Missoula bests AA Lakers in home openers

by Daily Inter Lake
| April 14, 2025 12:00 AM

Kalispell had a chance to tie it, but Carter Taylor struck out Cale Brink and Missoula downed Kalispell 8-7 for a comeback win in game two after an 8-5 victory in game one to seal a doubleheader sweep Sunday.

The Mavericks took the lead with six runs in the seventh inning, including a pair of 2-run singles from Remington Howard and Kaden Thennis. B Ostrom drove in the go-ahead run with a fielder’s choice that scored Thennis.

In the bottom of the seventh, Oscar Kallis and Kaeden Kahler singled to open up the seventh with the Lakers (1-3) down one, and Kallis moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Brady Buckmaster. He wouldn’t make it home as the Mavericks made the tag at the plate on a fielder's choice. Then Taylor closed out the game for Missoula.

Kyler Croft singled in the third to give the Lakers a 4-2 lead and they grew it to 6-2 on an RBI double from Teagan Dixon in the fourth. Kalispell scored three runs in each inning.

Bryce Buckmaster started for the Lakers and threw five innings, allowing just two runs on three hits. He fanned seven.

In the first game, Missoula jumped in front with five runs over the first three innings.

Kalispell again had a chance with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, but after a walk to Brink, Jackson Heino popped out to end the game.

Luke Nikunen took the mound for Kalispell in game one, he fanned four in four innings of work. Cale Brink threw three innings in relief, allowing one run and not surrendering a hit.

The AA Lakers are back at home on Friday for a doubleheader against the Calgary Cardinals starting at 6 p.m.

Game one

AA Mavericks 212 020 1 - 8 6 4

AA Lakers 020 001 2 - 5 6 3

Schuylar Fairchild, Stellan Ridley (7), Devin Leary (7) and Kaden Thennis. Luke Nikunen, Cale Brink (5) and Brady Buckmaster

MISSOULA AA MAVERICKS — Carter Taylor 2-4, Rylan Davis 0-4, Colter Nicolarson 0-2, Owen Felton 1-2, Remington Howard 2-3, Easton Reimers 1-2, Andrew Richardson 0-4, Kaden Thennis 0-3, Bryce Ostrom 0-3.

KALISPELL AA LAKERS — Reggie Sapa 1-4, Hunter Fann 1-3, Luke Nikunen 0-4, Oscar Kallis 1-4, Kaeden Kahler 1-3, Brady Buckmaster 0-2, Teagan Dixon 1-4, Kyler Croft 1-2, Cale Brink 0-0, Jackson Heino 0-3.

2B — Felton, Reimers. 3B — Taylor. RBIs — Reimers 3, Felton, Howard. Heino, Brink, Croft, Kahler.

Game two

AA Mavericks 200 000 6 - 8 8 4

AA Lakers 100 330 0 - 7 9 4

Richardson, Nicolarson (5), Taylor (6) and Davis. Bryce Buckmaster, M Arrowsmith (6), Hunter Fann (7) and Brady Buckmaster

MISSOULA AA MAVERICKS — Taylor 2-4, Davis 0-5, Nicolarson 1-2, Howard 1-3, Reimers 0-3, Schuylar Fairchild 2-3, Thennis 1-3, Stellan Ridley 1-4, Ostrom 0-4.

KALISPELL AA LAKERS — Sapa 0-4, Fann 1-4, Nikunen 1-4, Kallis 1-4, Kahler 2-3, Brady Buckmaster 0-2, Dixon 2-4, Brink 1-3, W Asher 0-1, Croft 0-1, Heino 0-1.

2B — Fairchild, Fann, Dixon. RBIs — Howard 2, Fairchild 2, Thennis 2, Ridley, Ostrom. Brink 2, Fann, Kahler, Dixon, Croft.