Cd’A busts out the lumber for sweep
POST FALLS — On a day that finally felt like summer, the Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen brought their hot bats to Post Falls, pounding out 40 runs and 24 hits in a 17-2, 23-5 sweep of the Prairie Cardinals in Class AA American Legion baseball at Post Falls High School.
“Overall, everyone on our roster did well tonight,” Cd’A coach Erik Karns said. “We had lots of hits, especially in the second game (17). The kids have been working hard and it showed tonight.”
The Lums (8-7 overall, 2-0 North Idaho League) took advantage of seven walks and six errors by the Cardinals to score nine unearned runs in the opener. A bases-loaded walk, RBI single by Breyson Coppess and run-scoring ground out put the visitors ahead 3-0 after one inning, giving Cd’A pitchers all the runs they would need.
Quinn Conces tossed three innings to earn the opening-game win, with Coppess closing out the game with two scoreless innings.
“Our pitchers did a good job pitching to contact, and we played real solid defense behind them,” Karns said. “They put the ball in play, and we made the plays we should make defensively.”
Game 2 saw the Lums bash out 17 hits, including three doubles from Liam Paddack, a grand slam from Alex Karns, and a 3-run homer by Jackson Scherr to close out the scoring. Paddack went 4-for-4 in the game with 4 RBIs, while Karns had three hits, scored four runs and knocked in six. Coppess added three more hits for Coeur d’Alene, including two doubles.
On the mound, Aidan LaPonsey earned the win with three innings of work, allowing three earned runs while striking out two. Jesse Brown and Joe DuCoeur closed out the victory.
It was the first two games of the season for Prairie, which had leadoff man Spencer Zeller going 1-for-2 with a run scored and RBI in the nightcap.
“They haven’t seen live pitching in nearly a year,” coach Karns said of the Cardinals. “Their hitters will come around after they get some more at bats, just like it took our kids a few games to get going.”
Cd’A and Prairie — the only two North Idaho AA teams playing this season — will meet again at 3 p.m. Friday at Coeur d’Alene High.
The Lums return to action today, hosting the Spokane Expos at noon and the Kennewick Outlaws at 6 p.m., both at Coeur d’Alene High.
Game 1
Coeur d’Alene 365 12x x — 17 7 0
Prairie 011 00x x — 2 3 6
Quinn Conces, Breyson Coppess (4) and Landen Thompson; Miller, Smith (2), Clark (2), Passinetti (3) and Taylor. W: Conces. L: Miller.
HITS — Cd’A, Conces 2, Manzardo, Coppess, Paddack, Childers, Brum; Prairie, Sessians, Miller, Butler. 2B — Childers, Paddack.
Game 2
Coeur d’Alene 428 09x x — 23 17 1
Prairie 004 10x x — 5 5 4
Aidan LaPonsey, Jesse Brown (4), Joe DuCoeur (5) and Jackson Scherr; Butler, Cropp (3), Sessians (5) and Clark. W: LaPonsey. L: Butler.
HITS — Cd’A, Paddack 4, Karns 3, Coppess 3, Scherr 2, Smith 2, Conces, Manzardo, Thompson; Prairie, Zeller, Taylor, Bastedo, Passinetti, Bustamante. 2B — Paddack 3, Coppess 2, Smith 2, Karns, Bustamante, Bastedo. HR — Karns, Schnerr.