Breakthrough victory for Twins

Glacier notches first Western AA win in split with Lethbridge

WHITEFISH - The Glacier Twins made their season while the Lethbridge Spitz Elks may have saved theirs all on the same afternoon Wednesday at Memorial Park.

The Twins won their first Western AA game after 17 straight losses, beating Lethbridge 5-2 in the opening game of an American Legion baseball doubleheader.

"We've been telling them that they haven't been playing their best baseball of the year," Glacier coach Ryan Hadfield said of what he told his players before they stepped on the field.

"They played their best baseball in this game."

Zane Ridings had a strong outing on the mound for Glacier, holding the Elks to six hits. The Twins put together a four-run fifth inning with Scott Palmer and Bridger Beach, 3-for-3, getting RBI singles and Dustin VonFeldt, 2-for-3, clubbing a two-run double to the gap in left-center.

"The big thing today - defense," Hadfield said.

"We only made one error."

Hadfield said Palmer's single "was a game-changing play. That put us up 2-1."

Glacier had six of its 10 hits in that inning.

"Hey, let's hope so," Hadfield said when asked if this is this the start of something special.

"It would be great to finish out the year strong."

Lethbridge managed to kept its state tournament hopes alive in the second game, rebounding for a 13-6 victory. Glacier led 1-0, but Lethbridge jumped in front 7-1 and then watched the Twins rally to trail 7-5. That, however, was as close as they would get.

"They did battle back," Hadfield said.

"That was nice to see. They didn't give up. We are hitting better."

Glacier had nine hits in that game to 13 for Lethbridge.

Beach went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs while VonFeldt went 2-for-4.

The Elks, who are now 14-8 in league play, snapped a three-game skid as Kylle Rokosh, 3-for-5, hit a two-run homer over the stands in center field in the second inning, and Mitch Maxwell, 3-for-5, homered into the stands in center with one runner on in the sixth inning. Both players had three RBIs for the game.

It was the third HR of the season for Rokosh and the first for Maxwell.

The center-field fence measures 360 feet from home plate.

Lethbridge has two league outings remaining, single games Saturday and Sunday at Missoula. The Kalispell Lakers, 12-9 in Western AA play, are also in the hunt for a trip to state.

The Lakers have three league games left, all at home. They host Glacier today at 7 p.m. and then wind up with a doubleheader on Sunday with Medicine Hat, starting at 1 p.m.

If Lethbridge wins out, they advance to state with the final berth from Western AA. The Lakers are in a must-win mode and need Lethbridge to falter down the stretch.

Already going to state from Western AA are the Great Falls Stallions (17-6) and Missoula Mavericks (16-6). Missoula beat the Stallions 5-4 on Wednesday.

The Great Falls Electrics, the state tournament hosts, have the other state tournament berth.

"We had to have this one," Lethbridge coach Scott Oikawa said of the win over Glacier.

"We still control our own destiny."

If Lethbridge and Kalispell finish tied for third place, Kalispell wins the tie-breaker and goes to state, Aug. 2-6.

Lethbridge split at home with Missoula last week, losing 18-17 and winning 10-1.

"We didn't go to state (last year)," Oikawa said.

"We lost it at the end (of the regular season). We had to beat Medicine Hat, and they beat us. It was a little disappointing having that happen."

Glacier has five league games left. After the meeting with Kalispell, the Twins are home for two games on Saturday with Medicine Hat and for two more on Sunday with the Great Falls Electrics.

Game 1

Lethbridge 100 000 1 - 2 6 NA

Glacier 010 040 x - 5 10 1

NA; Zane Ridings and Bridger Beach. W - Ridings. L - NA.

Lethbridge - Mark Clauson 2-4, Brock Fulkerth 0-3, Spencer Farrell 2-3, Mitch Maxwell 1-3, Kylle Rokosh 0-3, Tanner Granberg 0-3, Tyson Hudson 0-2, Jamin Heller 0-1, Braeden Horon 1-3, Chad Northcutt 0-2, Sheldon Haughian 0-1.

Glacier - Scott Palmer 1-2, Zane Ridings 1-2, Scott Yogodzinski 1-3, Bridger Beach 3-3, Dustin VonFeldt 2-3, Ryan Caron 0-2, Wayde Martinson 1-3, Kyle Knox 1-2, Kyle Yogodzinski 0-1, Adam Pisk 0-2.

2B-VonFeldt; RBIs-Farrell, Horon; Palmer, Beach, VonFeldt, Martinson.

Game 2

Lethbridge 034 005 1 - 13 13 3

Glacier 100 131 0 - 6 9 2

Mitch Maxwell, Jamin Heller (5) and Braeden Horon; Scott Palmer, Kyle Knox (3), Brad Nielsen (6), Adam Pisk (6) and Ryan Caron, Bridger Beach (3). W - Maxwell. L - Palmer.

Lethbridge - Mark Clauson 0-2, Tyler Czech 0-3, Brock Fulkerth 0-3, Maxwell 3-5, Spencer Farrell 2-3, Kylle Rokosh 3-5, Braeden Horon 2-3, Tanner Granberg 1-4, Chad Northcott 1-4, Kym Barthel 0-1, Heller 1-1.

Glacier - Scott Palmer 0-2, Zane Ridings 0-2, Nielsen 1-2, Scott Yogodzinski 1-4, Beach 3-4, Dustin VonFeldt 2-4, Caron 1-4, Wayde Martinson 0-3, Kyle Knox 0-3, Kyle Yogodzinski 0-1, Adam Pisk 1-2.

HRs-Rokosh, Maxwell; RBIs-Fulkerth (2), Maxwell (3), Rokosh (3), Horon, Northcott (3); S. Yogodzinski, Beach (2), Caron.

League Standings

Western AA

W L

Great Falls Stallions 17 6

Missoula Mavericks 16 6

Lethbridge Spitz Elks 14 8

Kalispell Lakers 12 9

Great Falls Electrics 8 13

Medicine Hat Monarchs 6 14

Glacier Twins 1 18

Wednesday

Glacier 5, Lethbridge 2

Lethbridge 13, Glacier 6

Missoula 5, Great Falls Stallions 4

Medicine Hat 3, Electrics 2

Electrics 10, Medicine Hat 9

Today

7 p.m. - Glacier at Kalispell (1/9)

Saturday

3 p.m. - Great Falls Stallions at Great Falls Electrics (1/9)

5 p.m. - Medicine Hat Glacier (2/7)

7 p.m. - Lethbridge at Missoula (1/9)

Sunday

1 p.m. - Medicine Hat at Kalispell (2/7)

1 p.m. - Great Falls Electrics at Glacier (2/7)

1 p.m. - Lethbridge at Missoula (1/9)

Eastern AA

W L

Billings Scarlets 16 2

Bozeman 15 5

Billings Royals 12 6

Helena 11 9

Butte 10 6

Belgrade 2 18

Miles City 0 18

Wednesday

Belgrade at Miles City (2/7)

Helena 11, Butte 0

Helena 9, Butte 8

Today

Billings Scarlets at Billings Royals (1/9)

Friday

Billings Royals at Billings Scarlets (1/9)