A Lakers pick up sweep Friday
Kalispell Lakers A's Bryce Buckmaster (17) drives in a run with a single against the Cranbrook Bandits in the Canadian Days Tournament at Archie Roe Field on Friday, May 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers A second baseman Cale Brink (9) readies a throw to first after backhanding a grounder against the Cranbrook Bandits in the Canadian Days Tournament at Archie Roe Field on Friday, May 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers A's Braden Capser (18) connects on a double against the Cranbrook Bandits in the Canadian Days Tournament at Archie Roe Field on Friday, May 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers A shortstop Luke Nikunen (1) fires over to first base after fielding a ground ball against the Cranbrook Bandits in the Canadian Days Tournament at Archie Roe Field on Friday, May 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers A starting pitcher Jackson Heino (14) delivers against the Cranbrook Bandits in the Canadian Days Tournament at Archie Roe Field on Friday, May 19. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
It was a strong showing for the A Lakers on the first day of the annual Canadian Days tournament in Kalispell with the Lakers picking up a pair of wins Friday.
First, the host Lakers picked up a 10-5 win over the A Cranbrook Bandits and followed that up with a 9-0 victory over the AA Sherwood Park.
Braden Capser scored twice for Kalispell while going 2-3 with a double against the Bandits. Easton Capser and Bryce Buckmaster both drove in two runs for the Lakers. Jackson Heino was on the bump to start game one for the Lakers and allowed two earned runs over four innings of work.
In the Lakers’ second game they got a combined shutout from starting pitcher Luke Nikunen and reliever Cole Brink. Nikunen struck out seven across three innings and Brink pitched 1⅔ innings of no-hit baseball. Nikunen drove in two runs for the Lakers on offense as well and Bryce Quinnell’s second inning double drove in a pair of runs. The Lakers benefited from seven walks on the day by Sherwood pitchers.
Game 1
Cranbrook 0 3 0 1 1 - 5 7 2
A Lakers 2 2 1 5 0 - 10 9 1
CRANBROOK — R. White 1-2, V. Fiorentino 0-3, M. Clark 1-3, B. Butler 3-3, J. Pighin 0-2, L. Dubriel 0-3, O. Relkoff 1-2, D. Rodger 0-2, Barber 0-2.
A LAKERS — Hunter Fann 2-3, Trevor Cockerill 0-1, Luke Nikunen 0-3, Bryce Buckmaster 1-4, Brysen Herion 1-3, Braden Capser 2-3, Cole Brink 2-2, Ethan Kim 0-3, Easton Capser 1-3.
2B – Clark. Casper. 3B — Butler. RBI — Butler, Barber. Buckmaster 2, E. Capser 2, Fann, Nikunen, Brink.
Game 2
AA Sherwood Park 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 0
Lakers A 1 7 1 0 X —- 9 1 1
AA SHERWOOD PARK — Stats unavailable.
A LAKERS - Fann 0-2, Cockerill 0-0, Kim 0-0, Nikunen 0-1, Casper 0-1, Herion 0-2, Quinnell 1-1, Walcheck 0-1, Benson 0-1, Casper 0-1.
2B — Quinnell. RBI — Nikunen 2, Quinnell 2, Cockerill, Fann, Benson.
