College-bound Chargers helping lead squad as state tournament looms.
Liam Sullivan remembers the lows of being a young player trying to prove himself at the AA level of American Legion Baseball.
Two seasons ago, Sullivan had a tough outing for the Great Falls Chargers in a state tournament game as a sophomore. While he wanted to hang his head, senior standout Trigg Mapes took Sullivan aside.
“He told me: ‘I've been there, you know, it’s all about the next day.’ And that actually had a really big impact on me. So, I'm just trying to do things like that, pass on the information I can," Sullivan said. "Just for like, our young guys, if I can be there, you know, help them out on the field, off the field with anything they’ve got any issues with.”
Sullivan, now an outgoing senior leader with the Chargers, was honored on Senior Night along with teammate Cole Pace as Great Falls took an important conference win over Lethbridge 6-1 Wednesday with the state tourney looming in two weeks.
Veteran manager Tony Forster said Sullivan and Pace have been outstanding leaders on what is still a young team, knowing when to keep things light and when to help the group up the intensity.
“They’re great teammates,” Forster said. “They're just good people. Great human beings. They've been nothing but great for this program.”
Sullivan, a Great Falls High graduate, is the team’s leadoff hitter and centerfielder and is in his third year at the AA level. The Chargers offense often looks to Sullivan as the sparkplug, Forster said, while he also provides a steady hand defensively.
“I think our team kind of goes through him a little bit,” Forster said. “When he starts off hot in a game, leads off, kind of gets everybody to relax a little bit instead of guys pressing. He’s been our everyday centerfielder so far this year and he's just been a solid guy for us in the outfield and at the top of the order.”
Pace is also in his third year with the AA squad but had primarily been a relief pitcher in his first two seasons. As a senior, he’s worked his way into the starting rotation that includes Kayden Neil, Deuce Nichols and Gavin Gray.
“He’s really come along and progressed,” Forster said of Pace. “We weren't quite sure how we wanted to use him this year, and he's been mainly a relief guy the last two years on AA. He kind of really stepped it up and said that: ‘I would like to see what I can do as a starter.’ And he's worked hard at it, and he's benefited from that.”
Pace, a C.M. Russell High grad, said the support he’s received from the team has helped him thrive this season.
“I love playing baseball, I love playing here and am surrounded with great people,” Pace said. “And playing with Liam my whole life has just been super fun.”
Great Falls missed out on the state tournament last year but brought nearly the whole group back, with 10 players on the roster who saw significant playing time last summer. Sullivan said the Chargers’ bond has been strong while they make a push to state.
“I definitely say the team chemistry is really good this year,” Sullivan said. “We’ve got a lot of good guys, good clubhouse guys. We don't really have any issues on the field or off the field. It really helps have everybody back again.”
Pace said he’s embraced a leadership role with the Chargers along with Sullivan.
“Everybody seems to get along,” Pace said. “I mean, not everybody has to be friends, but everybody's just got to get along, and I think we're accomplishing that. And I think Liam and I got to take accountability to make sure people aren't arguing or to get through those patches.”
Both Pace and Sullivan will be playing college baseball next season. Pace is headed off to Williston State College, a JUCO program, while Sullivan will join NCAfA DIII Whitworth in Spokane.
The Chargers are in control of their destiny to make the state tournament with less than a week left in the regular season. Great Falls stands to likely capture the No. 6 or 7 seed and has games at Bozeman on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon before hosting Lethbridge again on Monday at Voyagers Stadium at 2 p.m. Great Falls concludes the regular season at Helena on Wednesday, July 23, at 2 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Seniors Sullivan, Pace 'nothing but great' for Great Falls baseball
Category: General Sports
