Schlegel throws complete game for Lakers A in loss to Bucks

Kalispell’s Lakers A team opened the John R. Harp Tournament with a 5-0 loss to the Bozeman Bucks at Griffin Field on Friday.

Carter Schlegel took the mound to start for Kalispell and despite taking the loss he pitched a complete game and struck out four.

Bozeman had Gus Musial on the mound and he struggled early with his command, issuing a walk and hitting two batters in the first inning. Despite the rough start Musial found his groove by pitching into the sixth and picking up the victory for Bozeman.

Fans in attendance had the opportunity to watch an old fashioned pitching duel with Schlegel throwing 22 first pitch strikes and Bozeman’s pitching staff combining to throw a one-hitter.

In the third inning Bozeman’s Torin Jeske drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to left field that put the Bucks in the lead 1-0.

Kalispell rallied with two outs in the bottom of the third when Adam Nikunen singled to right and advanced to second on a balk from Musial, but ultimately the Lakers couldn't cash in the run with Musial picking up the strikeout to end the inning.

Schlegel bounced back in the bottom of the fourth with a 1-2-3 inning to keep the Lakers in striking distance, but Musial followed that up with a 1-2-3 of his own to keep the score at 1-0 Bozeman.

The Lakers made one last push with another two-out rally in the fifth. Easton Capser drew a walk on a 3-2 fastball just outside the zone from Musial and Kent Fahnlander kept the trend going with another walk that put runners on first and second for leadoff hitter Nikunen, who smoked a line drive directly at Bozeman's left fielder for out number three.

The Bucks blew things open with a three-run sixth inning and tacked on another run in the seventh to bring the total score to 5-0 in Bozeman’s favor.

As the summer heats up so does the intensity for the Kalispell Lakers A team as they prepare to host the district tournament July 24th.

"The goal of the A team is to build up for July 24th and earn one of two state tournament spots," head coach Walker Malmin said.

Malmin added that he was “looking forward to a weekend of ball in the sun," and was thankful for three days of baseball-friendly weather with a forecast of sunshine and 80 degree temperatures all weekend long.

Late Friday, the Lakers A led the Sherwood Park Athletics 2-1 in the fifth inning.

The Lakers take the field for two games on Saturday, first against the Mead Panthers at 12:30 p.m. and then the late game at 8 p.m. against the Clark Fork Valley Riverdogs. Both games will be played on Griffin Field.

Bozeman 001 003 1 – 5 10 1

Kalispell 000 000 0 – 0 1 2

Gus Musial, CJ Shirley (6). Carter Schlegel.

BUCKS — Jarrett Herz 1-4, Cole Smith 1-4, Quinn Pershing 2-3, Torin Jeske 1-4, Jadin Frandsen 1-3, Cash Jones 3-4, Nick Hillsgrove 0-4, Dylon Poulin 0-2, Joseph Starner 1-3.

LAKERS — Adam Nikunen 1-2, Joey Thatcher 0-2, Carter Schlegel 0-3, Brysen Herion 0-2, TJ Hack 0-2, Kaden Drish 0-3, Michael Owens 0-3, Easton Capser 0-1, Kent Fahnlander 0-2.

2B — Pershing. RBI — Hillsgrove, Jeske (2), Jones.

Friday's scores

Kalispell Lakers B 8, C.F Valley Riverdogs 0

Mission Valley Mariners 4, Kootenai Valley Rangers 1