A Lakers go 4-0, win Harp tourney
Hunter Fann hit a bases-loaded triple in the second inning, setting the pace in the Kalispell A Lakers’ 8-3 win Sunday over the Inland Empire Astros in the championship of the John R Harp Tournament.
Fann’s big hit broke a 1-1 tie, and he scored on Luke Nikunen’s single for a 5-1 lead. Playing as the visiting team at Griffin Field, the Lakers eventually pushed the lead to 6-1 on Nikunen's RBI double in the fourth and 8-1 with Trever Cockerill’s RBI double in the sixth.
Add in some solid pitching from starter Jackson Heino — 5 1-3 innings, three hits and seven walks allowed, with six strikeouts — and Cale Brink, and you have a victory. The Astros from Hayden, Idaho, scored twice in the home half of the sixth but got no closer.
The Lakers went 4-0 at their tournament, including a 5-2 win over the Tri-County Cardinals Saturday. They’re 35-13 on the season.
Fann scored three times in the win, and was named tournament Most Valuable Player. Lakers leadoff man Hunter Glidden drew two walks and scored twice.
Brecken Walcheck hit a double and scored for the Lakers, who next battle the Glacier Twins, with doubleheaders on Friday at Griffin Field and Saturday in Whitefish.
A Lakers 140 201 0 - 8 8 2
Astros 100 002 0 - 3 4 3
Jackson Heino, Cale Brink (6) and Bryce Quinnell. Eixenberger, Blattstien (4) and Clapper.
KALISPELL A LAKERS — Hunter Fann 3-4, Luke Nikunen 2-4, Trever Cockrill 1-2, Bryce Buckmaster 0-4, Braden Capser 0-3, Brecken Walcheck 1-2, Bryce Quinnell 1-3, Ethan Kim 0-4.
INLAND EMPIRE ASTROS — Sampsel 1-2, Clapper 1-3, Day 0-2, Gardner 0-0, Eixenberger 0-4, Blattstein 2-4, J.Smith 0-3, L.Smith -3, Rodda 0-1, Shriner 0-, Cleave 0-2.
2B — Walcheck, Nikunen, Cockerill. 3B — Fann RBIs — FAnn 3, Nikunen 2, Cockerill, Sampsel. .
A Lakers 5, Cardinals 2
The Lakers made it 3-0 at their tournament behind Nikunen, who threw a four-hitter while allowing one walk and hitting one Tri-County Cardinal. He struck out nine.
Half of Tri-County’s base runners reached in a two-run fifth inning: Cole Wood’s RBI single and a run-scoring groundout by Rocky Allaire brought the Conrad-based squad within a run at 3-2.
The Lakers got those runs back in their half of the fifth, with Bryce Buckmaster hitting an RBI double and then scoring on Walcheck’s base hit two batters later.
Glidden scored twice for the Lakers.
Cardinals 000 020 0 - 2 4 0
A Lakers 021 020 x - 5 6 1
Walter and Daley. Nikunen and Kim.
TRI-COUNTY CARDINALS — Vandyke 0-3, Shaw 1-3, Beattie 0-3, Habets 1-3, Walter 0-2, Dailey 0-3, Standiford 1-3, Wood 1-3, Allaire 0-2.
KALISPELL A LAKERS — Glidden 1-2, Fann 0-2, Brysen Herion 0-2, Buckmaster 2-3, Heino 1-1, Walcheck 1-2, Brink 0-3, Kim 0-2, Easton Capser 1-3.
2B — Buckmaster. RBIs — Wood, Allaire, Herion, Buckmaster, Wlacheck, Brink, Kim.