AA Legion: Senators allow one hit, stop Lakers 11-0

by Daily Inter Lake
| July 29, 2022 6:18 PM

BILLINGS — Helena pitcher Mike Hurlbert held Kalispell hitless for four-plus innings, and the defending champion Senators handled the Lakers 11-0 at the State AA Legion tournament Thursday at Dehler Park.

Helena (46-12), which improved to 6-2 against the Lakers this season, put up five runs in the first inning and never looked back. The Senators tacked on six more runs in the fourth inning and when Kalispell (31-24) went scoreless in the fifth — pinch-hitter Adam Nikunen singled for his team's only hit and Timmy Glanville walked with one out, but were stranded — the game ended under the mercy rule.

Kalispell falls into a loser’s bracket game with the Bozeman Bucks Friday at 4 p.m. Helena advanced to the winner’s bracket semifinal against the Billings Royals, at 7 p.m. The Royals edged the Great Falls Chargers 12-11.

Hurlburt came out after 60 pitches and one out in the fifth; he’d fanned five Lakers. Gavin Thennis came on and the next two Lakers reached before he got a pair of flyouts to end it.

A one-out fielding error and Ty Tenney’s single helped Helena get started in the first inning. With two out, a wild pitch scored one run and Hunter Wallis’ double brought in two more.

Helena sent 11 men to the plate in the fourth, and Hunter Bratcher hit two of his team’s five singles in the frame. The latter brought in the game’s final run.

Lakers 000 00 - 0 1 3

Senators 500 6x - 11 10 1

Ostyn Brennan, Fletcher Postlewait (4), Carter Schlegel (4) and Grady Drish. Mike Hurlbert, Gavin Thennis (5) and Trysten Mooney.

KALISPELL LAKERS — Brennan 0-3, Kostya Hoffman 0-2, Gage Brink 0-2, Oscar Kallis 0-1, Haiden Bunyea 0-2, James Moody 0-1, Elijah Owens 0-1, Max Holden 0-1, Adam Nikunen 1-1, Drish 0-1, Timmy Glanville 0-0, Kane Morisaki 0-1, Schlegel 0-1.

HELENA SENATORS — Hunter Bratcher 2-4, Mooney 1-4, Ty Tenney 1-3, Hurlbert 1-3, Hunter Wallis 2-3, Walker Bennett 1-1, Manu Melo 1-2, Tycen Mooney 0-1, Thennis 1-3.

2B — Wallis. RBIs — Wallis 2, Bratcher, Hurlbert, Bennett, Melo, Mooney, Thennis.