Baseball: Loggers advance to unbeaten semifinal
HELENA — The streaking Libby Loggers advanced to the undefeated semifinal of the Class A American Legion State Baseball Tournament with a 5-2 win over the Glasgow Reds at Kindrick Legion Field Saturday.
The Loggers, who have won eight in a row, scored twice in the top of the first inning and never trailed. Glasgow cut its deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, but Libby answered with two more runs in the top of the seventh.
Will Reichel hurled a complete game — allowing one earned run on seven hits while striking out five — to earn his 10th win of the season.
“We played a pretty solid ballgame,” Loggers coach Kelly Morford said. “Will pitched a heck of a game from the hill and we executed some small ball offensively.”
Oliver Grupenhoff led the Loggers with a 4 for 4 effort at the plate. His RBI double in the first inning put Libby ahead 2-0 and his RBI single in the seventh gave the Loggers a 5-2 lead. Reichel batted 3 for 5 and Luke Haggerty was 2 for 5.
Tom Leland, Wacy Ortman and Gage Legare each had two hits for the Reds. Jonathan Koessl was the losing pitcher, allowing 11 hits in nine innings.
The Reds defeated the Loggers 10-0 on June 28 in Miles City in their only previous meeting this season.
“We knew that we didn’t show them our best baseball down there in Miles City, but it was a good confidence-builder to come out and score some runs early,” Morford said.
Eastern A champion Laurel defeated Southern A champion Belgrade 5-2 in the other winner’s bracket contest. Libby will play Laurel at 12:30 p.m. today, then the Loggers will play again at either 4 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.
Libby 200 001 200 — 5 11 3
Glasgow 000 101 000 — 2 7 0
Will Reichel and Oliver Grupenhoff. Jonathon Koessl and Gage Legare. W - Reichel. L - Koessl.
LIBBY - Reichel 3-5, Luke Haggerty 2-5, Jared Winslow 1-4, Micah Germany 0-4, Grupenhoff 4-4, Andrew Haggerty 0-3, Josh Foote 0-4, Collin Johnson 1-3, Isaak Jones 0-3, Dylon Lane 0-1.
GLASGOW - Keil Krumweide 1-4, Grant Legare 0-3, Tom Leland 2-4, Andy Gardner 0-4, Wacy Ortman 2-4, Cutter Kolstad 0-3, Koessl 0-1, Gage Legare 2-4, Griffin Bengochea 0-1, Walt Dalbey 0-2, Jason Thibault 0-2.
2B - Grupenhoff; Leland. 3B - Winslow. RBIs - Grupenhoff 2, Germany, Winslow, Johnson; Ortman 2.
Laurel Dodgers 5, Belgrade Bandits 2
Belgrade 100 010 000 — 2 4 4
Laurel 010 100 30x — 5 7 2
Chris Schreckengost, Josh Gier; Dakota Cortese. W - Cortese, L - Schreckengost.
BELGRADE - Brett Franklin 1-3, Gier 0-3, Trevor Mahn 3-4, Conner Switzer 0-4, Jamis Olson 0-3, Teagon Barry 0-4, Schreckengost 0-2, Trey Mounts 0-4, Josh Browning 0-0, Koby Ruff 0-1.
LAUREL - Kameron Fischer 1-4, Anthony Panella 0-2, TJ Schmidt 0-4, Cortese 1-3, Jace Golden 1-4, Jake Anderson 2-4, Mason O’Donnell 0-4, Daniel Stamper 2-3, Austin Cannon 0-2.
2B - Stamper. RBIs - Anderson 2, Stamper, Mahn.
Loser-out
Lethbridge Miners 4, Helena Reps 3
Helena 200 010 000 — 3 6 0
Lethbridge 003 000 001 — 4 8 2
Nicholas Ankerman; Ryan Dorvall, Kenny Wilson (9). W – Ankerman, L – Dorvall.
HELENA (46-16) – Danny Burton 0-4, Reilly Leary 0-4, Payton Pappas 1-3, Chase Rook 2-4, Kenny Wilson 1-4, Tyler Simonson 0-2, Jackson Thennis 0-2, Kienan Stief 1-4, Carter Pappas 1-4, Dorvall 0-1.
LETHBRIDGE (31-13) – Ankerman 2-5, Shawn Grandmont 0-4, Eric Davies 0-3, Carter Witbeck 2-4, Bryce Deboer 1-1, Dawson Stratte 1-4, Logan Bell 1-4, Dylan Tomiyama 0-3, Josh Luchanski 1-3, Wilson Holt 0-2.
2B – Witbeck 2. RBIs – Witbeck 2, Davies, Stratte, Burton, Rook, Wilson.