Jacques' bat lifts Lakers in win
Kalispell Lakers A shortstop Taylor Morton attempts to tag a North Central Indian baserunner on a pick off at second base during the Lakers' opening game of the John R. Harp Baseball Tournament at Griffin Field on Friday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers A pitcher Cole Crosby throws to first after fielding a grounder against the North Central Indians on Friday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)
Clayton Jaques went 3 for 4 and drove in five runs to help the Kalispell Lakers rally past the North Central (Spokane) Indians 13-12 in opening-round play Friday of the Class A American Legion baseball John R. Harp Tournament at Griffin Field.
The Lakers seemed to have things under control with a 10-5 lead after three innings, but a determined North Central crew scored in the fourth, fifth and sixth to make for a tense finish.
The Lakers, however, added runs in the bottom half of the fifth and sixth to pull through.
Pinch-runner Brandon Jordan scored the game-winning run from second base on a Jaques’ infield hit off the end of his bat. As the ball took a tough hop, the North Central first baseman was unable to control it, allowing Jordan to score.
“He’s seeing the ball really well right now,” Lakers coach Jesse McFarland said of Jaques.
“As a team, we are starting to come together. It took a little while to get consistency at the plate, but we’re getting there.”
Kalispell outhit North Central 16-13.
Adam Joy went 3 for 5 and drove in two runs for Kalispell.
Taylor Morton, Nate Vanderbeek, Jonathan Craver and Grant Marsh had two hits each.
Morton scored four times.
Joy doubled while Jaques and Morton both slapped triples.
“Going 1 through 9 (in the batting order), everyone hit well,” McFarland said. “I’m pretty confident that whoever goes up there will get the job done.”
Cole Crosby went the distance on the mound for Kalispell. He walked one batter and struck out four.
“He was great today,” McFarland said of Crosby. “He was getting a little tired at the end, but he dug down and competed really well.”
Kalispell had one big inning, a six-run second.
North Central tallied five runs in the third and four in the sixth.
North Central stranded 11 runners to 12 for Kalispell.
Tournament play runs through Sunday.
North Central 005 124 — 12 13 6
Kalispell 163 021 — 13 16 5
WP—Cole Crosby; LP—Davidson.
NORTH CENTRAL — Kevin Prauitz 2-4, Isaac Struck 2-5, Carmen Severino 2-5, Zach Bartole-Lopez 1-2, Like Graham 1-4, Kyle Seedall 1-4, Mike Cronin 1-3, Josh Tucker 2-4, Charlie Torres 1-3.
KALISPELL — Tyler Kitch 1-4, Adam Joy 3-5, Taylor Morton 2-4, Nate Vanderbeek 2-2, Jonathan Craver 2-3, Clayton Jaques 3-4, Evan Todd 0-4, Grant Marsh 2-4, Nate Kelly 1-1, Brandon Jordan 0-0.
2B—Joy; 3B—Struck; Jaques, Morton; RBIs—Prauitz, Struck, Severino, Bartole-Lopez (2), Graham (2), Tucker; Joy (2), Morton, Vanderbeek, Craver, Jaques (5), Marsh.
Lakers A 16, Lumsden 1
The Lakers made quick work of Lumsden (Sascatchewan) in the nightcap, scoring six runs in the first two innings and 10 more in the fourth and fifth to put the game away.
Lakers pitcher Ryan McDonald held the Cubs to two hits in the win.
Kalispell 150 460 — 16 15 1
Lumsden 100 000 — 1 2 4
WP—Ryan McDonald. LP—Michael Babey
KALISPELL — Tyler Kitch 1-2, Nate Kelly 0-0, Nate Vanderbeek 1-2, Adam Joy 3-4, Taylor Morton 2-4, Clayton Jacques 3-4, Logan Siblerud 1-5, Cole Crosby 1-3, Evan Todd 1-3, Brian Olson 1-3, Brandon Jordan 1-2.
LUMSDEN — Riley Christson 1-2, Denny Slough 0-2, Jared Noyes 0-2, Michael Babey 0-1, Owen Reimer 1-1, Dan Manson 0-2, Tristen Dschomy 0-2, Tyler Chambeden 0-2, Adam Clark 0-2.
2B—Vanderbeek, Jacques, Morton. 3B—Morton. RBIs—Vanderbeek, Joy 2, Morton 5, Jacques 3, Olson 1, Jordan 1.
Friday’s Other Scores
Ferris Saxons 5, Mission Valley Mariners 4
Vauxhall Spurs 13, Mission Valley 2
Strathmore Reds 9, Fort Macleod Royals 2
Medicine Hat Knights 11, Calgary Redbirds 2
Vauxhall 17, Ferris 2
Today’s Schedule
Griffin Field
9:30 a.m. — Strathmore vs. Mission Valley
Noon — Ferris vs. Fort Macleod
2:30 p.m. — North Central vs. Lumsden
5 p.m. — Lumsden vs. Calgary
7:30 p.m. — Kalispell vs. Medicine Hat
Archie Roe Field
9:30 a.m. — Medicine Hat vs. North Central
Noon — Kalispell vs. Calgary
2:30 p.m. — Strathmore vs. Vauxhall
5 p.m. — Fort Macleod vs. Mission Valley
Sunday’s Schedule
Griffin Field
10 a.m. — Strathmore vs. Ferris
12:30 p.m. — Vauxhall vs. Fort Macleod
Archie Roe Field
10 a.m. — Lumsden vs. Medicine Hat
12:30 p.m. — Calgary vs. s Central
Championship Game
Griffin Field
3:15 p.m. — TBD
Libby sweeps Cranbrook
LIBBY — Libby won in different ways in a sweep of Cranbrook (British Columbia).
The Loggers outslugged Cranbrook 15-11 while racking up 11 hits and scoring nine 12 runs in the first three innings of one game. In the other, they held the Bandits to three hits and two first-inning runs in a 4-2 victory.
Cranbrook 000 164 0 — 11 8 2
Libby 336 110 1 — 15 11 4
WP—Walker. LP—Thorn.
CRANBROOK — Kemp 1-4, Ishihara 1-4, Nickel 1-3, Meggison 0-3, Duchrane 0-1, Bromley 2-3, Meggison 0-0, Grist 0-0, Detchverry 2-4, Thorn 1-2, Thomson 0-1, Rebagliati 0-2, Mastel 0-1.
LIBBY — Carvey 1-1, Dunham 1-2, B Bateman 3-4, Walker 0-2, Thom 1-4, S Bateman 1-3, T Bateman 1-2, Svendson 0-1, Thomson 0-0, Reynolds 0-1, Auge 2-3.
2B—Kemp, Bromley, Detcheverry. Dunham. RBIs—Kemp, Ishihara, Duchrane, Bromley, Detcheverry 2, Thorn 3. Carvey, Dunham 4, B. Bateman 2, Waker 2, Thom 3, T. Bateman.
Cranbrook 200 000 0 — 2 3 2
Libby 200 020 x — 4 5 4
WP—Carvey. LP—Detcheverry.
CRANBROOK — Kemp 0-2, Ishihara 0-0, Nickel 1-3, Detcheverry 0-2, Crist 1-1, Rebagliati 0-0, C. Meggison 1-3, Bromley 0-3, Thomson 0-0, Thorn 0-1, Rennette 0-3.
LIBBY — Carvey 1-3, Dunham 1-2, B. Bateman 1-3, Walker 1-2, Thom 0-1, S. Bateman 1-2, T. Bateman 0-2, Rosler-Begalke 1-3, Clemons 0-2, Rodriguez 0-1.
RBIs—C. Meggison. Dunham, B. Bateman, Walker.