Coeur d'Alene 17U squad wins state A title
NAMPA — Brandon Gay had struggled in his first two at-bats in Sunday’s state class A American Legion baseball championship game for the Coeur d’Alene Lumberman 17-and-under squad.
But coach Pat Capone had a good feeling about Gay — and the Lums in general, when Gay stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning with two out, the score tied and Devon Johnson on third after leading off with a walk and advancing on a stolen base and passed ball.
Gay delivered a single to right field to score Johnson as Coeur d’Alene beat the Nampa Braves 5-4 to win the state title Sunday afternoon at Rodeo Park.
“In the second half of the year, Brandon has been one of our better hitters,” Capone said. “He was the right man for that situation.”
Coeur d’Alene (47-11) won its first state A title since 2011. By advancing to the title game, both Coeur d’Alene and Nampa qualified for the Northwest Regional tournament in Eugene, Ore. Apparently due to the expected 100-plus degree temperatures later this week, the regional tourney has been pushed back a day. The Lums plan to return home to Coeur d’Alene for a few days, then travel to Oregon for their opener Friday vs. the Wyoming state champions at 4:30 p.m.
It’s believed to be only the second state title in the history of the Coeur d’Alene Legion program.
“It’s just a very rewarding feeling — all the hard work that my assistant coaches (C.J. Ketron and Dominic Conigliaro) and the players put in,” Capone said.
Quinton Bunch went 2 for 4 with RBI doubles in the first and sixth innings for Coeur d’Alene. His second double tied the game at 4. Brennen Schuelke, who will be a freshman at Lake City this fall, had two hits, including an RBI single in the fourth that tied the game at 3. Gay also finished with two hits.
Coeur d’Alene overcame five errors, and all four Nampa runs were unearned.
“We gave them all four runs,” Capone said. “And for these guys to show their resiliency, that’s why we won the state title.”
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
Orofino Merchants 10, Idaho Falls Grizzlies 3
Twin Falls Blackhawks 7, Pocatello Razorbacks 4
Twin Falls Blackhawks 11, Orofino Merchants 10
Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen 5, Nampa Braves 0
Sunday
Nampa Braves d. Twin Falls Blackhawks, 9 a.m.
Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen 5, Nampa Braves 4 (championship game; both teams to regionals)
STATE AA TOURNAMENT
TWIN FALLS — The Lewis-Clark Twins (36-10) scored a run in the top of the 10th to defeat the Idaho Falls Bandits 3-2 in the championship game at the College of Southern Idaho’s Skip Walker Field.
Lewis-Clark won its first state title since 2009, and 39th overall, and advances to the Northwest Regional tournament Aug. 2-6 in Missoula.
Idaho Falls finished 46-6.
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
Idaho Falls Bandits 7, Twin Falls Cowboys 4, loser out
Mountain View Toros 6, Lewis-Clark Twins 1
Sunday
Idaho Falls d. Mountain View Toros, loser out
Lewis-Clark Twins 3, Idaho Falls Bandits 2, 10 inn. (championship game)