Legion Baseball: Lakers sweep Keybirds

The Kalispell Lakers AA perservered in Game 1 before dominating the second contest, sweeping the Williston Keybirds in American Legion doublerheader baseball at Griffin Field on Wednesday night.

There was plenty of drama in the opening game of the twin bill, as the Lakers jumped out to a 4-0 lead after scoring three runs in the bottom of the first and another in the third.

The Keybirds got on the board in the fourth with a one-run inning, but pushed the Lakers to the brink in the sixth.

Williston scored four runs in the inning, tying the game at five. They put one more across into he seventh and were three outs away from the win.

The Lakers pushed two runs across in the bottom half to take the opener 7-6.

Levi Brenneman and Charlie Obermiller highlighted the Lakers’ offense, each hitting a double and driving in a run.

Brandon Maassen had a successful first game, going 3 for 4 with a triple.

Adam Frandsen struck out four in five innings of work and Colten Wiley relieved him in the sixth.

In the night cap of the doubleheader, the Lakers made sure to take care of things early.

They scored seven runs in the first inning and rode Justin Rich’s arm the rest of the way, completeing the sweep of the Keybirds with a 7-4 victory.

Rich struck out five in six innings, before Chasen Eaves came on to pitch the seventh.

Brenneman continued to produce offensively for the Lakers, hitting a double and driving in a run for a 2 for 4 effort.

Andy Bemis also doubled for Kalispell and had a team-high two RBIs.

Eaves doubled and drove in a run and Massen, Wiley and Brett Thomas added RBIs as well.

Trenton Hove and Lane Huck each had two RBIs for the Keybirds.

Game 1

Williston Keybirds     000     104     1     —     6 9 2

Kalispell Lakers AA     301     010     2     —     7 10 2

Boston Horab and Ty Berg. Adam Frandsen, Colten Wiley (6) and Jake Barstow. L — Horab.

WILLISTON — Trenten Hove 2-4, Baily Zaste 2-4, Lane Huck 1-3, Bradey Miller 1-4, Matt Kohler 1-2, Seth Falcon 1-3, Caleb Owens 0-3, Thad Thompson 1-3, Ty Berg 0-2.

KALISPELL — Brandon Maassen 3-4, Levi Brenneman 3-4, Adam Frandsen 0-2, Colten Wiley 1-1, Justin Rich 0-2, Charlie Obermiller 1-2, Sam Crompton 0-3, Brett Thomas 0-3, Jake Barstow 2-2.

2B — Brenneman, Obermiller. RBIs — Miller 2, Thompson, Brenneman, Frandsen, Wiley, Obermiller, Crompton.

Game 2

Williston Keybirds     101     200     0     — 4 6 1

Kalispell Lakers AA     700     000     x     —     7 7 1

Baily Zaste and Boston Horab. Justin Rich, Chasen Eaves (7) and Brandon Maassen. W — Rich. L — Zaste.

WILLISTON — Trenton Hove 3-4, Baily Zaste 0-3, Lane Huck 2-4, Bradley Miller 0-2, Drew Borseth 0-2, Matt Kohler 0-1, Seth Falcon 0-3, Boston Horab 0-2, Thad Thompson 1-3, Ty Berg 0-3.

KALISPELL — Brandon Maassen 1-3, Levi Brenneman 2-4, Chasen Eaves 1-4, Andy Bemis 1-3, Walker Malmin 0-2, Charlie Obermiller 0-2, Brett Thomas 1-3, Colten Wiley 1-3, Jake Barstow 0-2.

2B — Hove, Eaves, Bemis, Brenneman. RBIs — Hove 2, Huck 2, Maassen, Brenneman, Eaves, Bemis 2, Thomas, Wiley.

Game 1

Kootenai Valley 6,

Libby 3

Game 2

Kootenai Valley 11, Libby 6

EUREKA — The Kootenai Valley Rangers used plenty of run support to sweep the Libby Loggers in American Legion doubleheader action on Wednesday night.

The Rangers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in Game 1, scoring three runs in the first and two more in the second.

Dawson Henrie led Kootenai Valley on the mound, striking out five batters in a complete game four-hitter.

Libby put up two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth, but they couldn’t complete the comeback, dropping the first game 6-3.

The Rangers were led offensively by first baseman Nick Rackley who went 3 for 4 with an RBI. Shortstop Dalton Smith also drove in a run while going 2 for 3 from the plate. Centerfielder Austin perez had a game-high two RBIs.

Libby got solid offensive production from centerfielder Cameron Burkes and starting pitcher Will Reichel. Burkes had two hits in the game while Reichel was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

In the night cap, both teams went into the third inning with the score tied at zero.

Libby took a quick 2-0 lead before the Rangers got hot in the bottom of the third.

Kootenai Valley scored five runs in the inning.

Loggers’ third baseman Luke Haggerty led off the fourth with a triple, trying to cut into the Rangers’ advantage. He would come across the plate in the inning for Libby’s only run.

Unfortunatley for the Loggers, Kootenai Valley responded with four more runs in the bottom half, highlighted by second baseman Colton Henrie’s two-run home run.

The Rangers rode Austin Perez’s arm to an 11-6 victory as he threw a complete game four-hitter like teammate Dawson Henrie in Game 1.

Colton Henrie, Perez, catcher Garret McNeil and right fielder Gallen Sullivan all had two RBIs in the second contest.

Libby was led offensively by catcher Oliver Gurpenhoff who had a double and and two RBIs.

Game 1

Libby Loggers     000     021     0     —     3 4 3

Kootenai Valley     320     010     x     —     6 9 1

Will Reichel, Ryan Huffman (1) and Oliver Grupenhoff. Dawson Henrie and Gallen Sullivan. W — Henrie. L — Reichel.

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

KOOTENAI VALLEY — Colton Henrie 1-2, Nick Rackley 3-4, Dalton Smith 2-4, R.J. Glover 1-3, Austin Perez 1-3, Garret McNeil 1-3, Gallen Sullivan 0-3, James Dunn 0-1, Dawson Henrie 0-2.

2B — C. Henrie, Smith. RBIs — Reichel, Lauer, Rackley Smith, Perez 2.

Game 2

Libby Loggers     002     200     3     —     6 4 2

Kootenai Valley     005     402     x     —     11 7 2

Dylon Lane, Luke Haggerty (4), Erike Lauer (5) and Oliver Grupenhoff. Austin Perez and Garret McNeil. W — Perez. L — Lane.

LIBBY — Cameron Burkes 0-0, Brandon Sadewasser 1-1, Dylon Lane 0-1, Quincy Grupenhoff 0-1, Erik Lauer 0-0, Will Reichel 0-4, Oliver Grupenhoff 1-4, Luke Haggerty 1-3, Ryan Huffman 0-3, Matt Willis 0-3, Austin Marshall 1-2, Collin Johnson 0-3.

KOOTENAI VALLEY — Colton Henrie 1-4, Nick Rackley 0-2, Dalton Smith 1-3, R.J. Glover 1-4, Austin Perez 2-4, Garret McNeil 1-1, Gallen Sullivan 1-3, James Dunn 0-4, Sam Hannay 0-0.

2B — McNeil, O. Grupenhoff, Perez. 3B — Haggerty. HR — C. Henrie. RBIs — Reichel, O. Grupenhoff 2, Marshall, C. Henrie 2, Smith, Perez 2, McNeil 2, Sullivan 2.