Legion baseball: Red Sox hand Twins 1st loss in district tournament
POLSON — The Bitterroot Red Sox had almost as many hits as they did runs in whipping the Glacier Twins 23-4 on Sunday afternoon in the championship game of the Western A District American Legion baseball tournament.
The victory sets up a second championship today at noon in Polson with the same two teams.
Glacier was undefeated in tournament play until Sunday’s loss. Glacier beat the Red Sox on Saturday 4-3 in the semifinals of the double-elimination tournament.
The Red Sox advanced to the championship game by eliminating the Bitterroot Bucs 11-2 on Sunday morning.
“We just fell apart,” Twins coach Bob Rupp said.
“We couldn’t hit the ball, our pitchers couldn’t throw strikes. The Red Sox hit the ball well.”
Bitterroot had 21 hits — Zach Ringer went 5 for 6 and drove in five runs, Justin Horvath, 3 for 5, had five RBI and Jonathan Ringer, 5 for 5, had four RBI.
The Twins had eight hits by seven different players. Derek Kastela went 2 for 2.
“Not a good day for us,” Rupp said.
“We didn’t come to play ball, but give the Red Sox credit. They played well.
“We just didn’t have the intensity we needed to have,” Rupp added.
“Hopefully we’ll have that intensity back and it be a lot closer tomorrow.”
Bitterroot led 3-2 after three innings, but broke it open with a 14-run fourth inning.
The Red Sox followed with three runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Rupp plans to start AJ Wetsch on the mound today. He said Johnny Sapa will also see action.
Western A District
Sunday
At Polson
Championship Game
Bitterroot Red Sox 111 (14)33 00 — 23 21 2
Glacier Twins 200 100 1x — 4 8 2
WP—Kyle Norman; LP—Greyson Bistodeau.
BITTERROOT — Jonathan Ringer 5-5, Nate Loranger 1-3, Justin Horvath 3-5, Zach Ringer 5-6, Tylor Nixon 1-5, Kody Lane 2-5, Austin Ray 0-4, Joe Johnson 2-4, Bret Huxtable 0-1, Kyle Crossman 1-4, Billy Anderson 1-1.
GLACIER — Colten Parker 1-3, Ryley Nahrang 0-0, Kyler Howke 0-2, Kaleb Veneman 0-2, Jayce Fagerland 1-3, Vinnie Smith 1-4, Jesse Walburn 1-4, Tristin Steinwand 1-3, James Sampson-Keck 0-2, Bryce Fagerland 1-1, Tyler Murphy 0-2, Ryan Veneman 0-1, AJ Wetsch 0-1, Derek Kastela 2-2.
2B—Z. Ringer, Loranger, Lane, Johnson; Smith; 3B— Lane; RBI—J. Ringer (4), Loranger, Horvath (5), Z. Ringer (5), Nixon (2), Lane (2), Ray, Crossman; Smith, Walburn (2).
Consolation Game
Bitterroot Bucs 000 020 000 — 2 10 3
Bitterroot Red Sox 102 012 50 — 11 13 2
WP—Tyler Scheff; LP—Braxten McCullough.
BITTERROOT BUCS — Shane Thorsen 0-4, Marcus Zeiler 1-4, Bo Zeiler 2-4, Rees Lesoine 1-5, Chance Sage 1-5, Jade Chimo 0-4, Jake Finley 1-5, Drue McCawley 1-2, McCullough 0-2, Dylan Gavlak 3-3.
BITTERROOT RED SOX — J. Ringer 2-3, Nixon 0-4, Horvath 3-4, Z. Ringer 2-3, Anderson 0-1, Lane 1-5, Johnson 1-5, Ray 2-3, Huxtable 0-2, Loranger 1-2, Brennan Fisher 0-2, Crossman 1-2.
2B—Lane, Rauy (2), Horvath; RBI—Lesoine, Sage; J. Ringer (3), Horvath, Z. Ringer (3), Ray (3).
Southern A District
Sunday
At Belgrade
Championship Game
Deer Lodge 001 010 150 — 8 14 2
Helena 023 300 30x — 11 15 3
Sheldon Danforth, Derek Walker (3), Ethan Perrault (7), and Dakota Crowe. Max Nielson, Kellan Elder (7), Caleb Jacksopn (8), and Isaiah Meza. W - Nielson. L - Danforth. S - Jackson.
DEER LODGE (29-19) - Walker 1-4, Kenny Stryker 2-5, Crowe 2-4 (2B), Taylor Stone 4-6 (2B), Kaehl Lowery 0-5, Danforth 3-5, Michael Heisdorf 1-3, Perrault 0-0, Porter Struble 0-2, Logan Beck 0-2, Logan Danforth 1-5.
HELENA (43-15) - conor McCarvel 0-4, Eamonn Byrne 3-4, Talon burchard 0-1, Colin Sassano 4-5, Ray Moore, Jr. 2-4, Brett Jacobs 0-1, Robert McCarvel 3-4 (2B), Meza 1-3, Andrew Rosston 1-4, Seth Schneider 1-4 (2B), Elder 0-4.
NOTE: The second championship game will be play at 10 a.m. in Belgrade today.
Consolation Game
Livingston 001 000 020 0 — 3 13 2
Helena 200 010 000 1 — 4 12 3
Nolan Darr, Sterling Lay (5) and Zander Petrich. Tristan Siegers, Brett Jacobs (6), Andrew Rosston (8) and Austin Whitehouse.
LIVINGSTON - Lay 1-5, Jordan Darr 2-6 (2B), Buck Spallone 2-5 (2B), Nolan Darr 2-5, Tristan Jenkins 1-4, Mitch King 1-4 (2B), John Becker 1-4, Petrich 2-5, Brock Peterson 1-4.
HELENA - Ryan Arntson 0-4, Rosston 0-1, Carter Wald 1-5, Colin Sassano 2-4 (2B), Ray Moore Jr. 1-5 (2B), Robert McCarvel 1-5, Tanner McMahon 2-4 (2B), Isaiah Meza 1-3, Whitehouse 0-1, Talon Burchard 1-3, Eamonn Byrne 3-4.