Lakers AA pummel Great Falls Chargers for doubleheader sweep

by Daily Inter Lake
| July 15, 2021 9:13 PM

GREAT FALLS — Danny Kernan drove in five runs and every Kalispell batter got a hit as the Lakers beat the Great Falls Chargers 20-9 to complete a AA Legion doubleheader sweep late Wednesday.

Kernan had an RBI double in the first inning, a 2-run single in the second and another RBI single in the fifth before getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth.

By then the Lakers’ lead was 15-3, and it grew to 19-3 on Elijah Owens’ 2-run double; Owens came around on a Grady Drish single to cap a 9-run inning.

Kernan also scored four times; Gage Brink scored three runs as every Laker position player crossed the plate and all but Ethan Diede — who walked three times and scored twice — drove in a run.

Great Falls put together a 6-run rally in the bottom of the sixth, leading Kernan to come in to record the final two outs. He struck out one, walked one and gave up a hit. The game ended after six innings under the mercy rule.

Joseph Schlegel got the win on the mound, scattering 10 hits and three walks in five innings and allowing three runs. He fanned three.

The Lakers are now 33-11-1 overall and 10-6 in Montana AA league games. Great Falls fell to 23-31, 3-14.

Kalispell’s next action is a pair of doubleheaders against Helena, Sunday and Monday at Griffin Field.

Late Wednesday

Second game

Lakers AA 350 219 - 20 17 1

Chargers 010 206 `- 9 13 4

Joseph Schlegel, Caleb Morgan (6), Danny Kernan (7) and Grady Drish. Kyler Kralich, Weymouth (2), Mapes (4), Landon Lockwood ( ) and Leetpm Clark.

KALISPELL LAKERS AA —Carver Van Aken 2-5, Gage Brink 3-4, Ethan Diede 1-2, Danny Kernan 3-4, Kostya Hoffman 1-5, Joseph Schlegel 1-3, Kael Willis 3-5, Elijah Owens 1-2, Grady Drish 2-4.

GREAT FALLS CHARGERS — Nate Fowler 2-5, Kael Richards 3-4, Mapes 0-5, Cam McNamee 2-4, Clark 1-2, Kellan Lowhen 1-3, Lockwood 1-2, Ryan Harton 1-3, Hunter Houck 2-3.

2B —Brink, Drish, Kernan, Owens, Van Aken. RBI — Kernan 5, Van Aken 2, Hoffman 2, Schlegel 2, Willis 2, Owens 2, Drish 2, Houck 2, Fowler, Richards, Mapes, Clark, Lowhen, Harton, Landon.