Lakers AA bow out of state American Legion baseball tourney
HELENA — The Kalispell Lakers allowed five runs in the final three innings to fall behind host Helena, losing 7-4 in an elimination game at the Montana/Alberta American Legion Class AA state baseball tournament on Thursday at Kindrick Legion Field.
The Lakers started off fast for the second straight game, scoring twice with two outs in the first inning. Patrick O’Connell hit a double and was scored one batter later on a single by Robert Reaser. Andy Bemis, who missed the first game of the tournament with an injury, followed that with a double.
In the third inning, the Lakers reached their first two batters and Reaser earned his second RBI with a sacrifice fly to center field. Two batters later, Tiler Whiteaker scored Andrew Schleusner with a single through the infield to give Kalispell a 4-0 lead.
The Lakers held the Senators scoreless for the first four innings behind a strong mound performance from starting pitcher Sam Crompton, but their lead started to slip away late.
Helena scored one run each in the fifth and sixth innings and took the lead in the seventh after Crompton left the game.
The Senators reached the first three batters of the seventh and Ryan Dorvall hit a double to score two runs and tie the game at 4-4. The next batter scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to right field.
Helena scored two more in the eighth on a squeeze play and an error, pushing its lead out to 7-4.
Kalispell couldn’t capitalize on its chances late, going scoreless for the final six innings despite outhitting Helena 10-8.
“We had opportunities in four of the last six innings with guys in scoring position, we just didn’t get that clutch hit,” Lakers AA manager Ryan Malmin said. “That’s kind of the difference in the game. Both teams had opportunities, we weren’t able to capitalize with guys in scoring position.”
Whiteaker and Brandon Maassen each went 2 for 4 from the plate for the Lakers, Maassen hitting a pair of doubles. Maassen was charged with loss, pitching an inning of relief.
“We had a great group of kids (this season),” Malmin said. “It’s a disappointing end. That doesn’t take away from this group’s resume and their body of work this season.”
Helena advances to play the Bozeman Bucks at 1 p.m. today. The Bucks lost 11-6 to the Billings Royals in the undefeated bracket.
In the other loser-out game of the day, Lethbridge beat Medicine Hat 7-3. The Elks advance to play Missoula, who lost to the Billings Scarlets 9-8. The Royals and Scarlets will play at 7 p.m. in the undefeated semifinal.
Loser Out
Helena Senators 7, Kalispell 4
Helena 000 011 320 — 7 8 0
Kalispell 202 000 000 — 4 10 1
Koby Griffin (2.2), Carter Pappas (6.1) Sam Crompton (6), Brandon Maassen (1), Logan DeCock (2). W - Pappas, L - Maassen.
HELENA - Reilly Leary 1-3, Ryan Dorvall 1-4, Nick Wrigg 0-4, Kienan Stief 0-3, Payton Pappas 1-5, Kenny Wilson 0-1, Carter Pappas 1-3, Jackson Maynard 1-4,
KALISPELL - Walker Malmin 1-4, Andrew Schluesner 1-4, Patrick O’Connell 1-4, Robert Reaser 1-4, Andy Bemis 1-3, Tiler Whiteaker 2-4, Sam Crompton 1-3, Levi Brenneman 0-3, Brandon Maassen 2-4.
2B - Maassen 2, Dorvall, Payton, O’Connell, Bemis, Whiteaker RBIs - Dorvall 2, Reaser 2, Leary, Wrigg, Payton, Burton, Bemis, Whiteaker.
*Carter Pappas allowed four hits in 6 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out three and walking three.
Lethbridge Elks 7,
Medicine Hat Monarchs 3
Medicine Hat 100 000 101 — 3 4 2
Lethbridge Elks 200 100 04x — 7 9 2
Nick Tetzlaff (6.2), Nicholas Ankermann (2.1) Kevin Ellefson (7.2), Nolan Rattai (.1). W - Tetzlaff, L - Ellefson.
MONARCHS - Lane Aman 0-2, Conner McCurdy 3-4, Zach Kunkel 0-4, Austin Schibler 0-3, Nolan Rattai 0-4, Brenden Schafer 0-3, Ethan Ropcean 0-2, Intek Hong 0-4, Kaid Lutz 1-4, Cam Geiger 0-1.
ELKS - Ankermann 1-5, Austin Huculak 0-4, Jack McDonald 2-4, Carter Witbeck 2-4, Nick Tetzlaff 1-2, Shawn Grandmont 0-3, Tanner Shirakawa 2-3, Landon Bourassa 0-2, Eric Davies 1-4, Tevin Hall 0-0, Josh Luchanski 0-1.
2B - McDonald 2, McCurdy 2, Ankermann RBIs - Davies 2, Luchanski, McDonald, Witbeck, Shirikawa, McCurdy.
*Tetzlaff struck out six and allowed no earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.
Championship bracket
Billings Royals 404 000 030 — 11 13 1
Bozeman 000 000 150 — 6 10 0
Ethan Davis (8), Bryan Mitchell (1) DJ Perdaems (2.1), Conner Tweet (1.2), Alex Ekstrom (2), Andrew Purpura (1), Jacob Bishop (2). W – Davis, L – Perdaems.
ROYALS - Bryan Mitchell 2-5, Cole McKenzie 0-4, Matt Dillon 1-5, Joe Zimmer 2-3, Kolby Reed 3-5, Patrick Zimmer 2-5, Beau Thomas 0-3, Calvin Bjorgum 2-5, Drew Atkeison 1-4.
BOZEMAN - Bailey Paddock 2-5, Bennett Hostetler 1-4, Joel Thayer 0-1, Jenner Kearns 2-4, Morgan Hostetler 2-4, Adam Hubley 0-4, Michael Gunther 1-3, Jake Murfitt 1-4, DJ Perdaems 0-3, C Tweet 0-1, A Ekstrom 0-2, Austin Fransden 1-1.
2B – Mitchell, Dillon, Reed, Bjorgum, M Hostetler RBIs – Bjorgum 3, Dillon 2, Reed 2, P Zimmer 2, Kearns 2, M Hostetler 2, J Zimmer, Atkeison.
*Davis scattered nine hits and permitted just one earned run.
Billings Scarlets 012 010 104 — 9 17 4
Missoula 011 310 200 — 8 10 0
David Follett, Matt Larsen (6), Jalen Garcia (9) and Luke Funyak. Nick Yovetich, Josh Harrington (9) and Kellen Round. W – Larsen. L – Harrington. S – Garcia.
BILLINGS SCARLETS – Cole Jones 3-4, AJ Amith 1-1, Garcia 5-5, Jake McGovern 1-5, Jayson Leinwand 1-5, Gordon Sveinson 2-5, Caje Golden 0-5, Funyak 1-4, Jake Tallman 3-4.
MISSOULA – Jackson King 0-2, Jesson Preston 2-4, Ben Tabaracci 1-5, Zanon Fulbright 0-4, Josh Tabor 2-4, Jonathon Mitchell 1-4, Trevor Dickey 2-4, Round 1-2, Walker Kay 1-1, Jakob Bierig 0-3.
2B – Preston. HR – Fulbright, King. RBIs – Garcia 6, McGovern, Leinwand, Funyak, King, Preson 2, Fulbright, Dickey 2, Round.
*Billings scored 4 runs in the top of the 9th on 6 straight singles with 1 out (Garcia 2 RBI, McGovern RBI, Leinwand RBI).