Lakers stick out sweep
Steve Hamel Daily Inter Lake | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 6 months AGO
Three days after a pair of home losses to Missoula, the Kalispell Lakers looked to their ace to right the ship and Dillon Eaves delivered.
The right-hander tossed a seven-inning complete game as the Lakers won 9-3 in game one of an American Legion baseball doubleheader against the Great Falls Chargers at Griffin Field Wednesday.
Justin Wallace was even better in game two, hurling a four-hit, seven-inning complete game to lead the Lakers to a 3-1 win.
Kalispell (26-22 overall, 9-8 conference) managed three runs in the first inning of the nightcap thanks to RBI singles by Dillon Matteson and Robert Reaser and a throwing error by Chargers left fielder Lucas Poitra. Great Falls ace Dalton Cook surrendered just two more hits the rest of the game, but Great Falls (9-13 conference) didn’t have an answer for Wallace and the Lakers’ defense.
“Justin’s been a bulldog for us all year,” Lakers coach Ryan Malmin said. “When he’s able to locate his fastball and changeup, he’s tough to beat. I guess we didn’t do a great job of extending our lead after that first inning, but he was able to pound the zone and give us a chance to make plays.
“We knew after game one that they were going to throw their ace against Justin, and he rose to the occasion. Justin matched him pitch for pitch.”
The Chargers scored their only run in the sixth inning when Cook singled to score leadoff hitter Anthony Bonilla, but Wallace responded with a scoreless seventh to end the game.
Eaves gave up nine hits in game one, but worked out of several jams while racking up nine strikeouts.
“It’s just a totally different ballgame for us (when Eaves is on the mound),” Lakers second baseman Charlie Obermiller said. “When we see him out there, all we want to do is win for him.”
Obermiller and Combs each batted 3 for 4. All three of Obermiller’s hits were line drives up the middle and came three days after a 4 for 4 game against Missoula.
“Honestly I’m just trying not to do too much with the ball,” he said. “I’m being a little more balanced than I used to be and just trying to put a good swing on it, and that’s what I’ve been doing.
“The pitchers were kind of what we always see. It’s the same fastball, curveball. I’ve been locked in since Missoula and it seemed almost like the same pitchers for me. It didn’t matter who was throwing it, I was just going to hit the ball.”
Eaves helped his own cause by going 2 for 3 with three RBIs and the Lakers tallied 12 hits as a team.
Bonilla batted 3 for 3 to lead the Chargers.
The Lakers scored first, with one run in the first inning and two in the second. Each time Great Falls scored, Kalispell answered with a crooked number, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth and sixth innings after the Chargers had scored in the top half of those frames.
“I struggled out of the gate and I think I threw too many pitches, I definitely have to get those down, but I think we did all right,” Eaves said. “I had great defense behind me. Guys laying out, making plays for us. We hit the ball well, got on the board first in the bottom of the first. Stuff like that kind of helps me get into a groove and pitch comfortably out there and rely on the defense. I know if I let let one get away or they get a good lick on it I’ll have someone to back me up.”
Malmin said he was pleased with the way his team performed.
“I was really proud of the kids and how they came out and competed today in all facets of the game,” Malmin said. “We were able to jump out with early leads, answer when they scored and extend. I was really happy with the kids and how they competed today.”
The Lakers host a nonconference doubleheader against Coeur d’Alene on Friday.
Great Falls 000 102 0 — 3 9 3
Kalispell 120 303 x — 9 12 1
Kolby Sukut, Colton Philp (5) and Justin Pfennigs. Dillon Eaves and Adam Frandsen. W - Eaves. L - Sukut.
GREAT FALLS - Anthony Bonilla 3-3, J. Pfennigs 0-4, Jayse McLean 2-3, Dalton Cook 0-4, Wyatt Ekert 0-1, Ryan O’Connell 0-2, Lucas Poitra 2-3, Tyler Pfennigs 1-3, Philp 1-4, Garrett Cornwell 0-2.
KALISPELL - Chris Combs 3-4, Charlie Obermiller 3-4, Eaves 2-3, Sean O’Connell 1-4, Dillon Matteson 0-3, Robert Reaser 1-3, Frandsen 0-2, Jake Barstow 1-2, Luke LaFontaine 1-3.
2B - Bonilla, T. Pfennigs; Combs, Reaser. RBIs - Bonilla, Philp; Eaves 3, Obermiller, Matteson, Reaser.
Great Falls 000 001 0 — 1 4 2
Kalispell 300 000 x — 3 4 0
Dalton Cook and Justin Pfennigs. Justin Wallace and Adam Frandsen. W - Wallace. L - Cook.
GREAT FALLS - Anthony Bonilla 0-2, J. Pfennigs 1-3, Jayse McLean 0-3, Cook 1-3, Lucas Poitra 0-3, Tyler Pfennigs 0-3, Kolby Sukut 2-3, Colton Philp 0-3, Garrett Cornwell 0-3.
KALISPELL - Chris Combs 0-2, Charlie Obermiller 0-2, Dillon Eaves 0-3, Sean O’Connell 1-3, Dillon Matteson 2-2, Robert Reaser 1-2, Frandsen 0-2, Jake Barstow 0-2, Luke LaFontaine 0-2.
RBIs - Cook; Matteson, Reaser.
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