Baseball: Lakers' arms combine for opening day 1-hitter

Four Kalispell pitchers combined for a 1-hitter as the Lakers beat the Kootenai Valley Rangers 17-1 in their season opener Tuesday at Griffin Field.

Kootenai Valley’s Galen Sullivan broke up the no-hit bid with an infield single off Luke LaFontaine in the seventh inning, but Kalispell’s pitching staff showed why it’s expected to be the team’s strength this season. Starter Dillon Eaves struck out five in two innings and Hank McLeod struck out six in three innings of relief to earn the win.

“We’ve got depth and we’ve got guys with great arms,” McLeod said. “It should be fun.”

Justin Wallace recorded one strikeout in a scoreless sixth inning and LaFontaine had one strikeout in the seventh, giving the Lakers (1-0) a total of 13 in the nonconference game.

“I’m expecting a lot of great things out of them,” catcher Adam Frandsen said of the pitchers. “It’s an insanely good pitching staff.”

Frandsen and Dillon Matteson led the Lakers with two hits apiece. Frandsen batted 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs, while Matteson was 2-for-5 with three RBIs.

Kootenai Valley starting pitcher Austin Perez and reliever R.J. Glover held the Lakers hitless through three innings, but Kalispell’s bats woke up in the fourth. McLeod hit an infield single with one out to get things started and Justin Wallace followed with a double to left-center field. Colten Wiley hit into a fielder’s choice to score McLeod and Matteson drove in two with a single up the middle that put the Lakers ahead 3-0.

Kalispell batted around twice in a 14-run fifth. Frandsen reached base three times in the inning, drawing a leadoff walk, pulling a hanging breaking ball off the left field fence for a 3-RBI double and hitting an RBI infield single. The Lakers finished the inning with six hits while drawing eight walks.

“We were kind of out in front and rolled over a couple balls early on, but I thought we had better at bats as the game went on,” Lakers coach Ryan Malmin said. “It’s just patience and getting the repetitions that we need.”

Kootenai Valley (0-1) scored its only run in the top of the seventh when Sullivan scored on an RBI groundout by Mason Haidle.

The 10-run-rule halted the game after 6 1/2 innings.

“It’s good to get out and actually play somebody,” Malmin said. “We’re tired of practicing against each other.”

Malmin said he wanted to keep each of his pitchers under 45 pitches so they’ll all be fresh for the weekend. The Lakers host a doubleheader against Belgrade on Saturday and travel to Helena for a doubleheader Sunday.

“Dillon (Eaves) did what we expect on the mound, pounding the zone and stuff like that,” Malmin said. “We’re excited about our staff and the depth that it has.”

While Eaves, McLeod and Wallace all played vital roles on last year’s pitching staff, Frandsen is a first-year catcher at the AA level after starting at first base a year ago.

“I like it,” he said. “You get a more personal relationship with the pitchers. It’s my pitching staff, so I like the bond I get between me and the pitchers.

“It’s fun blocking a ball, it’s the best feeling.”

Game one of Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 2 p.m. at Griffin Field.

Kootenai Vlly 000 000 1 — 1 1 3

Kalispell 000 3(14)0 0 — 17 9 0

Austin Perez, R.J. Glover (3), Dalton Smith (5), Brandon Conner (5), Colton Henrie (5) and Steven Eash. Dillon Eaves, Hank McLeod (3), Justin Wallace (6), Luke LaFontaine (7) and Adam Frandsen. W - McLeod. L - Glover.

KOOTENAI VALLEY — Henrie 0-2, Smith 0-3, Nick Rackley 0-3, Glover 0-3, Galen Sullivan 1-2, Eash 0-2, Perez 0-2, Joe Schlarman 0-1, Mason Haidle 0-1, Connor 0-2.

KALISPELL — Dillon Matteson 2-5, Charlie Obermiller 0-3, LaFontaine 0-1, Eaves 1-2, Frandsen 2-3, Sean O’Connell 0-2, Jonathan Centner 0-2, Jake Barstow 0-2, Jeff Bengston 1-1, McLeod 1-2, Walker Malmin 0-2, Wallace 1-1, Colten Wiley 0-1, Chris Sibley 1-2.

2B - Wallace, Frandsen. RBI - Haidle; Frandsen 4, Matteson 3, Eaves 2, Wiley 2, Sibley 2, Obermiller, Bengston, Wallace.