There were a couple unstoppable forces facing the Flathead A’s U16 baseball team last weekend: The earth’s rotation and Charlie Getlinger.

The first was about to shut down the championship of the Treasure State bracket of something called the MCBC state tournament in Billings. The second, as darkness closed in, came up in a 6-5 game and — as he did often — barreled up a pitch. 

Aaron Holliday and Kyler Blades ran the U16 A’s, a conglomeration of Flathead Valley kids who, for this reason or that, didn’t filter into the local American Legion teams.  

They got in 32 games, winning 24, including a 5-1 record at the first tournament of its kind. 

“It’s the first year of the Montana Club Baseball Conference,” said Blades, fourth-year coach of Whitefish’s high school team and involved in the A’s for the last few years. “We just kind of wanted to have some sort of unification, some sort of cherry on top to the season.” 

On Aug.1, in their first game in 12 days, the A’s fell 9-3 to the tournament host Upper Deck Billings Expos, a 16U squad that included the aforementioned Getlinger. He doubled twice and scored four runs. 

The A’s had to wind their way back through the loser’s side of the 7-team bracket. They beat Capital City Elite 14-13, the SWMT Vigilantes (Dillon) 11-1 and Missoula Impact 11-9. 

Then they had to beat the Expos twice, which is what happened by scores of 12-7 and 6-5. 

“We were actually down 10-0 in our second game and looking at elimination,” Blades said of the Capital City win. “Tayvin Beach from Columbia Falls came in and threw 6 2-3 innings and gave us a chance to win. And we did.” 

It can be noted that more than a few A’s were not Whitefish Bulldogs. “I’m actively coaching against my own interests,” Blades said with a laugh. “There’s some really good kids that play for Columbia Falls.” 

Jaxson Cadwell, Wyatt Keller, Lucas Rojas and Easton Corbett shared the pitching on a team that brought just 10 to Billings. Rojas had a 5-inning one-hitter against Dillon; Corbett went the distance in the final, which was also shortened.  

The fifth and final inning was cutting it close — and with one out and one on, up came Getlinger. 

“He ropes one to the right side, and clips the runner’s foot for an out,” Blades said. 

With two out, Getlinger stole second and third. When the next batter walked, the Expos tried a double steal — and it ended with Getlinger, 3-for-3 on the night, out at the plate.  

“We were up against it,” Holliday, a teacher at Muldown Elementary in Whitefish, said. “Luckily for us, we got the outs when we needed to and got the game in. 

“It was a really good experience. A really good environment. Kyler sets a really good tone for what’s expected: Baseball is important, but not as important as being good citizens and good to each other.” 

At the end, players like Collison Lewis, Finn Ryan — he hit three home runs in Billings — and Gavin Knapp lined up with the coaches for a team photo. Index fingers raised, the Flathead A’s made a final statement. 

Billings certainly has some nice sunsets. 

Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 758-4463 or at [email protected].