LEGION BASEBALL: Lums battle against three college-bound pitchers in sweep by Expos

COEUR d’ALENE — They played well against a strong Spokane Expos team, but the Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen fell twice to the Expos, 8-6 and 8-4 on Sunday at Thorco Field.

“We battled in both games,” Lums coach Paul Manzardo said. “We faced some good pitching — two kids that are going to go to (Community Colleges of Spokane; Nick Lindholm and Ryun Cross), and another going to Whitworth (Hunter Dryden). We had some good at-bats.”

Coeur d’Alene (10-14-1) jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings of the opener, but Manzardo said his squad didn’t take advantage of an opportunity to open up a bigger lead, and the Expos scored three in the third and four in the fourth to take the lead back.

Manzardo praised his pitchers, particulary Troy Shepard, who threw three innings of relief in the opener and allowed one (unearned) run, striking out two.

Lindholm struck out six in five innings in the opener, but walked seven and allowed six earned runs. Dryden fanned three in two shutout innings of relief. Cross struck out nine and walked three in 6 1/3 innings in the nightcap, allowing five hits and three runs.

Dylan Brum went 2 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored in the opener for Coeur d’Alene, and pitched two shutout innings of relief in the second game. Payton Childers went 2 for 3 in the nightcap, and Liam Paddack hit a two-run double in a four-run seventh.

Coeur d’Alene returns to action on Wednesday with a 5 p.m. doubleheader against the Spokane Cannons at Thorco Field.

FIRST GAME

Expos 003 401 0 — 8 10 1

Lums 150 000 0 — 6 5 1

Nick Lindholm, Hunter Dryden (6) and Brock Molenda; Alex Karns, Troy Shepard (5) and Landen Thompson.

HITS: Expos — McKenna 2, Desonia, Phelan 3, Molenda, Schuerman, Day, Dryden. Cd’A — Brum 2, Manzardo, Paddack, Shepard. 2B — Day, McKenna, Molenda, Phelan, Brum.

SECOND GAME

Expos 202 200 2 — 8 10 0

Lums 000 000 4 — 4 7 0

Ryun Cross, Brock Molenda (7) and Thomas McKenna; Liam Paddack, Dylan Brum (5), Riley Smith (7) and Landen Thompson.

HITS: Expos — McKenna, Desonia, Gores 2, Schuerman 2, Hainline, Day 3. Cd’A — Brum, Manzardo, Karns, Childers 2, Smith, Paddack. 2B — Gores, Desonia, Paddack.