Legion: Lakers bounced Chargers from State AA
MEDICINE HAT, Alberta — Andre Cephers hit the go-ahead single and added another RBI as the Kalispell Lakers defeated the Great Falls Chargers in a loser-out game at the Montana-Alberta State AA Legion Baseball Tournament Thursday.
Kalispell (38-20) advances to take on the Billings Royals late Friday. The Royals fell to Helena 5-4 in Thursday’s late game.
Earlier, Bozeman ousted Medicine Hat and Missoula beat the Billings Scarlets.
Lakers 4, Chargers 1
Great Falls led 1-0 heading into the fourth inning when Carter Schlegel reached on a single to center field. After stealing second, Schlegel came home on a Luke Nikunen single to left field. Two batters later came Cephers, who singled to left and sent Nikunen in from third.
The trio combined to extend the lead in the sixth inning as Schlegel walked to open the frame. Nikunen then doubled to right field, sending Carter Schlegel to third before Cephers squeezed home a third run for Kalispell. Nikunen came home on a throwing error to make it 4-1 as Cephers ended up safe on second base.
Nikunen added 5 1-3 innings on the mound, allowing one run and scattering nine hits. He struck out nine batters.
Ostyn Brennan closed out the game with 1 2-3 no-hit innings, fanning a pair.
“Luke was great today, mixing speeds and being around the zone all day,” Lakers coach Ryan Malmin said. “We played stellar defense. And Ostyn Brennan continues to do great things as a closer.”
The Chargers’ lone run came in the third inning as Carson Hollern singled to center, driving home Liam Sullivan.
Gavin Gray went five innings in the start for Great Falls, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out three.
“I’m really proud of our resiliency and happy for these guys to grind out a great win,” Malmin said.
Chargers 001 000 0 - 1 9 1
Lakers 000 202 x - 4 5 0
Gavin Gray, Kayden Neil (6) and Jace Komac. Luke Nikunen, Ostyn Brennan (6) and Brady Buckmaster.
GREAT FALLS CHARGERS — Jace Komac 0-4, Liam Sullivan 2-4, Cole Pace 0-4, Carson Hollern 1-3, Roehrich Soldano 1-3, Chase Little 0-2, Madden Jensen 3-3, Dawson Cook 2-3, Rowan Garten 0-2, Beau Carns 0-1.
KALISPELL AA LAKERS — Ostyn Brennan 1-3, Cale Brink 0-3, Carter Schlegel 1-2, Luke Nikunen 2-3, Hunter Fann 0-3, Andre Cephers 1-2, Kaedan Kahler 0-3, Oscar Kallis 0-2, Brady Buckmaster 0-2.
2B — Nikunen. RBIs — Hollern. Cephers 2, Nikunen.
Bucks 15, Monarchs 0
Garrett Norick threw a five-inning no-hitter as the Bozeman Bucks eliminated the hosts.
Norick fanned six and walked three for Bozeman. Medicine Hat (8-30) also had runners reach on an error and a hit by pitch.
At the plate, Van Shockley tripled and drove in three runs for the Bucks. Braeden Matthews went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored and Sam Talbot also drove in three runs.
Bozeman advances to play the Billings Scarlets, who fell to Missoula.
Mavericks 1, Scarlets 0
Owen Felton’s second inning RBI single was all the offense that Missoula needed, scoring Kaden Thennis.
Easton Reimers took care of business on the mound, going seven scoreless innings and allowing seven hits. The North Dakota State signee struck out seven batters.
Paxton Prill also went the distance for the Scarlets, allowing one run on four hits. He fanned eight.
Senators 5, Royals 4
Keaton Troyer held off a 3-1 pitch to draw a bases-loaded walk-off walk and push the No. 1 seed into Friday’s 2-0 game.
The Senators trailed 4-1 in bottom of the third before Connor Devine cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to left field.
The Royals grabbed the lead with a Ryder Murdock single in the top of the second and extended it in the third thanks to an RBI single from CJ Jenkins-Antle.
Wyatt Ling had 4 1-3 innings of scoreless work in relief to set the stage for the Senators’ rally.
Montana/Alberta Legion
State AA Tournament
July 30-Aug. 3, Medicine Hat
Wednesday, July 30
Game 1: Billings Scarlets 2, Kalispell Lakers 1
Game 2: Billings Royals 14, Bozeman Bucks 4
Game 3: Missoula Mavericks 2, Great Falls Chargers 0
Game 4: Helena Senators 7, Medicine Hat Monarchs 2
Thursday, July 31
Game 5: Kalispell 4, Great Falls 1
Game 6: Bozeman 15, Medicine Hat 0
Game 7: Missoula 1, Billings Scarlets 0
Game 8: Helena 5, Billings Royals 4
Friday, Aug. 1
Game 9: Bozeman (32-22) vs. Billings Scarlets (32-14), 1 p.m.
Game 10: Kalispell (38-20) vs. Billings Royals (27-18), 4 p.m.
Game 11: Missoula (50-24) vs. Helena (46-26), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 2
Game 12: Winner 10 vs. Loser 11, 1 p.m.*
Game 13: Winner 9 vs. Winner 11, 4 p.m.*
*-Tournament rematches to be avoided, if possible
Sunday, Aug. 3
Game 14: Winner 12 vs. Winner 13, 11 a.m., championship
Game 15: If necessary