The Kalispell Lakers AA team bounced back from a disappointing loss on Wednesday night to sweep the Great Falls Chargers 11-1 and 9-2 in an American Legion Class AA baseball doubleheader on Thursday at Griffin Field.

The Lakers (36-19 overall, 10-9 league) started without a hitch, reaching their first three batters of the game in the bottom of the first, capped by an RBI single from Patrick O’Connell. Two more runs would score on a balk and a bases-loaded walk, to give the Lakers a healthy lead.

Kalispell expanded that lead to 5-1 in the third inning and 6-1 in the fourth when it took off in the fifth, reaching its first seven batters on the way to a five-run inning that would end the game short on the 10-run rule.

The Lakers stuck to the formula in the nightcap, reaching runners to second and third in the first inning before scoring six runs in the second to put the pressure on the struggling Chargers bats.

Leif Ericksen continued his strong play on the mound from his complete-game performance in the opener, holding the Chargers to one run and six hits in another four innings in the nightcap.

“I thought the kids did a much better job competing today in all facets of the game,” Lakers AA coach Ryan Malmin said. “It’s good to see them bounce back after yesterday. (Our pitchers) kept the ball down in the zone and allowed our defense to play. We swung it really well today.”

Jayson Combs was 4 for 6 in the doubleheader, picking up a pair of RBIs, and Andrew Schleusner found some clutch hitting with men in scoring position, tallying four RBIs in the nightcap.

The Lakers close out the regular season on Saturday in a doubleheader against Butte at Griffin Field. The first game starts at 1 p.m.

Game 1

Great Falls 010 00 — 1 3 1

Kalispell 302 15 — 11 12 2

Christian Wetzel, AJ Folds (4) and Wyatt Bleskin. Leif Ericksen and Andrew Schleusner. W—Ericksen. L—Wetzel.

GREAT FALLS — Keelan Hayworth 0-3, AJ Folds 0-3, Wyatt Bleskin 1-3, Dawson Reiman 1-3, Daniel Bonilla 1-2, Bryce Krattiger 0-2, Matt Houlihan 0-2, Cade Stuff 0-0, Chase Linn 0-2.

LAKERS AA — Tiler Whiteker 2-3, Jake Halland 2-3, Patrick O’Connell 1-2, Andrew Schleusner 1-4, Leif Ericksen 0-3, Spencer Pisk 1-2, Micah Benson 2-2, Joe Broughton 2-2, Jayson Combs 1-3.

2B—Bonilla. Schleusner, Whiteker. RBIs—Halland, O’Connell, Ericksen, Pisk, Benson 2, Broughton 3, Combs.

Game 2

Great Falls 010 000 1 — 2 8 1

Kalispell 060 102 x — 9 10 4

Justyn Martinko and Matt Houlihan. Leif Ericksen, Andrew Schleusner (5) and Andrew Schleusner, Tiler Whiteker (5). W—Schleusner. L—Martinko.

GREAT FALLS — Keelan Hayworth 1-2, Tyler Strickland 0-1, AJ Folds 1-4, Wyatt Bleskin 2-3, Dawson Reiman 2-4, Daniel Bonilla 0-3, Tim Hanning 1-3, Matt Houlihan 1-3, Cade Stuff 0-3, Isaiah Roberts 0-1, Christian Wetzel 0-1.

LAKERS AA — Tiler Whiteker 1-3, Jake Halland 1-4, Patrick O’Connell 2-3, Andrew Schleusner 1-1, Leif Ericksen 1-4, Spencer Pisk 1-2, Haydn Schlepp 0-1, Micah Benson 0-2, Joe Broughton 0-2, Jayson Combs 3-3.

2B—Combs 2, Schleusner, Whiteker, Ericksen. RBIs—Reiman, Houlihan. Halland 2, O’Connell, Schleusner 4, Ericksen, Combs.