Trojans sweep, create logjam atop 5A IEL
POST FALLS — Six games into the 5A Inland Empire League schedule and they’re back to where they started.
All even.
Jacob Rutherford hit a two-run home run in the first inning of the Post Falls Trojans’ 8-6 win over the Coeur d’Alene Vikings in the first game of a 5A IEL doubleheader on Saturday at Post Falls High. In the second game, Chase Cripps had three runs batted in as the Trojans beat the Vikings 12-2 for a sweep.
More importantly, it leaves all four schools — Post Falls (8-8), Coeur d’Alene (9-6), Lake City (12-3) and Lewiston (11-6) — tied at 3-3 in the conference with six games remaining.
“We talked before the game about how important these games were,” Post Falls coach Mick Zeller said. “We felt we should have won both games at Coeur d’Alene last week, and even the second game against Lake City. We felt like we should have been better than a 1-3 team (in league), and just had to go prove it. Everyone just had really good approaches at the plate today, and really good at-bats.”
Jacob Rutherford hit a two-run home run in the first inning for Post Falls. Tanner McCliment-Call followed a batter later with a solo home run, finishing the opener with three RBIs for Post Falls.
Michael Dooley hit a grand slam in the seventh to cut the deficit to 8-6 for Coeur d’Alene, which swept Post Falls last Saturday.
Jake Pfennigs struck out 10 over five innings in the first game for Post Falls.
“Post Falls showed up ready to play baseball, and Coeur d’Alene did not,” Viking coach Nick Mahin said. “Jake did a good job keeping us off balance, but we didn’t have the same approach we had last week against him. We just didn’t have good at-bats today.”
McCliment-Call drove in two runs in the nightcap for Post Falls, which hosts Lewiston for a doubleheader on Wednesday.
Coeur d’Alene hosts Lake City in a doubleheader Tuesday, starting at 2 p.m.
FIRST GAME
Coeur d’Alene 001 100 4 — 6 5 0
Post Falls 301 103 x — 8 8 2
Cody Davenport, Colt Rowley (5) and Carter Friesz; Jake Pfennigs, Matt Fleming (6) and Nate Buer. W — Pfennigs. L — Davenport.
HITS: Cd’A — Bailey, Dooley, Bunch 2, Thompson. PF — Cripps, Rutherford 2, McCliment-Call 3, Zeller, Fleming. 2B — Bunch. HR — Dooley, McCliment-Call, Rutherford.
SECOND GAME
Coeur d’Alene 200 00 — 2 7 4
Post Falls 822 0x — 12 8 1
Game called in 5th inning due to 10-run rule.
Zach Mackimmie, Justin Bates (2) and Carter Friesz; Quin Bennett and Nate Buer. W — Bennett. L — Mackimmie.
HITS: Cd’A — Mayfield, Friesz, Bailey, Haen, Dooley 2, Johnson. PF — Buer, Cripps, McCliment-Call 2, Pfennigs, Zeller, Fleming, Higgins. 2B — Cripps, McCliment-Call, Fleming, Zeller, Pfennigs. HR — Buer.
Timberlake 3-3
Bonners Ferry 2-6
BONNERS FERRY — Dustin Smith hit a two-run double in the fourth inning of the first game for the visiting Tigers, who split an Intermoutain League twinbill with the Badgers.
Jack McDonald struck out eight in the 3-2 win in the opener for Timberlake.
“Jack did a good job of keeping them off balance in the first game,” Timberlake coach Cameron Knigge said. “We just got a really timely hit by Dustin to give us a lead. Both teams played very well defensively and hit the ball fairly well all day.”
“It was a good pitchers’ duel in the first game,” Bonners Ferry coach Tom Turpin said. “We had a mental error that cost us a run in the fourth. Both teams had good pitching and timely hitting. It was a good game to watch.”
Will Parr struck out eight for Bonners Ferry in the opener.
In the nightcap, Shane Walker struck out 10 for the Badgers, who earned the split with a 6-3 win.
“It was good to get the split, especially against Timberlake,” Turpin said. “It’s likely going to come down to the final game of the season between us, so it was good to get the split, especially at home.”
On Monday, Timberlake (8-4, 3-1 IML) travels to Sandpoint for a nonleague doubleheader, and Bonners Ferry (7-4, 3-1) hosts Kellogg in league play.
FIRST GAME
Timberlake 000 300 0 — 3 6 1
Bonners Ferry 000 020 0 — 2 4 1
Jack McDonald and Seth Villanpando; Will Parr and Brady Bateman. W — J. McDonald. L — Parr.
HITS: TL — J. McDonald, Villanpando 2, Smith, James, Mullin. BF — B. Bateman, S. Bateman 2, Eby. 2B — Smith.
SECOND GAME
Timberlake 102 000 0 — 3 3 0
Bonners Ferry 210 030 x — 6 9 5
Gage Benefield, Alex Drake (4) and Seth Villanpando; Shane Walker, Mason Eby (7) and Brady Bateman. W — Walker. L — Drake. S — Eby.
HITS: TL — Powell, J. McDonald, Harris. BF — Sabin, Walker, T. Bateman, Eby 2, Parr 2, Fess.
Orofino 12-12
St. Maries 3-11
ST. MARIES — The host Lumberjacks nearly pulled out the second game with a seven-run seventh inning, but came up short in a 12-11 loss and were swept by the Maniacs in Central Idaho League play at City Park.
In the first game, Orofino took advantage of 10 walks, seven hit batsmen and five St. Maries errors to win 12-3.
In the second game, Cole Boag went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs for St. Maries (4-3, 1-3 CIL) and Cade Truscott was 3 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs.
The Lumberjacks had the tying run tagged out at the plate to end the game.
St. Maries plays host to Priest River on Thursday.
FIRST GAME
Orofino 040 026 0 — 12 5 2
St. Maries 110 010 0 — 3 3 5
Cameron Olson and Mike Corder; Hayden Villa, Cole Boag (4), Coy Sands (6), Brayden Brusseau (6) and Cade Truscott. W — Olson. L — Villa.
HITS: Oro — Hall, Bolling, Sparano, Daily 2. SM — Boag, Villa, Hammond. 2B — Hall. 3B — Sparano.
SECOND GAME
Orofino 003 062 1 — 12 14 3
St. Maries 000 040 7 — 11 11 6
Joe Sparano, Jose Barajas (5) and Cameron Olson; Derek Larson, Kaden Hammond (5), Ben Bailey (7) and N/A. W — Sparano. L — Larson.
HITS: Oro — Hall 4, Barajas 2, Barton 2, Bolling 3, Olson, Roy, Daily. SM — Boag 3, Truscott 3, Hills, Bailey, Hammond. 2B — Barton, Bolling, Dailey, Truscott.