Twins finish season in losing fashion
For the Hungry Horse News
It was do or die time for the Glacier Twins during the final week of regular season play. At stake for Glacier, was a possible berth into the upcoming state tournament at Bozeman.
The Twins enhanced their state chances with a satisfying doubleheader sweep of the Missoula Mavericks July 21 on the road. That meant Glacier had to win three of its final four Western AA games over the weekend to crack the top four and get to state.
Unfortunately for the Twins, they finished the season with a 1-3 showing against Medicine Hat and the Great Falls Electrics. The dagger in Glacier's heart came during last Saturday's doubleheader loss to Medicine Hat, which effectively ended the team's post-season chances.
The Twins finished 10-14 in Western AA play and 20-34 overall.
"There were four or five games we let get away from us and that completely made the difference in the season," Glacier coach Jack Helber said. "We just didn't click when we should have this season." Glacier's state tourney hopes seemed to be boosted after the team thumped Missoula 10-5 and 10-0 to start the week on a high note. The Twins swept the season series from the Mavericks for the first time in about 16 years, Helber said.
In the second game, Glacier right-hander Justin Cooper pitched a complete game shutout to lift the team to an easy 10-0 mercy-rule victory. Glacier's batters supported Cooper with a sturdy 11-hit attack and a four-run third that provided more than enough offense.
Outfielder Jesse Paulson drilled a solo homer to lead off Glacier's big inning. The four runs upped the Twins' lead to 7-0. Paulson finished 2-for-4 with a homer and a double, while Jared Krueger's two-run single in the first jump-started the team. Billy Marcial and Ryan Stultz both had two hits in the victory.
Cooper used pinpoint control and a deceiving change-up to keep Missoula's hitters off stride. In five innings, Cooper issued just one walk and struck out two in tossing a complete game six-hitter.
In the opener, Paulson wielded a hot bat. The Glacier outfielder went 2-for-4 with an RBI single during Glacier's three-run fourth inning. The Mavericks touched Glacier starting pitcher Marcial for four runs in the first, but the Twins rallied with two runs in the second and third innings and their three-run fourth. Nik Caron's two-run double in the fourth gave Glacier an 8-4 lead the team would never relinquish.
Marcial settled down nicely after the first and went the distance atop the mound. The Glacier lefty fanned three in picking up the pitching victory. Krueger knocked home two runs during the opening game victory.
Glacier's sweep of Missoula set up a pivotal doubleheader with Medicine Hat last Saturday at home. But the Twins bats were silent in a 10-0 opening game loss. In the second contest, Glacier had three costly errors during Medicine Hat's four-run third that propelled the team to a 7-2 victory.
"We did not play well Saturday," Helber noted. "We were very uninspired and I don't know why."
Sunday's doubleheader against the Electrics wasn't totally meaningless for the Twins. An 8-2 win the first game left Glacier in second to last place and the Electrics in the Western AA cellar.
Chase Kolodejchuk provided Glacier with a quality pitching start and the Twins pounded 10 hits for a 6-2 first game victory. Kolodejchuk allowed just two runs in six innings of work to up his record to 4-3. Glacier rallied from a 2-0 deficit with a four-run fourth that settled things. Marcial went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs for the twins, while catcher Brad Bell finished 1-for-2. Stultz was also 1-for-3 with an RBI.
In the second game, Great Falls touched Bell for four runs the first two innings on the way to an 11-7 win. Infielder Ben Schwanz went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Glacier, while Chris Barnes added a 2-for-3 plate performance. Barnes singled and doubled and drove in a run. Caron knocked home two runs during his final game with the Twins.