AA Lakers sweep Moose Monarchs Saturday
MEDICINE HAT, Alberta — A successful double steal scored the winning run in one game, and then the Kalispell Lakers used a 7-run inning to complete a sweep of Medicine Hat in Legion baseball Saturday, 3-2 and 12-5.
Adam Nikunen played a big role in both wins: In the first he scored to break a 2-2 tie, part of a double steal with Carter Schlegel in the fifth inning; in the nightcap he thumped a 2-run triple in the midst of Kalispell’s 7-run third inning that put his team up 9-2.
The Lakers are now 22-4.
The Moose Monarchs led the first game early, but Timmy Glanville’s 2-run double in the fourth inning brought the Lakers into a tie, setting up the fifth inning. Nikunen was hit by a pitch to lead off, stole second and moved to third on a dropped third strike before Schlegel walked.
Andre Cephers got the win on the hill, pitching six innings with four hits, two walks and two runs allowed. He struck out four, and Max Holden threw the seventh to pick up the save.
In the nightcap the Lakers got their offense rolling, especially in that third inning: Oscar Kallis led off with a home run and Nikunen’s triple made it 8-2. Nikunen soon scored on a wild pitch.
After Medicine Hat put up three times in the fourth inning, the Lakers tacked on three insurance runs. Kallis had an RBI double and later scored on Kaden Drish’s squeeze bunt in the sixth inning, before Kalispell got an unearned run in the seventh.
Ostyn Brennan threw four innings in the second game, allowing three earned runs while striking out six. Schlegel finished up with three perfect innings, fanning four.
The teams play one game Sunday before the Lakers return home to face Helena on Tuesday.
First game
Lakers AA 000 210 0 - 3 4 0
Monarchs 200 000 0 - 2 4 0
Andre Cephers, Max Holden (7) and Ostyn Brennan. Evan Morrison, Trevin Resler (7) and Jeff Bullock.
KALISPELL AA LAKERS — Ostyn Brennan 0-2, Adam Nikunen 1-2, Holden 0-2, Oscar Kallis 0-3, Carter Schlegel 0-3, Kaden Drish 0-2, Cephers 1-2, Joey Thatcher 1-3, Timmy Glanville 1-2.
MEDICINE HAT MOOSE MONARCHS — Bullock 1-3, Morrison 0-1, Kyle Woolridge 0-3, Ressler 0-3, K Olinski 2-3, Ryler Straarup 0-2, Cade Harrison 0-3, Koby Eskestrand 0-3, Aidan Eckersall 1-3.
2B — Glanville. RBIs — Glanville 2, Ressler.
Second game
Lakers AA 207 002 1 - 12 8 2
Monarchs 020 300 0 - 5 6 3
Brennan, Schlegel (5) and Nate Skonard. C Harrison, Ressler (4), Olinski (6) and G Little.
AA LAKERS — Brennan 0-3, Nikunen 2-5, Holden 2-5, Kallis 2-3, Schlegel 0-2, Drish 0-2, Kane Morisaki 1-3, Skonard 0-2, Glanville 1-2.
MOOSE MONARCHS — Bullock 0-1, Morrison 0-3, Eskestrand 0-1, Woolridge 1-4, Ressler 1-2, Little 0-2, Olinski 2-4, Haysom 1-2, Straarup 1-4, Parker Hunt 0-3.
2B — Kallis, Holden, Haysom, Olinski. 3B — Nikunen. HR — Kallis. RBIs — Nikunen 2, Kallis 2, Holden, Drish, Morisaki, Glanville, Woolridge, Ressler, Olinski, Hunt.