MISSOULA — It’s not rare for American Legion Baseball teams to play doubleheaders, but Tuesday the Mavericks hosted both the Kalispell Lakers and Bozeman Bucks.
In the first game, it was the Bozeman Bucks stepping onto the field looking for a road win. The Bucks came out swinging as they scored two big runs in the first inning.
The next three innings were a pitchers’ duel between Bozeman’s Sage McMinn and Missoula’s Dane Fraser. In the fourth, a wild pitch allowed the Bucks to bring another run home, but that wouldn’t matter much as Bozeman tacked on three more in the seventh to take the 6-1 win.
In the second game, it was the Kalispell Lakers looking for a road win. In the first inning, both teams had success with their offense, both scoring a run.
In the second inning, the Lakers added another run to take the 2-1 lead, but Missoula got that run back in the third inning to tie it at 2-all. Then in the fifth inning, the Lakers opened it up with a string of singles taking the 5-2 lead, looking like it was all said and done.
But the Mavericks’ bats woke up in the sixth as four runs came across to take the 6-5 lead. Missoula shut the door in the seventh to avoid being swept in the doubleheader at home.
