Bunch's blast sends Lums into semifinals
NAMPA — Lefty hitting Quinton Bunch homered to right field with one out in the top of the eighth inning, and the Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen 17U went on to beat the Idaho Falls Grizzlies 7-5 in the second round of the Idaho state class A American Legion baseball tournament Friday at Rodeo Park.
“The biggest hit of the year,” Coeur d’Alene coach Pat Capone said. “Q had a huge day. Watching that kid progress this summer has been awesome.”
Coeur d’Alene (45-11) will play the Nampa Braves tonight at 6 PDT for a berth in the championship game. The Lums need just one more win to qualify for regionals next week in Eugene, Ore., as this year, Idaho receives two berths to regionals.
With two out in the eighth, Devon Johnson walked, moved up to second on a single by Michael Dooley, and scored an insurance run on a single by Zach Sensel.
Idaho Falls tied the game at 5 with a run in the bottom of the seventh. The Grizzlies had runners at first and third with two out, but Lums reliever Dylan Brum induced a flyout to force extra innings. Brum pitched a 1-2-3 eighth with two strikeouts to seal the win, Coeur d’Alene’s second nailbiter in as many days.
“It speaks to the character of these kids; we have a championship mentality,” Capone said.
Bunch finished 4 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Sensel was 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Luke Hicks went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, including a run-scoring single in the seventh to put Coeur d’Alene up 5-4, and Carter Friesz also drove in two runs.
STATE A AMERICAN LEGION
BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
at Rodeo Park, Nampa
Times PDT
Thursday
Idaho Falls Grizzlies d. Boise Barrons
Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen 7, Twin Falls Blackhawks 6
Pocatello Razorbacks 9, Owyhee Rivercats 6
Nampa Braves 10, Orofino Merchants 0
Friday
Twin Falls Blackhawks 13, Boise Barons 4, loser out
Orofino Merchants d. Owyhee Rivercats, loser out
Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen 7, Idaho Falls Grizzlies 5, 8 inn.
Nampa Braves 8, Pocatello Razorbacks 4
Saturday
Game 9 — Orofino Merchants vs. Idaho Falls Grizzlies, 9 a.m.
Game 10 — Twin Falls Blackhawks vs. Pocatello Razorbacks, noon
Game 11 — Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 9, 3 p.m.
Game 12 — Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen vs. Nampa Braves, 6
Sunday
Game 13 — Loser Game 12 vs. Winner Game 11, 9 a.m.
Game 14 — Winner Game 12 vs. Winner Game 13, noon (championship game)
Monday
Game 15 — Winner Game 14 vs. Loser Game 14, 9 a.m. (if-necessary game)
STATE AA AMERICAN LEGION
BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
at College of Southern Idaho,
Twin Falls
Times PDT
Wednesday
Idaho Falls 17, Treasure Valley 10
Mountain View 2, Coeur d’Alene 1
Lewis-Clark 9, Meridian 0
Twin Falls Cowboys 11, Boise Gems 7
Thursday
Treasure Valley Stars 8, Meridian Rangers 0, loser out
Boise Gems 10, Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen 7, loser out
Lewis-Clark Twins 6, Idaho Falls Bandits 0
Twin Falls Cowboys 8, Mountain View Toros 7
Friday
Idaho Falls Bandits 5, Boise Gems 3, 10 inn., loser out
Mountain View Toros 6, Treasure Valley Stars 4, loser out
Lewis-Clark Twins 5, Twin Falls Cowboys 3
Saturday
Game 12 — Idaho Falls Bandits (44-5) vs. Twin Falls Cowboys, 3 p.m.
Game 13 — Lewis-Clark Twins (35-9) vs. Mountain View Toros, 6
Sunday
Game 14 — Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 12, noon (championship game)
Game 15 — Winner Game 14 vs. Loser Game 14, 3 p.m. (if-necessary championship game)