Twins open with losses in Missoula
The Glacier Twins AA baseball team kicked off their season April 18 with a doubleheader in Missoula against the Mavericks at Lindborg-Cregg Field.
Missoula took the afternoon set 16-2 after they pieced together big second and third innings to open up a 14-run lead. With the Twins unable to rally, the game was called after 4 1/2 innings due to the 10-run rule.
In the nightcap, Missoula had another high-scoring inning in the fourth, pushing five runs across to open up a 7-2 lead. Glacier made a nice rally attempt in the final three frames, scoring three runs to close the gap the 7-5.
Twins coach Lindsay Fansler said he felt good about the team's effort in the second game.
"It was good for us to make a game out of it," he said. "I saw some good things. Cody Hill threw three solid innings for us. So it's good to see some positives."
He said the recent snowy and cold weather has hampered the Twins on-field practice time, as has the construction of the new grandstand at Memorial Stadium.
"We've not had a lot of time on the field," he said. "There's no doubt that Missoula is ahead of us there."
The Twins have fielded a 12-man roster this year, down from past seasons. Returning are Trevor Miller, Cody Elek, Wade Martinson and Kyle Knox.
The team travels to Helena this Saturday for a doubleheader.
First game
Missoula 16, Glacier 2
Glacier 020 00 - 2 4 2
Missoula 257 2x - 16 15 1
Trevor Miller, Carl Talsma (3), Zach Massen (4) and Cody Elek. Andrew Sopko, CJ Wulf (5) and Steven DeYoung. W - Sopko (1-0). L - Miller (0-1).
GLACIER - Jeremy Neilson 1-3, Wade Martinson 0-3, Elek 0-2, Dustin VonFeldt 0-0, Massen 0-2, Miller 1-2, Chris Gross 0-1, Cody Hill 1-2, Talsma 0-0, Jeff Streeter 0-0, Kyler Blades 1-2.
MISSOULA - Ben Roberts 3-4, Brody Miller 3-3, Kendal Maier 2-4, DeYoung 0-3, Robby King 1-4, Riley King 3-4, Collin LaPorte 1-3, Nathan Jewett 1-1, Matt McMann 1-3.
2B - T. Miller, Roberts, B. Miller. 3B - Roberts, B. Miller, Maier, LaPorte. RBIs - T. Miller, Blades, Roberts 2, B. Miller 2, Maier 3, Ro. King, Ri. King 2, LaPorte, Jewett 2, McMann.
Second game
Missoula 7, Glacier 5
Glacier 100 110 2 - 5 5 1
Missoula 110 500 x - 7 10 3
Hill, Kyle Yogodzinski (4) and Nielson. McMann, Jewett (4), Ri. King (7) and David Resner. W - Jewett (1-0). L - Yogodzinski (0-1).
GLACIER - Nielson 1-3, Martinson 2-3, Elek 0-2, Masson 0-1, VonFeldt 1-4, T, Miller 0-2, Yogodzinski 0-2, Streeter 0-2, Gross 0-1, Hill 0-2, Talsma 1-3, Blades 0-2
MISSOULA - Roberts 2-4, B. Miller 3-3, Maier 0-2, DeYoung 1-3, Ro. King 1-4, Ri. King 0-4, Resner 1-3, Sopko 2-3, laPorte 0-2
2B - Martinson, B. Miller, Sopko. 3B - Roberts, B. Miller. HR - Roberts (3). RBIs - Martinson, Elek, Von Feldt, Roberts, B. Miller 2, DeYoung, Sopko.