Lakers AA fall twice in Great Falls doubleheader
GREAT FALLS — The results were the same for the Kalispell Lakers AA team in both ends of Sunday’s day-night doubleheader. The way those results were accomplished, however, couldn’t have been more different.
The Lakers lost twice to Great Falls, once in a blowout and once in a marathon heartbreaker.
Game 1 was never close, as the Chargers raced out to a 4-0 lead after two innings and built the lead further in the late innings on their way to an 11-1, run-rule victory.
Jonas Nyman drove in Kalispell’s lone run in the top of the fourth inning, but one run wasn’t nearly enough to keep up with the potent Great Falls lineup.
Alan Larocque paced a balanced attack with four RBIs and two hits. Matt Houlihan, who led the Chargers with three hits, Wyatt Bleskin and Cade Stuff had two RBIs apiece.
Pat O’Connell had two of the Lakers’ five hits, including a double.
Drew Scherrer took the loss on the mound for Kalispell.
After the blowout loss in the early game, the Lakers kept things much closer in the nightcap.
The effort was ultimately futile, however, as they fell 7-6 in 11 innings.
The Chargers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Lakers bounced back with four runs in the third to take their first lead of the series.
Great Falls added two runs in the fourth to make it a one-run game, but Kalispell added an insurance run in its next at-bat.
It wasn’t enough.
The Chargers tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, setting up extra innings.
The Lakers struck first in extra innings with one run in the top of the 10th inning, but the Chargers matched it in the bottom half and walked off with a run in the bottom of the 11th.
O’Connell and Dawson Smith each had two RBIs in Game 2. Keaden Morisaki had three hits.
Kalispell’s Johan Freudenberg was credited with the loss on the mound.
The Lakers travel to Medicine Hat on Thursday for a pair of seven-inning games beginning at 5 p.m.
Kalispell 000 10 — 1 5 0
Great Falls 310 25 — 11 12 2
KALISPELL LAKERS AA — Hayden Schlepp 0-3, Eric Seaman 0-3, Pat O’Connell 2-2, Torin Bowdin 1-3, Dawson Smith 1-2, Ryan Symmes 0-2, Jonas Nyman 0-2, Johan Freudenberg 1-2, Keaden Morisaki 0-2
GREAT FALLS CHARGERS AA — Bryce Krattiger 1-3, Daniel Bonilla 2-2, Wyatt Bleskin 1-2, Alan Larocque 2-3, Matt Houlihan 3-4, Chase Linn 0-3, Cade Stuff 2-3, Isaiah Roberts 0-2, Keelan Hayworth 1-3
2B: Dawson Smith, Daniel Bonilla 3B: Matt Houlihan
Kalispell 004 010 000 10 — 6 10 1
Great Falls 100 202 000 11 — 7 17 2
KALISPELL LAKERS AA — Hayden Schlepp 0-4, Eric Seaman 2-5, Pat O’Connell 1-6, Torin Bowdin 1-5, Dawson Smith 1-3, Ryan Symmes 1-6, Spencer Fisk 1-4, Jonas Nyman 0-3, Keaden Morisaki 3-5
GREAT FALLS CHARGERS AA — Daniel Bonilla 3-5, Wyatt Bleskin 2-5, Alan Larocque 2-4, Matt Houlihan 3-6, Chase Linn 3-6, Cade Stuff 0-4, Bryce Krattiger 1-6, Isaiah Roberts 1-4, Derick Spring 0-1, Shane Myers 1-5, Keelan Hayworth 1-1
2B: Pat O’Connell 3B: Daniel Bonilla