Vikings, Bulldogs win play-in games Friday

BIGFORK — Grady Campbell delivered a walk-off double to left field in the bottom of the 10th inning Friday, scoring Hayden Mayer and lifting Bigfork past Hamilton 4-3 in a Class A baseball play-in game thriller. 

Mayer reached earlier in the inning on an error before Campbell lined the game-winning hit into left field to send the Vikings (14-5) home winners. 

Hamilton (17-4) grabbed the early lead in the first inning on a sacrifice fly from Bridger Huddleston, but the Vikings answered immediately with two runs in the bottom half. Mason Lewis drew a bases-loaded walk to give Bigfork a 2-1 edge. 

The game settled into a pitching duel from there. Hamilton starter Adrian Cardullo struck out 10 over five innings, while Bigfork ace Max Schara worked all 10 innings for the Vikings. 

Hamilton tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh inning on a sacrifice bunt from Landon Ekin before both teams traded scoreless frames late. 

Schara finished with seven strikeouts while allowing four hits and two earned runs across 10 innings. Ryder Hamilton added two hits for the Vikings, while Rye Rodriguez stole two bases. 

Hamilton received hits from Huddleston, Jackson Lubke, Trevyn Bakken and Jude Widmer. The Broncs also turned a double play defensively. 

Bigfork now turns its attention to the Eastern No. 1 seed Billings Central in the Class A state tournament beginning Thursday in Polson. 

Whitefish 5, Florence 1 

FLORENCE — Whitefish used a steady offensive approach and a complete-game effort from Tait Orme to beat Florence-Carlton. 

The Bulldogs (14-8) collected 12 hits and turned three double plays defensively in the play-in win. 

Whitefish scored twice in the opening inning after Reyd Hobart delivered an RBI single and Gavin Knapp drew a bases-loaded walk. Hobart added another RBI single in the third inning as the Bulldogs gradually pulled away. 

Orme tossed all seven innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out four. 

Finn Ryan, Hobart, Luke Dalen and Orme each finished with two hits for Whitefish. Hobart drove in two runs and stole three bases as the Bulldogs totaled five steals. 

Calan Rocco drove in the Falcons (12-6) lone run. 

Whitefish will open its state tournament campaign against Dillon, the No. 1 seed out of the Central.