Scarlets hold off AA Lakers, complete 3-game sweep

BILLINGS — Kalispell was in it the whole way, but in the end the Billings Scarlets got out of a bases loaded situation to take a 3-2 win over the AA Lakers Tuesday and complete a three-game sweep.

Kaedan Kahler came to the plate with a chance to tie or take the lead for Kalispell (17-8 overall, 1-3 in the Montana/Alberta conference standings). He put a 1-2 pitch in play, but Mason Brosseau was there to make the catch in center. 

Jackson Heino started on the mound for the Lakers, going four innings and allowing three runs on six hits. Andre Cephers came in for two hitless innings in relief. 

Sam Reinker went 6 2-3 innings for Billings (5-4, 4-1 in conference play) and allowed two runs on six hits; he fanned five batters. Luke Slyker came in for the final out. 

The Lakers got on the scoreboard first with Kahler coming home thanks to an error on a pickoff attempt in the second inning. 

The Scarlets’ Bridger Leland turned the tables in the bottom of the third with a two-out single to center that scored Brady Randall and Cody Collis. Randall added an important third run in the fourth on a double to center that scored Howie Martin. 

Reggie Sapa cut the deficit to one with a squeeze bunt in the sixth, bringing Kallis home. 

Two hit batsmen and an error set up the bases loaded situation in the seventh, before the Scarlets were able to get out of the inning unscathed. 

Hunter Fann went 3-for-3 from the plate for the Lakers. 

AA Lakers    010    001    0    -    2    6    0 

Scarlets    002    100    x    -    3    7    4

Jackson Heino, Andre Cephers (5) and Ostyn Brennan. Sam Reinker, Luke Slyker (7) and Michael Brew. 

KALISPELL AA LAKERS — Ostyn Brennan 0-4, Luke Nikunen 1-4, Carter Schlegel 0-3, Kaedan Kahler 0-4, Oscar Kallis 1-2, Hunter Fann 3-3, Reggie Sapa 0-3, Andre Cephers 0-2, Cale Brink 1-3. 

BILLINGS SCARLETS — Cody Collis 1-4, Brady Randall 2-3, Mason Brosseau 0-1, Bridger Leland 1-1. Kyren Ballard 1-3, Kade Vatnsdal 1-3, Zeke McDonald 0-3, Howie Martin 1-2. Michael Brew 0-2. 

2B — Randall. RBIs — Sapa. Leland 2, Randall. 

Late Monday 

Scarlets 5, Lakers 1

Brady Randall’s three-run home run capped a four-run fifth inning for the Scarlets Monday night, in the second game of a doubleheader. 

Hits were at a premium: Zeke McDonald allowed just three base knocks to the Lakers; Bryce Buckmaster allowed the Scarlets just four hits in six innings of work. 

The Lakers tied the game at 1-1 on Oscar Kallis’ bunt single that brought in Luke Nikunen.  

Billings’ big inning began with a Lakers’ error; two one-out singles loaded the bases for Cody Collis, who hit a sacrifice fly to break the tie. 

That left two out, but Randall drove a 2-0 pitch out to left. Just one of Billings’ runs was earned; Buckmaster walked two and struck out two. 

McDonald worked around a walk in the sixth inning, and an error and a single by Cale Brink in the seventh.  He walked three Lakers and struck out nine. 

AA Lakers    001    000    0    -    1    3    1 

Scarlets    010    040    x    -    5    4    1

Bryce Buckmaster and Brennan. McDonald and Slyker.  

AA LAKERS — Schlegel 0-4, Brennan 0-2, Nikunen 1-1, Kallis 1-3, Kahler 0-3, Fann 0-3, Sapa 0-3, Cephers 0-3, Brink 1-3. 

SCARLETS — Collis 0-2, Randall 1-3, Brosseau 0-2, Leland 1-3, Ballard 0-2, Vatnsdal 0-3, Slyker 0-2, Martin 1-2, P. Prill 1-2. 

HR — Randall. RBIs — Kallis, Randall 3, Collis, Slyker.