BASEBALL: Lakers A swept in Bitterroot
FLORENCE — The Kalispell Lakers A ended up on the wrong side of a pair of 3-2 decisions Tuesday night in Western A conference play against the Bitterroot Bucs.
“Pitching was great again, good enough to win both games, but we were just a hit or two away,” Lakers coach Jesse McFarland said. “These guys will be all right. We showed a lot of things today and are excited to get back out there Friday.”
The Lakers (18-8, 4-2 Western A) built a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning of game one only to see the Bucs tie the game in the bottom of the inning and push across the winning run on a two-out Braxton McCullough single in the sixth. Kalispell had a chance to tie things in the seventh but the Lakers stranded a pair of runners on base.
The Lakers had another chance to tie the second game in the final inning, scoring once to pull within 3-2 before again leaving two runners on.
Eric Seaman and Keaden Morisaki each had three hits in the doubleheader. Morisaki, who caught the second game, added a double and an RBI.
Kalispell 001 100 0 — 2 7 1
Bitterroot 100 101 x — 3 6 2
Drew Scherrer and Clayton Jaques. Dylan Gavlak and Jacob Scully. W — Gavlak. L — Scherrer.
KALISPELL — Ryan Symmes 1-3, Randy Stultz 0-4, Eric Seaman 2-3, Sam Elliott 1-4, Jaques 0-2, Jaryon Venturini 0-2, Brady Peiffer 0-3, Keaden Morisaki 2-3, Tyler Kitch 1-3.
BITTERROOT — Bo Zeiler 2-3, D. Gavlak 0-2, Jake Finley 1-2, Rees LeSoine 1-3, Liam LeCoure 0-3, Braxton McCullough 1-2, Jacob Scully 1-3, Brendan Schneiter 0-2, Alex Gavlak 0-0, Brenden Bailey 0-1.
2B — Morisaki, Elliott (K). RBIs — Elliott, Morisaki (K); Finley, McCullough (B).
Kalispell 010 000 1 — 2 6 1
Bitterroot 110 010 x — 3 7 2
Sam Elliott, Brady Peiffer (6) and Keaden Morisaki. Rees LeSoine, Bo Zeiler (7) and Jacob Scully. W — LeSoine. L — Elliott. S — Zeiler.
KALISPELL — Ryan Symmes 1-4, Randy Stultz 0-4, Eric Seaman 1-3, Clayton Jaques 0-2, Elliott 0-1, Jaryon Venturini 1-3, Morisaki 1-3, Tyler Kitch 0-3, Peiffer 0-2, Adam Joy 2-3.
BITTERROOT — Zeiler 1-3, Dylan Gavlak 1-3, Jake Finley 3-3, LeSoine 1-2, Braxton McCullough 1-2, Brendan Schneiter 0-2, Scully 0-3, Alex Gavlak 0-2, Brenden Bailey 0-3.
2B — Venturini, Morisaki, Joy (K); Finley 2, Zeiler, LeSoine (B). RBIs — Symmes (K); Finley, LeSoine, A. Gavlak (B).