THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Quirky IEL math still usually adds up

Coeur d’Alene won two games in softball the other day and went from 10-2 in league to 8-2.

Huh?

Lakeland was 2-8 in league in baseball last week, but after splitting a doubleheader, is now 3-3 in league.

Say that again?

Once again, the seven-team Inland Empire League tried to do the right thing for the good of the league, and made the baseball and softball games count toward seeding for the regional tournament — even the ones between the four 5A teams and the three 4A teams.

But once again, due to weather, or lack of umpires, or Joe Biden (isn’t he being blamed for everything else?) — not all games between 5A and 4A teams could be played this season before postseason play begins next week.

So, as league officials have done in other sports the last two years, they reverted to separate 5A IEL and 4A IEL standings, where only the 5A vs. 5A games, and 4A vs. 4A games, counted toward regional seeding. Games between 5A and 4A teams suddenly (and retroactively) became nonleague games.

WHAT DOES this all mean?

In the big picture, not much changed — the top seeds in 5A and 4A were probably going to be the same, regardless, because the 5As usually beat the 4As in baseball and softball.

It’s more of a clerical thing for people who keep track of such things — like we do.

Also, it can be a bit of a head-scratcher for the casual fan, wondering how a team could have a league record this week that had less results on it than last week.

Other than that …

There were a few games that would have changed things a little.

In baseball, 4A Moscow swept 5A Post Falls, which would have given the Bears a little cushion in their quest to earn the top seed to the 4A Region 1 tournament.

On Tuesday, Moscow split with Sandpoint and is now 4-4 in league. Lakeland and Sandpoint are both 3-3, and are scheduled to meet today in Sandpoint for a pair to wrap up league play. If either sweeps, that team is the top seed. If they split, all three end up 4-4 in league, and a tiebreaker will be needed to sort out the three teams.

Is there such a thing as a Kansas Tiebreaker in baseball?

IN THE 5A IEL, the baseball and softball seeds were likely to be sorted out today. But most of the games were pushed up to Wednesday — a combination of when umpires were available, and also trying to avoid today’s predicted rain.

The lone 5A IEL matchup today — Coeur d’Alene at Post Falls in a softball doubleheader — could still matter in the seeding process, as there is the potential for a three-way tie between Cd’A, Post Falls and Lewiston if Post Falls sweeps Cd’A.

Another Kansas Tiebreaker!

In 4A IEL softball, the top seed could be decided today, when Lakeland is scheduled to travel to Moscow for a doubleheader.

The Bears would have also benefited in softball from a combined IEL, as Moscow has one win over 5A Lake City — the only 4A win over a 5A team (in league play; when 4A Lakeland beat Lake City last Saturday, those games had reverted to nonleague games).

One last thought — what was that bright yellow thing in the sky on Tuesday, giving off heat? Hadn’t seen that in a while.

Hopefully it makes a regular appearance over the next couple of weeks — especially with state softball headed our way the weekend after next.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @CdAPressSports.