Lakers draw host and defending champion Senators

The Kalispell Lakers shook off a rocky finish to their regular season with three much-needed wins over the weekend, earning a spot in the State AA Legion baseball tournament.

The reward: a 7 p.m. game with the host Senators on Wednesday. 

The Lakers do own one non-league win over Helena and have played the defending state champions tough in four losses. Not that it matters much Wednesday. 

“We’re just kind of looking at it as a new season,” Lakers coach Ryan Malmin said. “Helena is a talented, veteran group and we know we just need to let the game come to us, see how we react. 

“It’s just, again, staying away from that one big inning.” 

These Senators, led by Aaron Fuzesy and Carter Perlinski, are 40-16. Pitcher Will Lyng set a Helena record with 100 1-3 innings pitched, and his earned-run average is 1.12.  

The Lakers got off to a blazing start — and own one of the 16 earned runs Lyng has surrendered — and now sit 38-23.  

They also created a measure of momentum with a sweep of the Great Falls Chargers; Malmin was especially pleased with how Ostyn Brennan, moved into a starter’s role with Andre Cephers a little dinged up, pitched in a 5-3 win over the Chargers and ace Scotty Klinker. 

Brennan has allowed opponents to hit just .125. He, lefty Jackson Heino, Luke Nikunen, Carter Schlegel and Oscar Kallis make up a solid rotation. Trevor Cockerill (2.20 ERA, .215 opponent average) remains a stalwart out of the bullpen. 

Brennan is hitting .333 and he also catches most of the Laker games.  

“His attitude and poise have just been fantastic,” Malmin said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more from a kid.” 

Kaden Drish is hitting .353 and Nikunen is at .372. Kallis (40) and Drish (39) are 1-2 in runs batted in; Brennan has 23 steals on a team that has 158 stolen bases in 180 attempts. 

“Our goal is to play the best five days of baseball all year, starting tomorrow,” Malmin said. “State Legion, it doesn’t get much better than that with the excitement and atmosphere.” 

State AA Tournament 

July 31-Aug. 4, Helena 

Wednesday’s Games

Game 1: Billings Royals (31-22) vs. Bozeman Bucks (33-38), 10 a.m. 

Game 2: Billings Scarlets (55-10) vs. Lethbridge Elks (17-25), 4 p.m. 

Game 3: Missoula Mavericks (48-25) vs. Medicine Hat Monarchs (20-29), 1 p.m. 

Game 4: Helena Senators (40-16) vs. Kalispell Lakers (38-23), 7 p.m. 

Thursday

Game 5: Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 10 a.m. 

Game 6: Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 1 p.m. 

Game 7: Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 4 p.m. 

Game 8: Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 7 p.m. 

Friday

Game 9: Winner 6 vs. Loser 7, 1 p.m. 

Game 10: Winner 5 vs. Loser 8, 4 p.m. 

Game 11: Winner 7 vs. Winner 8, 7 p.m. 

Saturday

Game 12: Winner 9 vs. Loser 11, 4 p.m. 

Game 13: Winner 10 vs. Winner 11, 7 p.m. 

Sunday 

Game 14: Winner 12 vs. Winner 13, championship, 11 a.m. 

Game 15: If necessary, 45 minutes after Game 14 ends