Defending home field: Wolfpack make key defensive plays in win over Flathead
JON ALLEN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 59 minutes AGO
Glacier catcher Brady Buckmaster (18) puts the tag on Flathead's Leum Saisbury (0) trying to score on a hit by Micah Engle in the seventh inning at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier pitcher Kyler Croft (11) delivers against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Flathead's Hunter Fann (11) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Flathead pitcher Miles Arrowsmith (2) delivers against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier's Falon Clark (14) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the third inning against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier's Tate Kahler (4) drives in a run with an RBI single in the fifth inning against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Flathead's Micah Engle (9) connects on a single against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Flathead's Eli Coopman (6) steals third base as Glacier third baseman Ryne Gillette (13) applies the tag at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier shortstop Beau Schulz (7) throws to first for an out after fielding a ground ball hit by Flathead's Leum Saisbury (0) at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier centerfielder Teagan Dixon (5) makes a running catch on a line drive against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Flathead's Micah Engle (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the seventh inning against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Flathead shortstop Hunter Fann (11) charges a ground ball against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier's Kaeden Kahler (22) drives in a run with a single in the third inning against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier centerfielder Teagan Dixon (5) makes a running catch on a line drive against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Flathead's Liam Rech (4) hits a double in the first inning against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Glacier third baseman Ryne Gillette (13) throws to first base after fielding a ground ball against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Flathead pitcher Eli Coopman (6) delivers against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
SPORTS REPORTER Jon Allen is a sports reporter for the Daily Inter Lake. He covers youth and high school athletics across the Flathead Valley and Northwest Montana. Allen reports on major games, athletes and teams throughout the region’s prep sports landscape. In addition to game coverage, he contributes features and analysis across print and digital platforms. Jon can be seen on our Big Sky Now podcast, weighing in on the college landscape. His work highlights the athletes and communities that define Northwest Montana sports. IMPACT: Jon’s work tells the stories of local athletes and the communities that support them. | May 8, 2026 12:00 AM
It may not have been as high scoring as the first time, but Crosstown baseball delivered another great matchup.
Kyler Croft threw 6 2-3 innings for the Wolfpack and Ryne Gillette knocked a go-ahead double down the left field line as Glacier took a 7-6 victory over Flathead at Griffin Field Thursday.
The pitch count denied Croft the complete game — he tossed 111 pitches — striking out two and walking one.
“Had to take him out, had no choice,” Glacier coach Erik Brink said. “He probably should have finished the game, but we had some unforced errors ... He was out of gas the last two innings, but I think the last innings and two-thirds were his best innings in the whole game.”
“I think my biggest thing tonight was just throwing down the middle and letting my guy's work,” Croft said. “They did a really good job of that; I knew the guys had my back the whole time.”
Beau Schulz and Brady Buckmaster made their presence felt down the stretch.
Buckmaster made a key tag on Leum Saisbury as the Braves third baseman looked to score on a fly ball that got lost in the lights.
Schulz ended the game with a grab while running from his shortstop position deep into left field, colliding with Neil Pepe after making the catch.
The Braves (6-10) found the scoreboard first as Jacobe Sullenger hit a soft comebacker to Croft, who couldn’t grab the ball and allowed Micah Engle to score. Carter Wigginton then singled to center to make it 2-0. Another run came in on a throwing error later in the inning.
The Wolfpack (9-5) answered in the third, taking advantage of six walks, two balks and a Kaeden Kahler single to take a 4-3 lead.
“We had a couple walks in that inning and then Ryne Gillette comes up and gets a big hit for (Glacier),” Braves coach Richard Burland said. “Overall, I am proud of my boys and how they fought. I’m proud of how they hit, they hit the ball like no other.”
Back-to-back RBI singles from Hunter Fann and Liam Rech restored a Flathead lead at 5-4 in the fourth.
Again, Glacier had the answer as Tate Kahler scored on a passed ball to tie the game at five before Gillette laced one down the third baseline. Teagan Dixon scored from first as Gillette was thrown out trying to extend his hit into a triple.
The Braves had their chance in the seventh as Saisbury and Engle both hit routine fly balls that got lost in the lights, turning into doubles. Miles Arrowsmith reached on a high throw to first that allowed Engle to score.
“A little bit of play under the lights was fun, obviously it affected a bit of the play,” Brink said. “It was fantastic, this was a battle and we are all fighting for a playoff spot.”
Sullenger’s fly out to Schulz in left ended the game with Arrowsmith left on second.
Flathead now heads to Whitefish for a Friday showdown with the Bulldogs at 5 p.m. Glacier welcomes Missoula Big Sky on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Flathead 030 200 1 - 6 11 3
Glacier 004 210 x - 7 4 4
Kyler Croft, Max Weber (7) and Brady Buckmaster. Eli Coopman, Miles Arrowsmith (4) and Carter Wigginton.
FLATHEAD — Dillon Wink 0-2, Hunter Fann 2-4, Liam Rech 2-4, Eli Coopman 0-4, Leum Saisbury 1-4, Micah Engle 3-4, Miles Arrowsmith 1-4, Jacobe Sullenger 0-4, Carter Wigginton 2-3.
GLACIER — Teagan Dixon 0-2, Ryne Gillette 1-4, Kaeden Kahler 1=3. Brady Buckmaster 0-2, Beau Schulz 1-3, Max Weber 0-1, Kyler Croft 0-2, Tate Kahler 1-1, Neil Pepe 0-2.
2B — Engle, Saisbury, Rech. Gillette. RBIs — Fann, Rech, Sullenger, Wigginton. K.Kahler, T.Kahler.
Reporter Jon Allen can be reached at 406-758-4426 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.
Glacier pitcher Kyler Croft (11) delivers against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Flathead's Hunter Fann (11) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Flathead pitcher Miles Arrowsmith (2) delivers against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier's Falon Clark (14) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the third inning against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier's Tate Kahler (4) drives in a run with an RBI single in the fifth inning against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Flathead's Micah Engle (9) connects on a single against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Flathead's Eli Coopman (6) steals third base as Glacier third baseman Ryne Gillette (13) applies the tag at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier shortstop Beau Schulz (7) throws to first for an out after fielding a ground ball hit by Flathead's Leum Saisbury (0) at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier centerfielder Teagan Dixon (5) makes a running catch on a line drive against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Flathead's Micah Engle (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the seventh inning against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Flathead shortstop Hunter Fann (11) charges a ground ball against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier's Kaeden Kahler (22) drives in a run with a single in the third inning against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier centerfielder Teagan Dixon (5) makes a running catch on a line drive against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Flathead's Liam Rech (4) hits a double in the first inning against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Glacier third baseman Ryne Gillette (13) throws to first base after fielding a ground ball against Flathead at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
Flathead pitcher Eli Coopman (6) delivers against Glacier at Griffin Field on Thursday, May 7. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)Casey Kreider
ARTICLES BY JON ALLEN
Defending home field: Wolfpack make key defensive plays in win over Flathead
It may not have been as high scoring as the first time, but Crosstown baseball delivered another great matchup.
Making the grade
Ava Grady's hitting, pitching lead Pack over Bravettes
Ava Grady was on her game Tuesday.
One Timer: For the love (and growth) of the game
Lacrosse is a sport on the rise in Montana, or at least trying to rise.