Twins sweep home opener

The Glacier Twins were dominant in their home opener, sweeping a doubleheader against the conference opponent Bitterroot Bucs on Saturday.

The Twins (2-2, 2-0) used a few big innings to take control against the Bucs. In the first game, it was a 5-run first inning and a 6-run sixth inning to open up a big lead. A 4-run fourth inning put the Bucs away in the second game.

“If you can put up the big innings and not give up the big innings, that’s what I’m looking for,” head coach Scott Murray said. “I was pleased with them. We ran the bases well, made just a few small mistakes but all in all we read the pitchers well.”

The Twins outhit the Bucs 18-9 between the two games.

In the first game, Terek Bistodeau went 2-4 with an RBI and three scores, and Ryan Veneman picked up the win in four innings, allowing one hit, three walks but striking out seven. Veneman also went 3 for 4 at the plate and drove in two runs.

Coby Clark picked up the win in the second game, walking three and allowing three hits while striking out five. He also had two hits.

Greyson Bistodeau drove in two runs as well.

After catcher Tyler Murphy broke his hand in Lethbridge, Clinton Schriver stepped up for his first start at catcher. Schriver had two hits and three RBIs on the day.

Murray was happy with his team’s solid performance on Saturday, but still wants to clean a few things up before another busy weekend.

“This week we need to hold runners better,” he said. “And I think we need to work on our defensive schemes a little bit. The small things like suicide squeezes and squeezes from third, how to defend that.”

This weekend the Twins will travel to Bozeman to face the AA squad on Saturday before a doubleheader on Sunday against the Bozeman A and Lewistown A clubs.

Glacier 13, Bitterroot 4

Glacier 8, Bitterroot 2

Bitterroot Bucs 100 003 0 — 4 4 2

Glacier Twins A 502 006 x — 13 10 2

WP—Ryan Veneman; LP—Jake Scully.

BITTERROOT — Jake Foley 1-3, Braxton McCullough 0-2, Colby Kohlman 0-2, B. Schniter 1-4, Scully 0-2, Hinsdale 0-1, Zeler 0-2, Gaulak 0-2, Lecour 1-1, Wells 1-3, Bailey 0-3.

GLACIER — Grayson Bistodeau 1-3, James Sampson 1-3, Veneman 3-4, Derick Kastella 1-4, Tom Hellwig 0-2, Terek Bistodeau 2-4, Coby Clark 1-4, Dan Seymour 0-0, Nathan Hader 0-1, Quintin Schriver 1-2.

2B—Clark, Kastella; RBIs—Lecour, Wells; Veneman (2), Kastella, T. Bistodeau, Clark (2), Seymour, Schriver (2).

Bitterroot Bucs 101 000 0 — 2 5 5

Glacier Twins 020 411 x — 8 8 2

WP—Clark; LP—Kohlman.

BITTERROOT — Foley 1-3, McCullough 0-3, Kohlman 2-4, Zeler 1-4, Scully 0-3, Marchon 0-1, Bailey 1-2, Schniter 0-3, Wells 0-3, Hinsdale 0-2, Kay 0-1.

GLACIER — G. Bistodeau 1-3, Sampson 0-4, Veneman 0-4, Kastella 0-4, Hellwig 1-3, T. Bistodeau 2-2, Clark 2-3, Seymour 1-1, Hader 0-1, Schriver 1-2.

2B—Zeler; G. Bistodeau, T. Bistodeau, Clark, Seymour; 3B—Kohlman; RBIs—Zeler; G. Bistodeau (2), Sampson, T. Bistodeau, Clark, Seymour, Schriver.