Senators slide by Lakers, 10-5
Kalispell Lakers AA's Randy Stultz is tagged out at home by Helena Senators AA catcher Hunter Kirkpatrick on a squeeze bunt by Taylor Morton in the bottom of the first inning at Griffin Field on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA starting pitcher Jack Corriveau follows through on a first-inning pitch against the Helena Senators AA at Griffin Field on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA's Ryan Symmes is congratulated by teammates after scoring a first-inning run against the Helena Senators AA at Griffin Field on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA's Ryan Symmes is congratulated by teammates after scoring a first-inning run against the Helena Senators AA at Griffin Field on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA shortstop Connor Drish leaps and fires to first after fielding a second-inning grounder hit by Helena Senators AA's Ethan Keinitz at Griffin Field on Saturday. Keinitz was safe at first on the play. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA starting pitcher Jack Corriveau fires a first-inning pitch against the Helena Senators AA at Griffin Field on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA third baseman Randy Stultz tries to reach a first-inning grounder against the Helena Senators AA at Griffin Field on Saturday.
Kalispell Lakers AA starting pitcher Jack Corriveau fires a first-inning pitch against the Helena Senators AA at Griffin Field on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA second baseman Luke Halland fires to first after fielding a ground ball in the second inning against the Helena Senators AA at Griffin Field on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA's Randy Stultz warms up in the on-deck circle before an at-bat against the Helena Senators AA at Griffin Field on Saturday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
The Helena Senators used a strong start and finish to top the Kalispell Lakers 10-5 on Saturday evening in Class AA American Legion baseball action at Griffin Field.
The Senators tallied three runs in the first inning and closed with a four-run seventh.
The game was tied at 4-all after two innings.
Kalispell loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and managed to add another run.
Chase Nelson pitched the first four innings for Helena to earn the win. He struck out three, walked four, allowed seven hits and four runs, all earned.
Peyton Witham went the final three.
Jack Corriveau was on the mound for the first four innings for Kalispell. He struck out seven, walked seven, allowed four hits and four runs, all earned.
AJ Wood went the final three and took the loss. He fanned four, walked two, allowed six hits and six runs, five were earned.
Ethan Keintz, 3 for 4, drove in four runs for Helena. Grady Koenig, 2 for 4, was the other top hitter for the Senators.
Connor Drish, 2 for 4 and Payton Davison, 2 for 3, had the most hits for Kalispell. Drish drove in two runs. Davison doubled and Randy Stultz had a triple.
The two teams close out regular-season play today with a doubleheader at Griffin Field beginning at noon.
State tournament action follows in Billings July 27-31.
Helena Senators 310 011 4 — 10 10 2
Kalispell Lakers 130 000 1 — 5 8 2
WP—Chase Nelson; LP—AJ Wood.
HELENA — Caden Sell 1-4, Matt Krieger 0-2, Grady Koenig 2-4, Ryan Barrett 0-3, Ethan Keintz 3-4, Hunter Kirkpatrick 1-3, Cy Miller 0-1, Chase Nielson 1-1, Peyton Witham, 1-2 Tyler Tenney 1-2, Rudy Barkley 0-2.
KALISPELL — Ryan Symmes 1-3, Randy Stultz 1-4, Eric Seaman 0-4, Connor Drish 2-4, Taylor Morton 1-4, Luke Halland 0-1, Payton Davison 2-3, Thomas O’Connell 1-4, Jonathan Craver 0-1.
2B—Kirkpatrick; Davison; 3B—Stultz; RBIs—Keintz (4), Kirkpatrick, Witham, Tenney (2); Symmes, Stultz, Seaman, Drish, O’Connell.