LEGION BASEBALL: Northern Lakes splits in opening twinbill

SANDPOINT — Tadhg Ellwood struck out six in six innings in the nightcap, and the Northern Lakes Mountaineers pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh to beat the Sandpoint Lakers 4-2 for a split of their season-opening class A North Idaho League doubleheader Friday at Pine Street Field.

Sandpoint won the first game 5-3.

Ellwood walked three and allowed three hits for Northern Lakes, a team comprised of players from Lakeland and Timberlake high schools. Both runs he allowed were unearned.

“Tadhg threw extremely well,” Northern Lakes coach Bryce Johnson said. “It was our first game together. We started to come together in the second game, strung some hits together.”

In the seventh inning of the second game, Ty Gallimore and Raiston Ellwood reached on one-out singles. Kenny Wells bounced to short, but Johnson said Gallimore and Ellwood got good jumps, so the shortstop threw to first. The short-hop throw bounced off the first baseman’s glove and Gallimore kept running and scored. Ellwood then scored on a fielder’s choice.

In the first game, Northern Lakes walked seven and committed three errors.

Jace Cooksey went 3 for 3 and scored twice for the Mountaineers, and Caleb Mason went 2 for 3.

“Our pitching staff was awesome,” said Johnson, who used Grant Allaway and Raiston Ellwood in the opener, and Kenny Wells to close in the nightcap. “Those four guys are all starters, and all had very quality outings.”

Northern Lakes returns to action June 12 with a doubleheader at Orofino.

FIRST GAME

N. Lakes 002 000 1 — 3 6 3

Sandpoint 120 020 x — 5 5 2

Grant Allaway, Raiston Ellwood (5) and Jace Cooksey; Medeiros, No. 2 (5) and Inge.

HITS: NL — Mason 2, T. Ellwood, Cooksey 3. Spt — Little 2, Williams, Tyler, No. 20. 2B — Tyler.

SECOND GAME

N. Lakes 011 000 2 — 4 6 4

Sandpoint 000 110 0 — 2 3 3

Tadhg Ellwood, Kenny Wells (7) and Jace Cooksey; Tyler, Leverich (4) and Inge.

HITS: NL — R. Ellwood 2, Wells, Mason, Cooksey, Gallimore. Spt — Williams, Inge, Leverich. 2B— Inge.