Passed ball helps AA Lakers into championship at Church tourney

LEWISTON, Idaho — Luke Nikunen scored the go ahead run on a passed ball as the Kalispell AA Lakers downed the Benz Boys 5-4 at the Dwight Church Memorial Tournament Saturday.

The win puts the Lakers into the championship game on Sunday at noon against the Benz Boys once again, a second game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. if necessary. 

The Benz Boys got on the board first in the third inning with an RBI single from Arlo Copony. Two batters later another single from Eddie Dahle plated two and made it 3-0 Benz boys. 

Kalispell answered right back in the bottom of the inning, with Ostyn Brennan scoring Jackson Heino on a single. A pair of sacrifice flies from Carter Schlegel and Hunter Fann tied the game at three. 

Benz Boys took the lead again in the top of the fourth with Kaden Castro bringing in a run on a fielder’s choice. 

Again the Lakers responded instantly as Heino came home on a passed ball to tie the game at four. 

After Nikunen scored the go-ahead run in the sixth he capped off a complete game performance on the mound with a 1-2-3 inning to seal the win. 

Nikunen allowed seven hits and three earned runs, he struck out seven. At the plate he went 2-for-3 and scored a pair of runs. 

Benz Boys    003    100    0    -    4    7    1 

Kalispell    003    101    x    -    5    7    1 

Rhyse Elder, No. 19 (3), Cole Crossley (5) and Kellen Wood. Luke Nikunen and Bryce Buckmaster. 

BENZ BOYS — Arlo Copony 2-3, Jake Rolling 0-2, Eddie Dahle 1-3, Owen Mangini 0-3, Brody Whitcomb 1-3, Tristan Pulliam 1-3, Kellen Wood 0-2, Kaden Castro 1-3, Aiden Michael 1-3. 

KALISPELL AA LAKERS — Ostyn Brennan 2-4, Luke Nikunen 2-3, Carter Schlegel 0-1, Kyler Croft 1-2, Oscar Kallis 0-3, Hunter Fann 1-2, Cale Brink 1-3, Andre Cephers 0-1, Bryce Buckmaster 0-3, Jackson Heino 0-1. 

2B — Michael. RBIs — Castro, Dahle, Copony. Brennan, Schlegel, Fann.