Wildcats edged by Whitefish, tourney plans taking shape
Kellen Kroeger pitches for the Wildcats against Whitefish Thursday, April 11.
The Columbia Falls baseball team fell just short against the rival Whitefish Bulldogs at home Thursday, 7-5.
The Wildcats had a 4-2 lead after three innings, but the Bulldogs put up five runs in the top of the fifth. The Cats would score another run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to two, but that’s as close as they would get. They had a runner on in the seventh after Kellen Kroger was hit by a pitch, but a strikeout and two pop flies ended the potential rally for the Wildcats.
It was Columbia Falls first loss of the season.
Kroger pitched 4 2/3 innings for the Cats giving up 7 hits and seven runs, while striking out 7. Jett Pitts, a freshman, came in for relief. He gave up two hits and had two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings of work.
The Cats took the lead in the lead in the fourth after Jace Hill scored on a sacrifice fly by Dominic Young; then Cody Schweikert drove in a run on a single to left field.
The Cats outhit the Bulldogs 10-9. Schweikert led the squad with three hits.
Overall, coach Chad Green is pleased with the way the Wildcats are playing.
“Our offense has been playing well,” he said. He’s also impressed with the leadership from Schweikert and Kroger and junior Reggie Sapa.
They faced a tough Eureka team Tuesday after presstime, then they play Stevensville and Belgrade Friday and Saturday on the road.
The Eureka game is a big one — they had a walk-off win against the Bulldogs on Friday.
The Sapa Johnsrud tournament is coming up May 9-11. Green said it will be played at Glacier Bank Park in Kalispell. He said he hopes to have some folks talk about the two families, who were the victims of a tragic car accident decades ago.
Raymond Johnsrud was killed Aug. 6, 1984, in a train-car accident returning from baseball practice in Columbia Falls with fellow teammate and friend Jimmy Sapa. In 1985, coach Julio Delgado and the respective Sapa and Johnsrud families created and organized the Sapa/Johnsrud Memorial Tournament in the young men’s memories.
Green said he hopes Delgado will be able to speak to the crowd and talk about the two lost men at the opening ceremony of the tournament.