Kalispell AA ekes out opener

by The Daily Inter Lake
| June 12, 2014 11:58 PM

PULLMAN, Wash. — The Kalispell Lakers AA squad started off their road trip on a high note, topping the Southridge (Kennewick, Wash.) Bandits 7-6 in the opening game of the Summer Palouse American Legion baseball tournament on Thursday.

The Lakers held a 4-1 lead early, but needed a late run to take the lead for good. Tied 6-6 entering the seventh inning, Kalispell outfielder Brett Thomas led off the top half of the inning with a single to right field and was in scoring position one pitch later after Justin Wallace laid down a bunt single.

Brandon Maassen, batting at the top of the order, sent in the winning run on a sacrifice fly to left field two batters later. Wallace shut down the bottom half of the inning with a pair of strikeouts and a grounder to the shortstop.

Thomas and Wallace each were 4 for 4 from the plate to lead the Lakers.

Kalispell plays a pair of games each of the next two days at the tournament, leading up to championship Sunday. The Lakers play the Spokane Crew and Lewis-Clark (Lewiston, Idaho) Twins on Friday and the Capital City (Olympia, Wash.) Select and Yakima (Wash.) Beetles on Saturday.

Kalispell 041 010 1 — 7 16 4

Southridge 140 100 0 — 6 12 1

WP- Walker Malmin. LP- Tyler Duduis.

KALISPELL — Brandon Maassen 1-5, Charlie Obermiller 1-4, Levi Brenneman 2-3, Adam Frandsen 1-3, Andy Bemis 1-3, Chasen Eaves 2-4, Brett Thomas 4-4, Justin Wallace 4-4, Jake Barstow 0-4.

SOUTHRIDGE — Jashawn Staten 1-4, Derek Dovie 3-3, Kyle Harvey 1-4, Tate Savey 0-4, Jake Kidchoff 2-4, Mason Martin 0-4, Ethan Sanders 2-4, Bradley Madlan 1-4, Chad Cridel 2-3.

2B — Bemis. Sanders. RBI — Maassen 2, Thomas, Wallace 2. Dovie 2, Savey 2, Cridel.

Helena Reps

Tournament

Reps 4, Loggers 2

HELENA — The Representatives opened their host tournament with a win against Libby, topping the Loggers thanks to a big third inning.

Helena scored three runs in the third inning, enough to hold off any Libby charge in the contest. The Loggers cut into the lead with a two-run homer off the bat of Oliver Grupenhoff in the top of the fourth, but were unable to cut the deficit closer than one run, allowing another Reps run in the bottom of the inning.

The Reps tournament runs through Sunday.

Libby 000 200 0 — 2 7 3

Helena 003 100 x — 4 7 1

WP- Ryan Dorvall. LP- Will Reichel.

LIBBY — Cameron Burkes 0-3, Luke Haggerty 2-4, Reichel 0-2, Oliver Grupenhoff 1-3, Dylon Lane 2-3, Ryan Huffman 1-3, Erik Lauer 1-3, Quincy Grupenhoff 0-1, Collin Johnson 0-1.

HELENA — Ryan Dorvall 2-4, Reilly Leary 1-3, Payton Pappas 1-2, Carter Pappas 0-2, Henery Bowers 1-3, Kienan Stief 1-3, Ryan Artson 0-2, Tyler Simonson 1-3, Eamonn Bryne 0-2.

2B — Stief. 3B — Huffman. HR — O. Grupenhoff. RBI — Grupenhoff 2. P. Pappas, Bowers, Stief.