — 13 8 21

WP—Jack Humphreys. LP—Cody Holland.

FERRIS — Austin Batt 2-4, Adam Hoiness 0-3, Matt Hare 0-1, Bobby LaRue 1-2, Nate Buchkoski 0-3, Tanner Pribilsky 1-3, Griffin Davis 1-2, Isaiah Carpenter 0-2, Austin Mcgoldrick 1-2.

MISSION VALLEY — Humphreys 1-2, Zeke Webster-Yaqui 2-4, Robbie Gauthier 2-4, Chris Clary 0-1, Jacob Young 1-1, Nick Crawford 0-1, Michael Bournstein 1-3, Bradley Pichler 1-2, Dalton Molzhon 0-3.

2B—Gauthier; RBIs—Batt, Davis; Webster-Yaqui, Gauthier (3), Crawford (3), Bournstein (2), Pichler (2).

Rangers 15, Redbirds 2

Kade Davis threw a 1-hitter and Ryan Holder hit for the cycle as the Kootenai Valley Rangers won their first game at the John R. Harp Tournament at Griffin Field.

Davis had 10 strikeouts. He gave up a bloop single to right in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Holder homered in the top of the sixth, a three-run shot to left field.

He also tripled, doubled and singled in a 4 for 5 performance. He drove in six runs.

Bryton Guckenberg and Davis both had three hits.

The Rangers, 1-2 in tournament play and 24-19 overall, face Ft. Mcleod today at 12:30 p.m.

Kootenai Valley 330 405 — 15 18 0

Calgary Redbirds 000 011 — 2 1 3

Kade Davis, Brandon Conard (6) and Gallen Sullivan; M. Soroka, N. Seltsam (5) and NA. W— Davis. L — Soroka.

KOOTENAI VALLEY — CJ Henrie 2-3, Bryton Guckenberg 3-3, Ryan Holder 4-5, Davis 3-5, Dalton Smith 1-3, Nick Rackley 1-3, RJ Glover 1-3, Mark Good 0-2, Sullivan 2-4, Conard 0-1, Jamie Soderling 1-2, Sam Hannay 0-2.

CALGARY — Selstam 0-3, M. Silver 0-3, C. Seaman 0-2, P. Flattery 0-2, E. Junnola 0-3, D. Hanson 0-3, J. Lane 1-2, J. House 0-1, D. Day 0-1, J. Sekyia 0-0.

2B—Holder, Glover; 3B—Holder, Sullivan; HR—Holder; RBIs—Henrie, Holder (6), Davis (2), Rackley (2), Glover, Sullivan