Lakers pull out win versus Trail
<p>Third baseman Sean O’Connell fields a ball Saturday afternoon during the Lakers 3-2 victory over the Trail Jays on the second day of the Canadian Days Tournament at Griffin Field.</p>
<p>Cody Dopps of the Kalispell Lakers dives safely back to first base Saturday afternoon during the Canadian Days Tournament at Griffin Field.</p>
Kalispell Lakers coach Ryan Malmin waited patiently.
And so did the Lakers.
But after a couple of missed opportunities, it still wasn’t time to panic.
Kalispell stranded Dillon Eaves at third base in the second inning and Cody Dopps at second in third.
But in the bottom half of the sixth, and trailing 2-1, Adam Frandsen delivered. With the bases loaded and two outs, his bloop single to right scored Nate Johnson and Dopps to give the Lakers the lead, and a 3-2 victory Saturday afternoon over the Trail Jays at the Canadian Days American Legion baseball tournament at Griffin Field.
“It took awhile,” Malmin said of getting that clutch hit.
“Adam has had a great start to the year after missing a couple of weeks (quad injury). We’re excited about his progress as a 16-year-old.”
Johnson and Dopps opened that inning with back-to-back singles to shallow left field.
Louis Freudenburg moved Dopps and Johnson to second and third, respectively, with a perfect sac bunt. Sean O’Connell then walked to load the bases.
After Eaves struck out, Frandsen came through in the clutch.
The Lakers also received a standout effort on the mound from Freudenburg in relief.
Freudenburg took over for Hank McLeod with one out and runners on first and second via walks in the top of the fifth inning. Freudenburg did hit a batter to eventually walk in a run to give Trail a 2-1 lead, but McLean snagged a line drive by Trail’s next batter with a step towards second base, quickly turned around and headed back to tag first to complete a double play and end the inning.
Freudenburg retired the side in order in the sixth and took care of business in the seventh.
“Louie is a big part of our staff,” Malmin said.
“He does a tremendous job coming in and closing the door ... shutting them down. It gives us a chance.”
Eaves had the other big hit for Kalispell, a double to the fence in left center field in the fourth inning to score Sean O’Connell, who led off with a walk, from first.
The Lakers (10-4 overall) wrapped up the day with a 5-2 evening win over Edmonton.
Trail Jays 001 010 0 — 2 2 1
Kalispell Lakers 000 120 x — 3 6 1
Dallas Calvin, Jordan Roblin (4) and Jake Luchini; Hank McLeod, Louis Freudenburg (5) and Adam Fransden, Cody Dopps (7). W — Freudenburg. L — Roblin.
TRAIL — Luchini 0-3, Geoff Soukeroff 0-1, Calvin 1-2, Josh Blank 0-2, Jarret Conway 0-2, Sean Barta 0-2, Roblin 0-3, Tyrus Jocko 1-2, Ryan Giesler 0-1.
KALISPELL — Dopps 2-4, Freudenberg 0-2, Sean O’Connell 0-1, Dillon Eaves 1-2, Frandsen 1-2, Nate Bengston 0-2, Matt McLean 0-3, Zach Personett 1-3, Jake Johnson 1-3.
2B—Eaves; RBIs—Calvin; Eaves, Frandsen (2).
—————
Kalispell Lakers 000 401 0 — 5 8 1
Edmonton 001 100 0 — 2 6 1
Eaves and NA; Andrew Kotscherofski and NA. W — Eaves. L — Kotscherofski.
KALISPELL — Dillon Matteson 1-4, Charlie Obermiller 1-4, Dopps 0-4, Eaves 2-3, O’Connell 1-3, Frandsen 1-4, Sid Schenck 0-2, Kendrick Lee 1-2, Bengston 1-2.
EDMONTON — Logan Wedgewood 2-2, Derek Shedden 1-3, Ryan Kasofofski 0-3, Carson Bokenfor 1-2, Garrett Perlette 1-3, Carter Robertson 0-2, Dylan Kutschinski 0-3, Ryan Gazley 1-3, Cameron Rich 0-3.
2B—Bokenfor; RBIs—Frandsen, Schenck (2), Bengston (2); Robertson.
Late Friday
Kalispell Lakers 700 47 — 18 13 0
Sherwood Park 000 10 — 1 3 4
Matt McLean and NA; Ryan Lehman, Austin Penner (4), Cole Viger (5) and NA. W — McLean. L — Lehman.
KALISPELL — Matteson 3-5, Obermiller 2-3, Dopps 1-4, Eaves 1-3, McLean 0-1, O’Connell 3-5, Schenck 0-2, Frandsen 1-3, McLeod 1-1, Lee 1-3, Bengston 0-2.
SHERWOOD PARK — Dean Olson 1-3, Josh Williams 1-1, Tony Olson 0-1, Dylaney Brown 0-1, Riley Moskaluk 0-3, Travis Ouellet 0-1, Ray Thrasher 1-2, Braeden Burns 0-2, Cole Viger 0-1, Cole Schneider 0-2.
2B—Matteson (2), O’Connell; 3B—Obermiller; RBIs—Matteson (3), Obermiller, Dopps (2), O’Connell (2), Schenck (2), Frandsen, McLeod, Lee (4), Bengston (2).
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Canadian Days? Tournament
AA at Griffin Field
Saturday
Edmonton 11, Glacier 6
Sherwood Park 4, Calgary 0
Kalispell 3, Trail 2
Sherwood Park 12, Trail 1
Glacier 7, Calgary 4
Kalispell 5, Edmonton 2
Today
10 a.m. — Calgary vs. Trail
12:30 — Sherwood Park vs. Glacier
3 p.m. — Edmonton vs. Kalispell
A at Archie Roe Field
Saturday
Kalispell 11, Cranbrook 11
Sherwood Park 11, Calgary 0
Edmonton 8, Kalispell 3
Sherwood Park 10, Cranbrook 0
Glacier 15, Calgary 7
Edmonton 16, Glacier 6
Today
10 a.m. — Glacier vs. Calgary
12:30 p.m. — Sherwood Park vs. Cranbrook
3 p.m. — Edmonton vs. Kalispell