Twins, A Lakers split first twinbill
Hunter Fann’s two-run single broke a 2-2 tie, and the Kalispell A Lakers went on to beat the Glacier Twins 6-2 for a split of their West A Legion doubleheader Friday at Griffin Field.
The Twins (22-8) scored three times in the eighth inning of the opener and beat the Lakers 3-1. The rivals play another doubleheader Saturday at 5 p.m., in Whitefish.
In the first game, Glacier broke a scoreless tie with four singles, a walk, a hit batter and a Laker error.
The error came with one out, and scored Maddux Miller to make it 2-0; Jake McIntyre’s sacrifice fly put the Twins up 3-0.
The Lakers came back with two singles and an RBI double by Braden Capser, but Luke Nikunen was thrown out trying to score.
Muller, who relieved starting pitcher Kellen Kroger in the sixth inning, retired the next hitter on a flyout to end the game.
Kroger scattered four hits and three walks in five scoreless innings, striking out six. Muller allowed three hits in three innings and fanned four.
Trever Cockerill held the Twins scoreless on two hits through seven innings, but gave up a single and a walk to start the eighth. Muller then greeted reliever Cale Brink with an RBI single.
In the night cap Nikunen threw six strong innings, allowing five hits, a walk and two runs while striking out seven. Jackson Heino finished up, working around two walks in the seventh.
Nikunen helped his own cause with an RBI grounder as the Lakers (37-14) made up a 2-0 deficit in the third inning; Bryce Quinnell hit a run-scoring double in the frame.
Bryce Buckmaster (double) and Cale Brink (single) both drove in runs in the fifth.
It was Tristan Butts and McIntyre who put the Twins ahead 2-0; Butts hit an RBI double and McIntyre drove him in with a single.
First game
Twins 000 000 03 - 3 6 0
Lakers A 000 000 01 - 1 7 1
Kellen Kroger, Maddox Muller (6) and AC Chilson. Trever Cockerill, Cale Brink (8) and Bryce Quinnell, Easton Capser.
GLACIER TWINS — Muller 1-4, Mikey Glass 1-4, Kroger 1-3, Tristan Butts 0-4, Jake McIntyre 1-2, Josiah Ruther 1-4, Talon Murphy 0-3, Sam Hall 0-2, Connor Venezio 1-1, Chilson 0-2.
KALISPELL A LAKERS — Hunter Glidden 0-4, Hunter Fan 2-3, Luke Nikunen 3-4, Cockerill 0-3, Brink 0-0, Braden Capser 1-4, Jackson Heino 0-3, Bryce Buckmaster 0-3, Brecken Walcheck 1-3, Bryce Quinnell 0-2, E.Capser 0-1.
2B — Nikunen, B.Capser. RBIs — Muller, Butts, McInytre, B.Capser.
Second game
Twins 002 000 0 - 2 5 2
Lakers A 002 220 x - 6 8 0
Hall, Dayne Tu (5) and Chilson. Nikunen, Heino (7) and Quinnell.
TWINS — Muller 0-4, Glass 0-2, Kroger 0-4, Butts 1-3, McIntyre 1-2, Ruther 1-3, Murphy 1-2, Venezio 0-1, Chilson 1-3.
A LAKERS — Glidden 0-2, Fann 1-3, Nikunen 1-4, Cockerill 1-4, B.Capser 0-2, Wlachek 0-2, Buckmaster 2-3, Brink 1-2, Quinnell 2-3.
2B — Butts, Buckmaster, Quinnell. RBIs — Butts, McIntyre, Fann 2, Nikunen, Buckmaster, Brink, Quinnell.