AA Lakers win home opener over Mariners
FRITZ NEIGHBOR | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years AGO
Kalispell Lakers AA starting pitcher AJ Wood (7) delivers to a Misson Valley Mariners batter at Griffin Field on Wednesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA shortstop Gage Brink (3) fires to first against the Mission Valley Mariners at Griffin Field on Wednesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA's Kostya Hoffman (4) follows through on a triple against the Mission Valley Mariners at Griffin Field on Wednesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA's Ayden Driear (11) and Kostya Hoffman (4) get congratulated by Gage Brink (3) after scoring on Caleb Morgan's bases-loaded double in the first inning against the Mission Valley Mariners at Griffin Field on Wednesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA second baseman Caleb Morgan (6) forces out Mission Valley Mariners baserunner Dylan Davis (34) at second and looks to throw to first on a potential double-play ball at Griffin Field on Wednesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA's Gage Brink (3) dives back into first base after a throw down from Mission Valley Mariners catcher Espn Fisher (5) at Griffin Field on Wednesday. Applying the tag at first is Mission Valley's Dylan Davis (34). (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA's Max Holden (15) lays down a squeeze bunt to score Kostya Hoffman (4) from third base against the Mission Valley Mariners at Griffin Field on Wednesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kalispell Lakers AA's Caleb Morgan (6) connects on a 3-run double in the first inning against the Mission Valley Mariners at Griffin Field on Wednesday. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
SPORTS EDITOR Fritz Neighbor is the Sports Editor for the Daily Inter Lake. He oversees sports coverage across the Flathead Valley, including high school athletics, youth sports, and regional competitions. In his leadership role, he helps shape the newspaper’s sports coverage and editorial direction. Fritz’s column, Full Count, taps into his decades’ long career covering Montana sports. You’ll also see Fritz sharing his thoughts and insights on the Big Sky Now podcast. IMPACT: Fritz’s work celebrates the athletes and teams that bring Northwest Montana communities together. | April 28, 2021 9:08 PM
The AA Kalispell Lakers’ home opener at Griffin Field Wednesday had all the essentials, including timely hits and some nice defense.
The victory was there, too, by an 8-1 score over the Class A Mission Valley Mariners, in a seven-inning non-conference tilt. Kalispell got all the runs it needed in the first inning when Caleb Morgan cleared the bases with a double to the wall in left.
The Mariners struck for one run in the third — and had a sharp contact with two on and two out, but Eric Dolence’s liner was tracked down by Lakers’ left fielder Owen Schilling — but couldn’t extend any other rally.
Kalispell did, which was one the four major food groups for coach Ryan Malmin: Score first, answer any opponent’s score, put up crooked numbers and extend the lead.
“And we did all four of those things today, which is positive for our kids,” Malmin said.
AJ Wood threw the first three innings and scattered three hits, including Espn Fisher’s RBI single, walked one batter and hit another.
Max Holden and Joseph Schlagel split the last four innings for Kalispell, scattering another three hits. Holden helped his cause by squeezing home Kostya Hoffman, who’d tripled, in the fourth.
“I was proud of our pitchers. They did a pretty good job of competing and throwing strikes and locating their pitches,” Malmin said. “There were a couple balls we missed and they took advantage and were able to get on base and create potential rallies. But the guys kind of stuck to their routine on the mound.
“And defensively we were pretty clean today, and that was fun to see.”
Kalispell used an error, two hits, one walk and three wild pitches to score three times in the third. Nobody had an RBI in that frame.
Hoffman’s triple and run made it 7-1; Ayden Driear singled and scored on a double-play grounder in the sixth for the game’s final run.
Morgan was on the A Lakers a year ago, but fit nicely in the five-hole Wednesday: One pitch after Hoffman walked to lead the bases, he barreled one up.
“Moving up to the AA level is a little eye opener,” Malmin said. “It’s fun to see those guys that are busting their butts in practice get that success. He hunted a first-pitch fastball and took advantage.”
The last time these two teams played, one week before, the Lakers took an 18-17 win that featured 30 hits and 12 errors.
“(This) was better for both of us, for sure. Both teams,” Malmin said.
The Lakers are 4-0, with their next action a doubleheader against Class A Belgrade Saturday at 2 p.m. at Griffin Field.
Mission Valley 001 000 0 - 1 6 2
Lakers AA 303 101 x - 8 9 0
James Bennett, Dawson Dumont (3) and Espn Fisher. AJ Wood, Max Holden (4), Joseph Schlegel (6) and Grady Drish.
MISSION VALLEY — Xavier Fisher 1-3, Alex Muzquiz 1-3, Espn Fisher 1-3, Eric Dolence 0-3, Dumont 1-3, Dylan Davis 2-3, Darian Williams 0-3, Daniel Kelsch 0-3, James Bennett 0-0, Jesse Littleboy 0-2.
KALISPELL LAKERS AA — Ethan Diede 0-2, Gage Brink 2-3, Ayden Driear 2-4, Kostya Hoffman 2-3, Caleb Morgan 1-3, Holden 1-2, Schlegel 0-1, Owen Schilling 0-3, Carver Van Aken 0-0, Devon Wallack 0-3, Elijah owens 0-1, Drish 1-2.
2B — Davis, Morgan. 3B — Hoffman. RBIs — E. Fisher, Morgan 3, Holden.
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