Twins baseball opens season with high expectations

The seniors in the Glacier Twins club house have elevated expectations this season.

Fresh off an American Legion Baseball state championship, Twins A head coach Bob Rupp says his team’s leaders are more focused than ever before.

“Overall, the energy is a little different,” he said. “It’s more intense this year, and I like that.”

“Our seniors are lifting up the younger guys and everyone is buying in.”

That intensity was on display last weekend as the Twins opened the season with a 3-1 mark.

Glacier split with the Calgary Redbirds in their opening day doubleheader at Memorial Field in Whitefish.

The Twins posted seven runs early in the first game, then fended off a Redbirds rally to get the 8-7 victory. AJ Wetsch allowed just one run in 3 1/2 innings of work on the mound.

“AJ was strong for us,” said Rupp, who is limiting the pitcher’s throw count early in the season.

Glacier dropped the second game 8-5, but rebounded with two wins on Sunday.

Jonny Sapa pitched 4 1/2 innings in game 3 to get the 11-1 win.

“He just shut them down,” Rupp said. “We came alive.”

Out of starting pitchers for game 4, Rupp turned to a committee of arms to lead the way on the mound. The Twins rallied from a 7-0 deficit in the third inning, scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning and then five runs in the bottom of the seventh for the 8-7 win.

“I like that we never gave up,” Rupp said.

Rupp says he’s happy with the opening weekend, but that there are plenty of areas to work on before the conference schedule ramps up in May.

“Our defense was good and at times our bats were alive,” he said. “Our base running left a little to be desired, and we’ll work on that.”

Everyone on the roster got time on the field this weekend, he noted.

“We got to look at a lot of kids,” he said. “I saw some really good stuff.”

The Twins next host Missoula AA on Saturday for a doubleheader and then Belgrade on Sunday. The Missoula game starts at 1 p.m., Belgrade at noon.