The Glacier Twins are hitting their stride at the perfect time of the season.

With the American Legion District A tournament scheduled for Wednesday in Kalispell, the Twins racked up 16 hits, including five doubles en route to a 14-2 victory over the Kalispell Lakers A on Saturday night at Griffin Field.

In the third meeting between the teams this week, Glacier first baseman Vinny Smith continued to shine in the series. His 3 for 4 effort not only sparked the rally that scored the Twins’ first runs of the game, but it also earned him his ninth hit against the Lakers this week.

“I’m just focusing on hitting when I can,” Smith said. “I’m trying to be situtional, depending on where the runners are, I just try to do what I can. If we keep playing the way we’ve been playing lately, with our pitching, we’ll be fine.”

Smith led off the the top of the second inning with a single and scored when right fielder Jesse Walburn hit a single to left field. After catcher Dakota Bridwell singled, the Twins’ first double was hit by starting pitcher A.J. Wetsch to clear the bases for two more runs as Glacier took an early 3-0 lead.

The Lakers cut the deficit to one with a two-run inning in the bottom of fourth. After consecutive singles by second baseman Brooks Krause and first baseman Leif Ericksen, left fielder Pat O’Connell loaded the bases with no outs when he was hit by a pitch. Designated hitter Robert McCarvel’s fielder’s choice scored Krause, and catcher Lukas DeCock beat out an infield single for an RBI. Unfortunately for Kalispell, they couldn’t manufacture any more runs in the inning.

“A.J. just buckled down,” Twins manager Bob Rupp said of the fourth inning jam.

“He gets to the point where you think it would rattle him, but it doesn’t. He kind of takes a big breath, settles and does his job. Of course, our defense helped him.”

Glacier responded in the top of the fifth when left fielder Colton Gove launched a double that nearly cleared the left field fence. The very next pitch shortstop Jayce Fagerland ripped a single to score Gove.

Smith kept the rally going with his third base hit of the night before second baseman Tristin Steinwand hit a bases-clearing double to center field. When the inning was all said and done the Twins had a commanding 7-2 lead.

“We’re hitting the ball really well,” Rupp said.

“We had some really good two strike hitting. They’re being kind of picky while staying aggressive and putting the ball in play. When they do that we run the bases well and do really well.”

Stretching their lead to 10-2 heading into the eighth inning, Steinwand hit his second two-run single and a game-high four RBIs. After the final out was recorded, the Twins had themselves another four-run inning.

The Lakers couldn’t muster a run in the bottom half, and the nine inning game ended early due to mercy-rule.

“We hit balls hard, but we hit right at them,” Lakers manager Travis Krause said.

“That’s baseball. They put the ball in the gaps and found green and we didn’t. We just need to pitch a little better, and the defense can make a few more plays, but they’re young. I think we’re right where we need to be for the district tournament.”

The Lakers will have plenty of time to work out the kinks before they host Wednesday’s tournament.

Glacier, however, will play Mission Valley in Polson today at 3 p.m. in a make-up game from earlier in the season. After their final regular season contest, post-season baseball will be coming to Kalispell.

Glacier Twins     030     041     24     —     14     16     2

Kalispell Lakers     000     200     00     —     2     5     1

A.J. Wetsch, Jonny Sapa (7) Colten Parker (8) and Dakota Bridwell. Tiler Whiteaker, Torin Bowden (8) and Lukas DeCock. W — Wetsch. L — Whiteaker.

GLACIER — Colton Gove 2-4, Jayce Fagerland 2-5, Colten Parker 0-4, Vincent Smith 3-4, Tristin Steinwand 2-3, Kyler Howke 2-5, Jesse Walburn 3-5, Dakota Bridwell 2-5, A.J. Wetsch 1-4.

KALISPELL — Micah Benson 0-4, Brooks Krause 2-4, Leif Ericksen 1-3, Pat O’Connell 0-3, Jayson Combs 0-4, Robert McCarvel 0-4, Logan DeCock 0-3, Quin Barber 0-3, Lukas DeCock 2-3.

2B — Gove, Fagerland, Steinwand, Howke, Wetsch. RBIs — Gove, Fagerland, Steinwand 4, Howke 2, Walburn 3, Wetsch 2, McCarvel, Lu. DeCock.