Buckmaster, Nikunen help AA Lakers salvage split

The Kalispell AA Lakers didn’t have the greatest start to their Saturday but put together a solid finish. Brady Buckmaster and Luke Nukinen made sure of it.

Nikunen hit a solo home run in the first inning, Buckmaster hit an RBI double in the second and the two combined on a three-hit shutout in the Lakers’ 2-0 win over Helena in the second game of a Legion doubleheader.  

That salvaged a split for the Lakers (9-4) at Griffin Field. They opened with a 13-0 loss to the Senators, helped along by five Kalispell errors. 

Senators 13, AA Lakers 0 

An 11-run second inning set the tone for Helena, which ended the game in five innings under the mercy rule.  

It was already 5-0 before the Lakers committed their second error of the second inning. Five more hitters came to the plate, with Tanner Steen’s two-run single making it 11-0. Steen hit a sacrifice fly earlier in the frame. 

Tyler Beaver went all five innings on the mound for Helena. He fanned three to go with three hits allowed. 

Three Lakers pitchers allowed 10 hits, but just three earned runs. 

Senators    0(11)1    01    -    13    10    0 

AA Lakers    000    00    -    0    3    5 

Tyler Beaver and Tizer Lindgren. Jackson Heino, Kyler Croft (3), Andre Cephers (4) and Brady Buckmaster. 

HELENA SENATORS — Walker DesRosier 1-4, James Demers 0-3, Keaton Troyer 2-4, Conner Devine 3-3, Cohen Sassano 1-2, Lindgren 1-2, Finn Doran 1-2, Tanner Steen 1-3, Tyler Kaiser 0-3. 

KALISPELL AA LAKERS — Hunter Fann 1-2, Luke Nikunen 2-2, Oscar Kallis 0-2, Kaeden Kahler 0-2, Cale Brink 0-2, Cephers 0-2, Bryce Buckmaster 0-2, Brady Buckmaster 0-2, Teagan Dixon 0-1, Wyatt Asher 0-1. 

RBIs — Steen 3, Doran, Lindgren, Troyer. 

AA Lakers 2, Senators 0 

Buckmaster started and threw five innings, allowing two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Nikunen got the save, allowing one hit and two walks in two innings. 

The duo won a pitchers’ duel with Helena’s Eli Peterson — he struck out nine in 5 2-3 innings — and Steen. 

Each team had three hits. Helena’s Keaton Troyer hit a two-out double in the fourth inning and Connor Devine stroked a one-out triple in the sixth, but the Senators (6-8) couldn’t get them home. 

Senators    000    000    0    -    0    3    0 

AA Lakers    110    000    x    -    2    3    1 

Eli Peterson, Steen (6) and Lindgren. Bryce Buckmaster, Nikunen (6) and Cephers. 

SENATORS — DesRosier 1-4, DeMers 0-3, Devine 1-3, Sassano 0-2, Troyer 1-1, Lindgren 0-2, Beaver 0-2, Steen 0-1, Ryker Roman 0-2, Kaiser 0-3.  

AA LAKERS — Fann 0-3, Nikunen 2-3, Kallis 0-2, Kahler 0-2, Croft 0-2, Cephers 0-2, Buckmaster 1-2, Dixon 0-2, Heino 0-1, Brink 0-1. 

2B — Troyer, Buckmaster. 3B —  Devine. HR — Nikunen. RBIs — Nikunen, Buckmaster. 

    Kalispell second baseman Cale Brink (9) throws to first to attempt a double play against the Helena Senators at Griffin Field on Saturday, May 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Kalispell pitcher Kyler Croft (11) delivers against the Helena Senators at Griffin Field on Saturday, May 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Kalispell's Hunter Fann(15) connects on a single against the Helena Senators at Griffin Field on Saturday, May 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Kalispell right fielder Bryce Buckmaster (17) chases down a fly ball against the Helena Senators at Griffin Field on Saturday, May 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Kalispell's Luke Nikunen (12) connects on a single in the first inning against the Helena Senators at Griffin Field on Saturday, May 10. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider