Lakers knock off Royals, twice
Kalispell Lakers' Patrick O'Connell is tagged out at the plate during the bottom of the first inning against the Billings Royals at Griffin Field on Tuesday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Laker shortstop Randy Stultz throws to first base in an attempt of a double play against Billings in the top of the second inning. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)
The Lakers AA closed out a conference sweep of the Billings Royals with a bang.
Literally.
The light tower above the home dugout shorted in the sixth inning, finishing the nightcap prematurely for safety. It was fortunate timing for the Lakers, who had given up a pair of runs on an error in the previous at bat to fall behind 2-1. Instead, the score was reverted back to the last complete inning, giving Kalispell a 1-0 win.
That win capped the sweep after a 5-4 victory in the opener Tuesday evening at Griffin Field.
“It’s unfortunate that it ended the way that it did,” Lakers AA manager Ryan Malmin said.
“I’d be upset and frustrated as well. We’re fortunate to be on this side of it, this time.”
The Lakers came out on fire in the opener, hitting singles in their first two at bats, before Patrick O’Connell ripped a double to right field to give the team a 1-0 lead.
A double from Sam Elliott doubled the lead in the second inning and the Lakers scored three more in the third, capped by a two-run double from Eric Seaman, to take a 5-0 lead.
Dawson Smith kept the Royals without a run until the fifth inning, when they got onto the scoreboard thanks to an error and a two-out single.
The defense was able to back him up until the top of the seventh, when another two-out single from the Royals cut the lead to one run.
Kalispell’s Johan Freudenberg came in on the next batter and forced a long fly ball to left field to end the game and secure the one-out save.
“I thought the kids did a good job early on, coming out and hunting the fastball,” Malmin said.
“We were able to put some pressure on them running the bases.
“We did a good job of executing our defensive pickoffs. They’ve got really good team speed and are aggressive on the bases, we were able to squash some potential rallies early in the game.
“Dawson (Smith) fought through some things and got better as the game went on and it was great to see Johan (Freudenberg) come in and do what he does.”
The Lakers were equally strong early in the nightcap, opening the second with three straight hits, and adding a run on a fielders’ choice one batter later.
Sam Elliott was efficient on the mound in the first four innings, allowing just two batters to reach base, one on an error. He pitched out of a jam with two runners on in the fifth to hold the game scoreless before an eventful sixth inning.
Kalispell was unable to build its lead after the second inning, thanks to a similarly efficient outing from the Royals’ Cameron Maciel.
In the top of the sixth, Billings reached its first two batters on walks and the third grounded to Elliott on the mound. Attempting to throw to third for the force out, Elliott’s throw instead ended up in left field, allowing two runs to score and the batter to end up on second base.
In the next at-bat, the light tower blew, raining sparks on the dugout, and after a long discussion, the game was called, erasing the damage of the last inning, if not to the light tower.
“I thought our pitchers did a great job,” Malmin said.
“I thought defensively, with the exception of one inning, we were solid. I think we can do a better job a the dish, do a better job with runners in scoring position. Overall, I think it was a clean game for both teams.”
Game 1
Billings 000 020 2 — 4 11 3
Kalispell 113 000 x — 5 6 2
WP: Dawson Smith. LP: Brooks Zimmer.
Royals — Connor Polkowke 2-4, Jake Orvis 3-3, Cameron Maciel 1-2, Jarret Leinwand 1-3, Pearce Kurth 3-4, Sam Evenson 0-4, Dann Blanchard 0-3, Atticus Bryan 1-3, Carson Klompien 0-3.
Kalispell — Randy Stultz 1-4, Ryan Symmes 0-2, Patrick O’Connell 1-3, Torin Bowdin 0-3, Hayden Schlepp 0-3, Eric Seaman 2-3, Jonas Nyman 0-3, Spencer Pisk 1-3, Sam Elliott 1-3. 2B: Seaman, Pisk, Elliott. 3B: O’Connell.
2B—Elliott, Seaman, Pisk. 3B—O’Connell. RBIs—Maciel, Leinwand, Kurth. O’Connell, Bowdin, Seaman 2, Elliott.
Game 2
Billings 000 00 — 0 3 1
Kalispell 010 00 — 1 4 1
WP—Sam Elliott. LP—Cameron Maciel.
ROYALS — Connor Polkowske 1-2, Jake Orvis 0-2, Pearce Kurth 0-2, Jarret Leinwand 0-2, Sam Evenson 1-2, Atticus Bryan 1-2, Cole Miller 0-1, Carson Jones 0-2, Carson Klompien 0-2.
LAKERS AA — Randy Stultz 0-3, Ryan Symmes 0-2, Patrick O’Connell 0-2, Torin Bowden 1-2, Haydn Schlepp 1-2, Dawson Smith 1-2, Eric Seaman 1-2, Spencer Pisk 0-2, Johan Freudenberg 0-1.
RBIs—Pisk.