Pitching, defense help Lakers AA sweep Scarlets AA
Sam Elliott was brilliant on the mound and the Kalispell Lakers AA manufactured a game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh for a 2-1 American Legion baseball victory over the Billings Scarlets AA on Tuesday evening at Griffin Field in the second game of a doubleheader.
Kalispell used a 7-run sixth inning to sink the Scarlets in the opener 11-1 for the sweep.
Elliott went the distance in the nightcap, checking Billings on four hits. He fanned eight and issued one walk.
Scarlets standout Ben Tallman was also impressive in his 5 2/3 inning stint. He struck out nine, walked three and allowed five hits.
“We had two of the best going head to head,” Lakers coach Ryan Malmin said of Elliott and Tallman.
“They didn’t disappoint.”
With the game tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, Logan Taylor led off with an infield single. He advanced to second on an error.
A bunt by Eric Seaman pushed Taylor to third, who scored on a throwing error to third to win it for Kalispell.
Billings threatened in the top half of the seventh, putting runners on first and second with no outs. However the Lakers turned a Scarlets bunt into a double play and retired the next batter to end the threat.
Seaman went 3 for 3. Brandon Jordan was 2 for 2.
Drew Scherrer picked up the win for the Lakers in the first game. He went 5 1/3 innings, striking out six with no walks. He allowed three hits.
Elliott homered and drove in four runs.
Dawson Smith doubled and had two RBIs.
Kalispell (30-13 overall, 8-6 league) hosts Great Falls on Friday for a doubleheader and for a single game on Saturday.
The Lakers have eight league games remaining before the AA state tournament, which begins July 28th in Kalispell.
Billings Scarlets AA 001 000 0 — 1 4 3
Kalispell Lakers AA 001 000 1 — 2 7 1
WP—Sam Elliott; LP—Ben Tallman.
BILLINGS SCARLETS AA — Christian Michaelson 0-3, Max Egan 0-2, Tallman 1-3, Andy Larson 0-3, Dillon Johnson 2-3, Jarron Wilcox 0-3, Cole Devries 0-2, Aaron Seward 0-3, Kobe Croft 1-2.
KALISPELL LAKERS AA — Randy Stultz 0-3, Taylor Morton 1-4, Eric Seaman 3-3, Dawson Smith 0-3, AJ Jones 1-3, Ryan Symmes 0-2, Jonathan Craver 0-2, Johan Freudenburg 0-2, Logan Siblerud 0-1, Brandon Jordan 2-2.
2B—Croft; Jordanl RBIs—Egan.
Billings Scarlets AA 000 001 — 1 3 1
Kalispell Lakers AA 002 207 — 11 6 1
WP—Drew Scherrer; LP—Larson.
BILLINGS SCARLETS AA — Michaelson 0-2, Taylor Musgrave 0-3, Tallman 0-3, Larson 1-2, Johnson 0-2, Corey Brownson 0-2, Devries 0-2, Seward 0-1, Kolby Kimmett 1-1, Croft 1-2.
KALISPELL LAKERS AA — Stultz 1-2, Morton 1-3, Seaman 0-2, Smith 1-3, Jones 0-2, Symmes 0-2, Craver 1-2, Freudenburg 1-2, Elliott 1-1, Jordan 0-2.
2B—Larson; Craver, Smith; HR—Elliott; RBIs—Musgrave; Stultz, Morton, Seaman, Smith (2), Craver, Freudenburg, Elliott (4).