A Lakers leave Bozeman tourney with win

by Daily Inter Lake
| July 14, 2024 5:40 PM

BOZEMAN — A come-from-behind, 7-6 win Sunday gave the Kalispell AA Lakers a 3-2 mark at the Bozeman AA Invitational Legion tournament — and a bit of revenge.

The win, over Pocatello’s Post 4, avenged an 11-5 loss to the Runnin’ Rebels on Thursday, the tournament’s first day. The Lakers trailed 4-2 going to the fifth inning Sunday, scored the game’s next five runs to lead 7-4, and then held on.

Brysen Herion’s RBI double in the fifth got the rally started; Carter Schlegel doubled and scored on Luke Nikunen’s single for a 5-4 lead in the sixth and Oscar Kallis’ pinch-hit two-run triple made it 7-4 in the seventh.

That was important because the Rebels worked reliever Ostyn Brennan for five walks, a hit and two runs. Brennan picked off one baserunner at first; he also got two strikeouts as Kalispell held on.

The AA Lakers (35-17) next play a home series with the Montana/Alberta conference leader, the Billings Scarlets (46-8), at Griffin Field. There’s a doubleheader at 5 p.m. Wednesday and a single game Thursday at noon.

AA Lakers 101 012 2 - 7 10 2

Rebels 010 300 2 - 6 5 2

Luke Nikunen, Trever Cockerill (3), Ostyn Brennan (7) and Andre Cephers. Hunter Hansen and Gunner Wilhelm.

KALISPELL AA LAKERS — Ostyn Brennan 1-3, Carter Schlegel 2-4, Nikunen 2-4, Kaden Drish 1-2, Cockerill 1-3, Brysen Herion 1-4, Cephers 0-2, Collin Leonard 1-3, Oscar Kallis 1-1, Jackson Heino 0-3, Hunter Fann 0-0.

POCATELLO RUNNIN’ REBELS — Elias Blackhawk 2-3, Garett Keller 0-4, Wilhelm 1-3, Hudson John 0-3, Colton Durham 1-1, Kudter Stucki 0-2, Preston Foltz 0-3, Daxton Poulson 1-2, Hanson 0-0, Lana Alverico 0-2, Cody Mortenson 0-1.

2B — Herion, Schlegel, Wilhelm. 3B — Kallis, Cockerill.