A Lakers drop a pair to Missoula

The Kalispell A Lakers jumped out to an early lead in the first two innings before the Missoula Mavericks stormed back in the fifth and six innings to take game one 9-7 in a doubleheader in American Legion baseball on Sunday. 

The Lakers were swept by the Mavericks after a 7-1 loss in game two. 

Offense wasn’t the problem in game one for the Lakers (11-12), collecting 11 hits as a team, led by Tait Orme and Wyatt Sharp each recording two. Nine out of 10 players who entered the game tallied a hit, with Orme and George Schwan each collecting doubles and Liam Rech adding a triple.  

After being down 2-1 heading into the bottom half of the second inning, Schwan led things off with a double and Sharp drove him in on the next at bat. Max Shara, Miles Arrowsmith and Orme added RBI singles and flipped the game in their favor, 6-2. 

Walks were an issue for the Lakers pitching staff, throwing 10 total, five of them in sixth inning and a hit-by-pitch when the Mavericks (2-2) took a 9-7 lead. The Lakers were retired in order in the final two innings.  

Missoula 7, Kalispell 1

Schwan was efficient on the mound, giving up nine hits but limiting the Mavericks to just two earned runs, but the Lakers' five errors proved costly in their game two defeat. 

Not to be outdone, Seamus Kane held the Lakers to just three hits, pitching a complete game with no earned runs and three strikeouts. Orme led the Lakers by going 2-for-3 with a triple. Beau Schultz recorded the other hit.  

Cole Jenkins collected three hits and drove in one. Isaac Thorne went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.