Zac Darling stole home to score the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the Glacier Twins rallied from a two-run deficit to beat the Kalispell Lakers’ A team 6-4 in an American Legion baseball game at Griffin Field Friday.

The Twins improved to 8-0 in conference play (18-10 overall) while the Lakers dropped to 3-10.

“They just kept battling,” Twins coach Bob Rupp said. “That’s one of the things these guys do. We’ve trailed in probably three or four (conference games), but we’ve always come back. That’s what I like about the boys, they just don’t ever quit.”

Lakers center fielder Brett Thomas drove in two runs in his first two plate appearances, then scored a run of his own in the fifth to give Kalispell a 3-1 lead, but Glacier answered with four runs in the top of the seventh.

Robert Simmons scored the tying run when Shane Marcial hit a soft grounder between the legs of pitcher Justin Rich, and Marcial reached first on the error to load the bases.

With Rich working from the windup, Darling took off toward home plate and scored standing up after the pitch bounced a foot in front of home plate. The other two runners also advanced on the triple steal.

“It was supposed to be a squeeze, but (Jake Slaybaugh) didn’t get the bunt down,” Darling said. “I got a large lead and a good jump, that’s the only reason I made it.”

Twins left fielder Brandon Maassen hit an RBI-single in the top of the ninth to give the Twins a 6-4 lead, but the Lakers rallied in the bottom of the frame, scoring one run and loading the bases before Twins pitcher Austin Robins blew a fastball past Bengston to end the game.

Robins pitched 4 2-3 innings in relief of Hugh Ramlow to earn the win. He allowed one run on two hits and struck out nine.

“My fastball was definitely there,” Robins said. “I was getting a little bit of a cut on it. My slider I felt was pretty good. That’s pretty much what I was throwing the entire game.

“We need to probably cut down a couple errors and mental mistakes and hit the ball early. Other than that I think we were solid and controlled the game.”

Slaybaugh and Simmons each batted 2 for 4 to lead the Twins. Thomas went 4 for 5 for the Lakers while Levi Brennamen was 2 for 3.

Lakers starting pitcher Walker Malmin took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits. He allowed one run through six innings but gave up three consecutive singles to start the seventh and was lifted in favor of Rich, who allowed two inherited runners to score.

“I thought we came out and competed well today,” Lakers coach Tim Severson said.

“We got a great outing with Walker Malmin on the mound. It’s one of those things where we’re 15- and 16-year-olds competing against 17- and 18-year-olds, so it’s kind of a developmental program for the AA.

“We always seem to have to battle uphill, but I was really pleased with the way the players came out and competed today. If we clean up that one inning it could’ve been a whole different ballgame.”

Light rain began falling in the fifth inning, but it wasn’t enough to stop play and the sky cleared early in the seventh.

The Twins beat the Lakers 12-5 in their previous meeting on June 5.

Glacier travels to Hamilton today for a doubleheader against the Bitterroot Red Sox.

Glacier 001 000 401 — 6 10 2

Kalispell A 101 010 001 — 4 10 4

Hugh Ramlow, Austin Robins (5) and Zac Darling. Walker Malmin, Justin Rich (7), Sam Crompton (7) and Jeff Bengston. W - Robins. L - Malmin.

GLACIER - Jayce Fagerland 1-4, Shane Marcial 0-5, Jake Slaybaugh 2-4, Peter Seymor 0-5, Colton Gove 1-3, Brandon Maassen 1-1, Kyler Howke 1-5, Robert Simmons 2-4, Darling 1-3, Ramlow 0-1, Robins 1-1.

KALISPELL A - Malmin 1-4, Zach Sands 0-5, Brett Thomas 4-5, Rich 1-4, Levi Brennamen 2-3, Brooks Krause 1-3, Bengston 0-4, Crompton 0-4, Brandon Purdy 1-3, Andy Bemus 0-1.

2B - Simmons; Malmin, Thomas. RBIs - Fagerland, Gove, Maassen, Darling; Thomas 2, Brennamen 2.