Legion preview: New faces for Lakers, Twins

Legion baseball season, whether you were ready or not, has begun in Northwest Montana and at this early, wind-whipped moment one thing is clear: The Mission Valley Mariners are salty.

This is based on their season-opening 7-6 win over the AA Kalispell Lakers on Monday

The AA Lakers are set to play again, with a doubleheader at Missoula Sunday at 1 p.m.

The A Lakers, who play the A Mavericks Sunday in Missoula as well, began their season with a scorefest with the Great Falls Chargers on Saturday.

Here are capsule looks at the Lakers squads as well as the surrounding Class A legion teams:

AA Lakers

There are a couple familiar faces in the bullpen and a handful on offense for veteran coach Ryan Malmin.

“I would say we’re inexperienced in that we have three returners back in the lineup,” Malmin said. “But Kostya Hoffman and Max Holden are back, and they had the most innings thrown last year.

“In years past we had four or five guys that we knew could be starters and pitching long relief, and close. This year those are the unknowns.”

To that end Malmin hopes Fletcher Postlewait, who moved up from the A Lakers, can help fill out the staff along with Asher Baines, Aaron Crutsinger and James Moody.

Ostyn Brennan and Nic Gustafson are two more good arms Malmin hopes develop into steady pitchers.

“We have better depth than (before), both behind the dish and in the outfield,” Malmin added. “And more speed.”

He figures Jackson Nelson, coming off a great offseason, can play center along with Gustafson. Elijah Owens is in left; Moody and Hoffman are outfield candidates as well.

Grady Drish is back after catching a bulk of the games a year ago, and Malmin is pleased that Brennan, Haiden Bunyea and Gustafson are also capable backstops.

Gage Brink, a super senior, is back at shortstop and at the top of the order. He helps make the Lakers strong up the middle. Malmin has to pick from Bunyea, Holden and Moody for third base, and Holden, Kane Moriskai and Postlewait at first. Bunyea or Brennan can play second.

Drish, Owens and Brink were everyday players for last year’s AA team, which went 35-21. That means most of the rest are up from the A ranks.

“We have kids that can be comfortable moving from position to position, which helps with our young roster,” Malmin said. “We just have to get their feet wet and put them in some defensive situations.”

A Lakers

The squad began the season with an 18-12 win over the Chargers, in what was a scheduled twinbill in Great Falls.

Moody got a couple hits in the win, while veterans Oscar Kallis and Brysen Herion combined for six runs batted in.

Much of the squad is made up of members of the 2021 B Lakers: Kaden Drish, Adam Nikunen, Josh Close, Michael Owens, Joey Thatcher, Nate Skonord, TJ Hayek and Easton Capser.

Glacier Twins

Last year’s Twins went 51-16, lost in the State A championship tilt and figured to have everyone except all-round player Zach Veneman returning. But that was then.

Catcher Danny Dunn, who came over from Eureka to play a year ago, is forgoing his senior season, and George Robbins, who started that championship game, also didn’t return.

Stevyn Andrachick, a standout shortstop, is out indefinitely after shoulder surgery.

“We could get him back late in the season,” coach Kevin Slaybaugh allowed. “But not at shortstop, and he won’t be pitching.”

Long story short, there are 10 new faces to go along with a handful of veterans.

Mason Peters, who plays infield and is a top catcher, and Mikey Glass, who excelled at second a year ago, could man the middle infield. Owen Schilling, Hayden Meehan and Jake McIntyre played quite a bit.

Meehan will be one of the top pitchers along with Glass and lefthander Josiah Ruther.

“There’s another six or eight guys in our program that can throw for us,” Slaybaugh said.

That’s where the newcomers come in.

“They’re a talented bunch,” said Slaybaugh, whose club beat Cranbrook, B.C.,13-3 Saturday. “I don’t know how they’ll all fit in, but they might save their bacon.”

Libby Loggers

Libby went 17-24 a year ago, but has a host of talented players back, starting with 6-foot-4 left handed pitcher Caden Williams.

The Loggers, who open their season April 30 at home against Mission VAlley, also have Tripp Zhang back in center. He’ll pitch as well.

“He plays really good defense for us but of course his stick is really important,” Libby coach Kelly Morford said. “He’s come on, on the hill for us a little bit. He had some big innings last year.”

Being strong up the middle gets easier with a veteran shortstop, and Aiden Rose is back for a second season there. At second it could be Dylan Buckner, Cy Williams or Chase Rayome.

Williams can also fill in behind the plate if veteran Rusty Gillespie needs a day off.

Aydan Williamson will man first and hit in the middle of the order. Morford likes the left-handed bat of Landon Haddock.

“They’re going to move around, but I think our infield group is going to be much improved,” Morford said. “In general, we have a chance to have as good a team as we’ve had the last four or five years.”

Libby had a run of five state tourneys in seven seasons, but is now chasing its first berth since 2013. Young pitchers Caleb Moeller and David Bailey could help make that a reality.

“There aren’t a lot of top-end arms, but we have a lot of guys that can throw,” Morford said.

Mission Valley Mariners

The Mariners may return the most talent from last season, when they went 36-19.

Not all of them are there yet: Daniel Kelsch is studying at MSU-Northern, and returns mid-May.

But right now they have Xavier Fisher at short, Alex Muzquiz at second, Dawson DuMont in center and Espn Fisher behind the plate.

“The middle infield has been the same for about three years now,” said third-year head coach Brad Fisher, father to Xavier and Espn. “They’ve been pretty good. Xavier’s been an All-State player for the last two years.”

Dylan Davis and Ethan McCauley are two more highly-touted players for Mission Valley, which played the Missoula A Maves on Saturday.