Hard-hitting Braves down Butte

BUTTE — Liam Rech and Jacobe Sullinger drove in three runs each as Flathead raced past Butte 11-6 in Western AA baseball Friday.

Eli Coopman and Hunter Fann helped the offensive explosion, combining for five doubles and three RBIs. 

Rech got the Braves’ (6-9) scoring started in the first, sending Fann and Dillon Wink home for an early 2-0 lead. Coopman then sent Rech home with his first two-bagger of the game. 

After Butte (3-6) answered with two runs in the first, Fann restored a three-run lead with an RBI double to center. 

Sullenger then extended the lead with a three-run triple in the third to make it 8-2 Flathead. 

Calvin Cunningham and Evan McEwen sent home runs for Butte to make it 8-4, but Flathead’s bats were too much. 

Fann hit a 2-RBI double in the sixth that Rech followed with a single to send Fann home and give Flathead an 11-5 lead. 

Rech added a complete game on the bump, allowing eight hits and striking out four batters. 

Flathead now prepares for the second Crosstown matchup of the season, Thursday at 5 p.m. at Griffin Field. 

Flathead    324    002    0    -    11    10    0 

Butte    202    101    0    -    6    8    4

Liam Rech and Leum Carter Wigginton. Evan McEwan, Noah Powers (3) and Gunner Bushman. 

FLATHEAD — Dillon Wink 0-3, Hunter Fann 3-4, Liam Rech 2-4, Eli Coopman 2-4, Leum Saisbury 1-3, Miles Arrowsmith 0-3, Micah Engle 1-4, Jacobe Sullenger 1-3, Carter Wigginton 0-4. 

BUTTE — Logan Carden 2-4, Kodye Kjersten 1-2, Cayde Stajcar 2-4, Calvin Cunningham 2-3, Evan McEwen 1-1, Gunner Bushman 0-2, Teagan Duffy 0-2, Brooks Vincent 0-3, Troy Samson 0-1, Noah Powers 0-0, Cole Solomon 0-1 

2B — Fann 3, Coopman 2. Stajcar, McEwen. 3B — Sullenger. RBIs — Sullenger 3, Rech 3, Fann 2, Coopman, Wigginton. Cunningham 2, Stajcar, McEwen.