Baseball team dedicates season to coach Sapa
Surrounded by the Columbia Falls baseball team, Bill Sapa’s son, Reggie, holds his father’s jersey in memory of his dad after the Browning game last week at Sapa Johnsrud Field. Front row, kneeling, from left, Dayne Tu, AC Chilson, Dawson Juntunen, Brandon Torpen, bat boy Easton Corbett; second row, assistant coach Brandon Rice, Nico Young, Cody Schweikert, Talon Murphy, Connor Venezio, Trey Rice, Matthew Mitts, Sapa, Kellen Kroger, Trey Torpen, Mark Robison, Alihn Anderson, Joe Kilman, Jace Hill, Treysen Murphy, coach Scott Corbett, manager Nicole Reikofski-Baker
Dayne Tu and Reggie Sapa, right celebrate with Kellen Kroger (7) after he hit an inside the park homer against Browning.
Junior Mark Robison gets a hit at home against Browning. (JP Edge photo)
Matthew Mitts pitches for Columbia Falls at home last week against Browning. (JP Edge photo)
The Columbia Falls baseball team will go on with the season in memory of coach Bill Sapa.
Interim coach Scott Corbett said the team had a meeting the day after Sapa’s death and decided to continue the season.
“That’s what Billy would have wanted,” Corbett said after the Wildcats drubbed Browning at home Thursday, 33-1.
Corbett, who was assistant coach under Sapa, will be the head coach for the remainder of the season. He’s assisted by Brandon Rice, who was was also an assistant on the team under Sapa.
At the end of the game the team gathered for a photo holding Sapa’s coaching jersey in his honor.
Corbett said Sapa was a mentor to him.
“He was a pillar in the community,” Corbett said.
Sapa coached Corbett in 1998 when Corbett played for the Glacier Twins.
He said the team has dedicated the season in Sapa’s honor.
“We’re playing for Billy this season,” he said.
The game against Browning was all Wildcats from the start. Sapa’s son, Reggie, was hit by the lead-off pitch and soon the Wildcats had two on.
Kellen Kroger then hit a shot to the outfield for an inside-the-park home run.
The Cats would score 18 runs in the first against the hapless Indians.
Josiah Kilman got the win on the mound, but after the first, Corbett brought four different pitchers, including Matt Mitts, Branden Torpen, Treysen Murphy, and Dawson Juntunen.
Browning had a tough time finding a pitcher who could get the ball across the plate.
The Cats had a tougher time against Polson on the road, losing 3-2 in a pitcher’s duel Friday.
Kroger went three innings in the start allowing four hits and one run while striking out two, while Talon Murphy came in relief and gave up five hits while striking out two.
The Cats made it close in the top of the sixth when Reggie Sapa singled with two outs. Kroger would get hit by a pitch to put two on and Cody Schweikert hit a double to bring them across the plate.
In the top of the seventh the Cats had two on with one out, but Talon Murphy was picked off at second and Dominick Young struck out to end the game.
The boys face Troy at home Thursday and Whitefish on the road Friday. Both games have 6 p.m. starts.
