2016 Montana American Legion Baseball State A Tournament: First Round recap

The 2016 Montana American Legion Baseball State A Tournament got under way Thursday at Centene Stadium in Great Falls.

Here are the opening day recaps. I will have hitting leaders posted later this afternoon after day two wraps up following the Glacier-Livingston 4 p.m. game.

Vauxhall 4, Belgrade 3

Jalen Lane threw a complete game, striking out five and scattering 7 hits as Vauxhall won the opening game of the 2016 State A American Legion Baseball Tournament, 4-3, at Centene Stadium in Great Falls on Thursday.

Lane was aided by two hits from Jayden Bexte and RBI’s from Matt Melnychuk, Vance Fode, Kaden Fujita and Bexte.

Connor Clay was three for four with a pair of runs scored for Belgrade, which will play Billings at 10 a.m. Friday morning.

 Glacier 8, Laurel 2

The Glacier Twins got RBIs from each of their top five hitters in the order as they upset Laurel in the first-round of the State A Tournament Thursday at Centene Stadium in Great Falls.

James Sampson-Keck led the way, going 4 for 5 with an RBI while Tristin Steinwand, Colten Parker and Vinny Smith added RBI’s for the Twins.

Parker, Steinwand and Ryan Veneman all had two hits apiece for Glacier, who will play Livingston at 4 p.m. Friday.

Laurel’s Mason O’Donnell and Carson Hoke combined to go 8 for 10 in the top two spots of the order but the other seven Dodgers combined for just three hits in 23 at bats.

Bitterroot 4, Billings Cardinals 2

Justin Horvath was 2 for 3 and Joe Johnson and Kyle Norman drove in a run apiece as Bitterroot held off upset-minded Billings in the opening round of the State A Tournament Thursday in Great Falls, 4-2.

The Red Sox needed three eighth-inning runs to break a 1-1 tie to advance to Friday’s matchup with Vauxhall at 1 p.m.

Dylan Johnson was 2 for 3 for the Cardinals and drove in both runs for the Eastern A runner-ups. Johnson also walked once.

Billings will face Belgrade at 10 a.m. Friday morning.

Livingston 13, Great Falls 0

John Becker tossed complete-game two hitter to propel the Braves past host Great Falls Thursday in the opening round, 13-0, at Centene Stadium.

Seven Braves registered hits, led by Jordan Darr’s four. Brock Peterson drove in three and Becker scored three times in the run-ruled shortened contest.

Livingston will play Glacier at 4 p.m. Friday while Great Falls will square off with Laurel at 10 a.m.