LEGION BASEBALL: Northern Lakes sweeps Prairie
Dylan Dugger of Northern Lakes collides with Prairie catcher Jerad Taylor on a play at the plate in the second inning of the first game of an American Legion doubleheader in Rathdrum. The ball popped loose on the play, and Dugger scored. At right is Louis Powell of Northern Lakes, the on-deck hitter.
MARK NELKE/Press
Northern Lakes third baseman Sam Pemberton snags a ground ball on the short hop in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader vs. Prairie at Lakeland High.
MARK NELKE/Press
RATHDRUM — Scott Pote, who helped finish off a no-hitter in the opener, drove in four runs in the second game as the Northern Lakes Mountaineers class A Legion team swept the Prairie Cardinals “AA” squad 13-3 and 12-0 in nonleague play Tuesday at Lakeland High’s Terry Gorton Field.
Pote and Trevor Vandever each hit two-run singles in the first inning of the second game for Northern Lakes (13-2). Pote, who finished 2 for 3, also hit a two-run triple in the fourth. Vandever drove in three runs.
“I thought we put the ball in play really, really well,” Northern Lakes coach Bryce Johnson said.
Jack McDonald struck out six in three innings in the second game for the Mountaineers.
In the first game, Alex Drake and Pote combined on a no-hitter for Northern Lakes, though there were five walks, two hit batters and three errors committed.
“That is the weirdest, quietest no-hitter,” Johnson said. “Alex has been battling through a shoulder injury (to his left, non-throwing shoulder), and obviously Scott came in and did his usual job.”
McDonald went 3 for 4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored, and Louis Powell was 2 for 3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. McDonald’s RBI double in the second inning broke a 3-all tie.
“He (McDonald) was getting after it early, and it was contagious,” Johnson said. “We’ve been working on being aggressive in the box, putting the ball into play and making them make plays.”
Prairie (1-4) committed six errors in the opener. Cardinal pitchers walked 18 in the two games.
Northern Lakes travels to Whitefish, Mont., for the Sapa-Johnsrud Memorial Tournament, opening Thursday against the host Glacier Twins.
FIRST GAME
Prairie 210 00 — 3 0 6
N. Lakes 320 62 — 13 7 3
Game called in 5th inning due to 10-run rule.
Ethan Miller, Tanner Sessians (4), Jayson Cropp (5) and Jerad Taylor; Alex Drake, Scott Pote (5) and Louis Powell. W — Drake. L — Miller.
HITS: Pra — none. NL — McDonald 3, Powell 2, Pemberton, Balavage. 2B — McDonald 2, Powell.
SECOND GAME
Prairie 000 00 — 0 2 1
N. Lakes 630 3x — 12 5 0
Game called in 5th inning due to 10-run rule.
Jayden Butler, Jared Passinetti (2), Tim Bastedo (4) and Zach Clark; Jack McDonald, Tristan Clift (4) and Colton Aragon. W — McDonald. L — Butler.
HITS: Pra — E. Miller, Passinetti. NL — Powell 2, Tr. Vandever, Pote 2.
