Bigfork Babe Ruth takes first in league; wins first playoff game
Bigfork's Babe Ruth team not only captured the top spot in the league for the regular season last week with their 12-2 record, but they also won their first game of the playoffs on Sunday.
Bigfork beat number four seed Back Room, a Columbia Falls team, 7-6 Sunday in the first round of the double elimination tournament. Luke LaFontaine pitched the first three innings and gave up three hits, four runs and five walks, and he struck out four batters. Mitchel Harsh pitched the remaining four innings and struck out six batters and gave up just two hits, one earned run and three walks.
Offensively, Cody Dopps was one-for-three with a triple, one run scored and two RBIs. Kyle Parker was one-for-two with a sacrifice and one run scored. Eugene Germain scored the game winning run for Bigfork in the sixth inning with two outs. Luke LaFontaine hit a single to right field to bring Germain home. Overall LaFontaine was two-for-two, was walked twice and scored two runs.
"There were two ESPN quality plays made by our team during this game," sad Bigfork Babe Ruth Baseball Head Coach James LaFontaine. "Kyle Hayes laid out in one hop and caught the ball and got the kid out at first. Then there was a fly ball to left field in foul territory and Conner Coleman dove and rolled and made the catch. Our defense really stepped up when they needed to."
Friday's game was not only a rematch between Bigfork and the team that handed them their first loss of the season, Montana Build, but the game also determined who would be in first place in the Glacier League at the end of the regular season. Bigfork won the game, and the bragging rights, with a 10-8 victory.
"That was a really good accomplishment for the kids," coach LaFontaine said. "It was a real positive win because we are going into the playoffs knowing that we beat every team in the league at least once this season.
Parker pitched all but the final inning and gave up eight hits, six earned runs and three walks, and he threw five strikeouts. Parker was a leader at the plate as well. He hit three-for-four, including a triple, scored one run and had three RBIs.
Also leading Bigfork offensively was Curtis Jochen, who scored two runs off of one hit and three walks. Germain also scored two runs off of one hit, one walk and being hit by the pitcher once.
Bigfork nearly gave the game away in the sixth inning when their rivals scored five runs and tied the game.
"We allowed three errors in the sixth to let them back in the game," coach LaFontaine said. "It wasn't our pitching. It was our defense. Luckily we scored two runs in the seventh to win the game."
Tuesday's game against MacKenzie River was Bigfork's last home game, which they won 6-4 making them undefeated at home.
Brett Sward, Luke LaFontaine and Parker teamed up on pitching duties to allow five hits, four runs, six walks and they struck out nine batters.
At the plate, Harsh was two-for-four with a triple and one run scored. Jochen was one-for-three with a double and one run scored.
Bigfork's second game of the playoffs is 5 p.m. tonight, June 11, in Columbia Falls against Whitefish's Sports Medicine. The playoffs will continue through Sunday at various sites depending on wins and losses. For an up to date schedule go to www.glacierleaguebaseball.com.
Sunday
Backroom—0-4-0-1-0-1-0—6
Bigfork—2-3-1-0-0-1—7
Friday
Montana Build—2-1-0-0-0-5-0—8
Bigfork—0-4-1-0-0-3-2—10
Tuesday
MacKenzie River—1-0-0-2-0-1-0—4
Bigfork—0-2-0-0-3-1—6