Twins notch a few nonconference wins
<p>Glacier Twins pitcher Garrett Houston throws out a runner at first base in their win over Libby last week.</p>
The pieces are falling in place for the Glacier Twins AA baseball club just as the season kicks into full swing.
Last week, the Twins went 3-2 with nonconference wins over Libby, Trail, B.C., and Calgary, Alberta. The Twins improved their overall record to 5-13 after starting the season on an 11-game skid.
At Memorial Park in Whitefish on May 16, the Twins rocked the Loggers 11-1 on 14 hits. Carl Talsma tallied three RBIs on three hits in his first game back with the club.
Starting on the mound, Garrett Houston pitched five innings, struck out five batters and held the Loggers to one hit and no earned runs.
The game was never in doubt after the third, as the Twins scored two runs on an RBI-double by Conner Donahue and an RBI-single by Talsma.
The Twins scored three runs in the seventh on an RBI-double by Robert Simmons and a two-run single by Jake Slaybaugh.
On Friday at the Canadian Days tourney in Kalispell, the Twins rallied to a 7-6 win over Trail.
Jeremy Nielsen hit a 2-RBI triple to right field in the fifth and scored on a passed ball to make the score 5-6. Nielsen has five RBIs and is batting .375 in nine games since returning to the lineup.
Nick LaGrandeur singled in the top of the sixth to send Nathan Carr across the plate for the game-winning run. Carr doubled to center field to get on base.
Against Calgary on May 19, the Twins out hit the Redbirds AA team 13-2 en route to a 7-4 victory. Houston struck out two and gave up no hits on the mound.
Cory Davis had two RBIs on two hits to lead the team. Davis is hitting .312 this season through 18 games played.
The Twins play in the Missoula Memorial tournament this weekend. They host Kalispell in a conference game May 30 at 6 p.m.