Apr. 11—The Class AA Kalispell Lakers start their American Legion baseball season Saturday, and the games won't be against some pushover.
The Missoula Mavericks — the Lakers play them twice in Missoula Saturday, then twice at Griffin Field in Kalispell Sunday at 1 p.m. — are the defending Montana/Alberta champions. Right away the Lakers will be tested, though a handful of "super seniors" should keep them formidable. A year ago, they went 38-23, including a 9-15 league mark.
"One of the strengths this year is we have some versatility," veteran coach Ryan Malmin said. "We have some options we can work in, up the middle. The first 15 or 20 games will tell us what we can settle into."
One of the super seniors is Ostyn Brennan, a catcher who is currently playing at Miles Community College. Brennan, who hit .352 with 25 steals last summer, will return when the Pioneers' season ends.
In the meantime, Malmin talks highly of Brady Buckmaster, up from the A Lakers, at backstop.
"He's been fantastic in his skill set," he said. "He'll be great back there. He's busted his butt in the offseason."
At shortstop and second Malmin mentioned the quartet of Carter Schlegel, lefty-hitting Hunter Fan, Kyler Croft and Brennan. Oscar Kallis, another super senior, is back to play center field.
"He'll kind of anchor that group a little bit," Malmin said of Kallis. "And Bryce Buckmaster is back as a second-year guy in the outfield. Again, our versatility will allow us to work guys into the infield and outfield."
The corner infielders include Luke Nikunen, who hit .357 with nine triples and 25 steals in 2024, back at third and Kaiden Kahler and Caleb Brink at first.
Add in Jackson Heino and there are plenty of familiar names. Malmin also noted that 80 percent of the innings are back from last season.
The front end of the rotation seems set: Nikunen had a 2.71 earned-run average in 2024; Brennan was very solid.
"Again, it will take 15 or 20 games to discover who that third starter for conference is, and who will be in the bullpen," Malmin said. "But we have options and that's fun to work with."
Last year at state the Lakers lost to Helena 1-0 — the Senators broke a 0-0 tie in the seventh, then ended up second in the tournament — and then to the Billings Scarlets 5-4 in 10 innings.
The Scarlets lost out of the tournament in four games, but as tournament host had a guaranteed spot in the Northwest Regional in Billings — which they won, putting a Montana team in the Legion World Series for the first time since 1962.
The point being the Lakers could play with anyone.
Malmin figures Schlegel is due to have fewer "atom balls," which kept his average at .290 last season, and that experience will benefit the offense.
"We've got a lot of guys back in the lineup," he said. "It's just a matter of having production 1-9, consistently."
