Twins take pair from Bitterroot

Glacier seemed to find a cure for their early-season pitching woes in a pair conference victories last weekend.

The Twins A (4-3 overall, 2-0 league) brushed off an early deficit to beat the Bitterroot Bucs 9-3 in the American Legion baseball conference opener for both teams on Saturday. Glacier followed with a 4-3 victory over the Bucs on Sunday.

“We’ve struggled with our middle relief,” Glacier manager Bob Rupp said. “I think we took care of that this weekend.”

Saturday, AJ Wetsch pitched five solid innings before handing over throwing duties to Ryan Veneman and Colten Parker.

“Ryan cleaned it up and did really well in the middle innings,” Rupp said.

Vincent Smith went 2 for 5 at the plate and tripled for the Twins in the fifth inning to extend Glacier’s lead. Jesse Walburn went 3 for 5 hitting.

Sunday, Ty Murphy started on the mound and Grayson Bistodeau closed with five strong innings for the tight 4-3 win.

James Sampson-Keck went yard in the fourth inning and Max Smyley, 2 for 3 at the plate, drove in two runs, including the game-winner.

“Max got us a timely hit,” Rupp said.

“Our boys are coming around,” he added. “We’re still putting everything together with everyone.”

Starting pitcher Johnny Sapa is out with an ankle sprain and is expected back in two weeks. That’s put a lot of pressure on the pitching staff in the early going.

“AJ and Ty are battling for us,” Rupp said.

Glacier hosts the Kootenai Rangers on May 20 at 5 p.m. in a conference doubleheader. The Twins then host the Bitterroot Red Sox Saturday and Sunday.

Glacier 210 102 201 — 9 14 2

Bitterroot Bucs 300 000 000 — 3 9 3

AJ Wetsch, Ryan Veneman (6), Colten Parker (9) and Tyler Murphy; Liam LeCoure, Rees LeSoine (6) and Jacob Skully. W —Wetsch; L — LeCoure.

GLACIER — Parker 2-5, Tristin Steinwand 1-3, James Sampson-Keck 1-4, Vincent Smith 2-5, Jesse Walburn 3-5, Derek Kastella 0-2, Veneman 1-2, Max Smyley 1-4, Grayson Bistodeau 0-1, Murphy 2-4, Wetsch 1-3.

Bitterroot — Dylan Gavlak 1-4, Brenden Bailey 0-1, Alex Gavlak 1-5, LeSoine 0-4, Bo Zeiler 2-4, Jake Finley 2-4, LeCoure 2-4, Skully 0-3, Braxton McCullough 1-3, Drue McCawley 0-3, Nathan Binder 0-1.

2B—Wetsch, Finley; 3B—Smith; RBIs—Parker, Steinwand, Sampson-Keck, Smith, Walburn, Smyley, Murphy; Finley, LeCoure (2).

Glacier 021 001 000 — 4 9 2

Bitterroot 030 000 000 — 3 6 2

WP—Grayson Bistodeau; LP—Dylan Gavlak.

GLACIER — Colten Parker 0-5, Thomas Hellwig 0-1, Bistodeau 0-2, James Sampson-Keck 2-3, Vincent Smith 1-5, Jesse Walburn 1-4, Ryan Veneman 2-4, Max Smyley 2-3, Tyler Murphy 1-2, AJ Wetsch 0-3.

BITTERROOT — Dylan Gavlak 1-5, Braxton McCullough 0-4, Bo Zeiler 1-4, Jake Finley 0-4, Rees LeSoine 0-4, Alex Gavlak 1-3, Liam LeCoure 0-2, Jacob Skully 0-2, Brenden Bailey 3-4.

HR—Sampson-Keck; RBIs—Sampson-Keck, Smyley (2), Murphy; D. Gavlak, Bailey (2).