Lakers split with Bucks

Perseverance paid off on Sunday for the Kalispell Lakers AA.

Down 7-0 to the Bozeman Bucks after the first inning in game one of Sunday’s American Legion doubleheader at Griffin Field, the Lakers battled, chipped away, and eventually came away with an 8-7 victory. Eric Seaman singled and scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

They couldn’t maintain that energy, however, and fell 6-2 in the nightcap.

Jonathan Craver was 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI in the first game.

“Props to our kids in game one... a disastrous first inning. It would have been easy for guys to fold. But we chipped at the lead, played clean defense for seven innings and Jack (Corriveau) competed his butt off on the mound. He held them scoreless for six innings and gave us a chance,” said Lakers coach Ryan Malmin.

The Lakers scored one run in the first two innings, then added four runs in the third. They tied the game in the fifth.

“We let (Saturday’s) game get away from us with the winning run in scoring position in the seventh, eighth, and ninth, so to get game one today was important,” he added.

“I’m disappointed in our effort and energy in game three. We simply needed to compete better and our guys know that,” the coach said.

Bozeman got off to another quick start in the second game. It led 4-0 after two innings. The Lakers scored one run in the sixth and another in the bottom of the seventh.

Ryan Symmes was 2-for-4 at the plate and Randy Stultz hit a double in the second game.

“We have won our last three 3-game conference series and we had our opportunities to get a fouth. We need to move on, put this series in the rear view mirror and focus on what is in front of us in the final three weeks and start playing our best baseball.”

Bozeman 700 000 00 —775

Kalispell 114 010 01 —884

Brady Higg, Sam Schmidt (3) and Alton Gysleman. Jack Corriveau, Connor Drish (8) and Jonathan Craver. W — Drish. L —Schmidt.

Bozeman — Kelher Murfitt 0-4, Mike Freund 2-4, Finn Snyder 0-4, Alton Gysleman 0-3, Ben Hubley 2-4, Carsten Simcox 2-4, Logan Pailthorpe 1-3, Sam Schmidt 0-3, Parker Meman 0-3. 2B — Hubley. RBI — Hubley 2, Simcox 1, Schmidt 1, Meman 1.

Kalispell — Randy Stultz 0-4, Ryan Symmes 0-5, Eric Seaman 1-4, Taylor Morton 0-3, Connor Drish 1-3, Luke Halland 0-3, Payton Davisson 1-2, Logan Siblerud 0-1, Kobe Burland 3-3, Jonathan Craver 2-3. RBI —Stultz 1, Seaman 1, Burland 1, Craver 3.

Bozeman 130 010 1 — 6 62

Lakers 000 001 1 261

Parker Meman, Finn Snyder (6) and Alton Gysleman. Logan Siblerud, Ryan McDonald (5), Kobe Burland (7) and Jonathan Craver. W —Meman. L — Siblerud.

Bozeman —Kelher Murfitt 2-4, Carsten Simcox 0-4, Mike Freund 0-3, Finn Snyder 2-4,Ben Hubley 0-2, Alton Gysleman 0-3, Logan Pailthorpe 1-3, Etham Coleman 1-2, Wyatt Amende 0-2. RBI —Murfitt 2, Freund 1, Snyder 1, Coleman 1, Amende 1.

Kalispell — Randy Stultz 1-2, Ryan Symmes 2-4, Eric Seaman 0-2, Taylor Morton 1-4, Connor Drish 1-2, Luke Halland 1-3, Payton Davisson 0-3, Kobe Burland 0-2, Jonathan Craver 0-3. 2B — Stultz. RBI —Seaman 1, Davisson 1.