Lakers A survive and advance at Legion baseball state tournament
THREE FORKS — The scenario entering Friday’s play at the Montana/Alberta Class A American Legion baseball state tournament wasn’t ideal for the Kalispell Lakers.
Fresh off a loss in the opening round, the Lakers were forced to turn around and play the 9 a.m. game on Friday with their season on the line.
Not a problem.
Ryan McDonald provided 5 1/3 innings of nearly flawless relief, Taylor Morton and Clayton Jaques delivered key hits in the decisive fifth inning and Kalispell rallied from an early deficit to beat the Miles City Mavericks 5-1 in a loser-out game.
“I was really excited with how our kids responded,” Lakers A head coach Jese McFarland said. “They came out with a lot of energy and played great for seven innings and got a win.”
Miles City scored its lone run in the bottom of the second inning, and the Lakers matched it in the third.
Pitching dominated through four innings, with Miles City’s Nathan Zard going to-to-toe with Kalispell’s Logan Siblerud and McDonald.
But things unraveled for Zard in the fateful fifth inning.
Tyler Kitch set the table for the Lakers’ rally with a bunt, and Morton and Jaques each delivered two-run hits later in the inning to provide the final margin.
“Really, a lot of guys throughout the lineup were squaring it up and hitting it hard,” McFarland said.
McDonald, who entered for Siblerud after just 1 1/3 innings due to the starter’s pitch count, allowed just two hits and struck out five batters in long relief. Nate Kelly recorded the final out for the Lakers.
“Ryan, he had a great day,” McFarland said. “He kept them off balance all game. He was fantastic.”
Kalispell advanced to play today at 1 p.m. against the Billings Cardinals, who were sent to the losers’ bracket with a 10-5 defeat at the hands of the Bitterroot Red Sox on Friday night.
If the Lakers win again, they will play again at either noon or 2:30 p.m. on Sunday in the championship round.
But for now, all focus is centered on the Cardinals, an opponent the Lakers have yet to face this season.
“They have some younger guys, but I’ve watched them play a couple of games now,” McFarland said. “They’re well-coached, and they hit the ball well. It’ll be tough, but we think it’ll be a good matchup.”
Kalispell 001 040 0 — 5 8 1
Miles City 010 000 0 — 1 3 1
WP: Ryan McDonald LP: Nathan Zard
KALISPELL LAKERS A — Cole Crosby 2-4, Tyler Kitch 1-4, Taylor Morton 2-4, Nate Vanderbeek 0-1, Evan Todd 0-1, Logan Siblerud 0-1, Ryan McDonald 0-2, Clayton Jaques 1-2, Jonathan Craver 1-2, Grant Marsh 0-3, Adam Joy 1-3
MILES CITY MAVERICKS A — Jacob Swope 0-4, Matthew Regan 1-2, Jared Bellows 0-2, Jess Bellows 0-3, Deven Doughty 0-2, Clay Prell 0-3, Nathan Zard 0-3, Kip Krebsbach 2-3, Mason Dinardi 0-3
2B: Crosby, Morton. RBI: Morton 2, Jaques 2. Regan.
Friday’s Other Scores
Undefeated Bracket
Belgrade 9, Medicine Hat 1
Bitterroot Red Sox 10, Billings Cardinals 5
Loser-out
Lewistown 17, Gallatin Valley 12
Saturday’s Schedule
Undefeated Semifinal
4 p.m. — Bitterroot Red Sox vs. Belgrade
Loser-out
10:30 a.m. — Lewistown vs. Medicine Hat
1 p.m. — Kalispell vs. Billings Cardinals