BILLINGS — With a final score of 14-5, the Billings Royals beat out the Kalispell Lakers and secured a spot in the championship game for the AA State Legion Championship. The Royals will play the Helena Senators Sunday.
After both teams got off to a good start, in the top of the third inning Kalispell’s Gage Brink hit a bases loaded two-run double down the right field line. That would plate two for the Lakers making the score 3-4.
With the Lakers still threatening, Royals pitcher Davis Mosier would escape the jam by getting Max Holden to fly out to center field.
The Royals would then respond in the bottom half with a huge eight run inning. It was all them from there.
A single to right by Kruz Slevira got the scoring started by knocking in Jessen West.
The hits would just keep coming for the Royals in the third as Mosier would help his own cause by shooting a line drive to left field, scoring one to extend the Royals lead 8-3.
The Royals still weren't done there as a few batters later Sy Waldron would hit one opposite field to right, knocking in two more runs. This would push their lead even further to 11-3.
Fast forward to the top of the fifth where Kalispell would continue to battle. With a couple of runners on, Grady Drish lines a two-run single to left center.
In that same inning, the Royals would get a little bit of help fom their defense when third baseman Jaiden Turner makes a diving stop and throw from the ground to get an out on what was almost a double play.
In the sixth, the Lakers would try to make one last push but Royals pitcher Kayden Keith would strike out back-to-back hitters to get out of a bases loaded jam.
The Royals would win the game 14-5 and advance to Sunday’s championship where they will look to avenge last years state title loss against Helena.
