Northwest Notes July 12, 2024
Little League districts wrap up this weekend in Lewiston
After games at Croffoot Park in Hayden last weekend and on Wednesday, the Little League District 1 baseball tournaments move this weekend to Airport Park in Lewiston, where champions will be determined in the double-elimination tourneys.
This weekend’s district champions will advance to the state best-of-3 playoffs next weekend at the Canfield Sports Complex in Coeur d’Alene, vs. champions from District 2.
Little League (12U): Post Falls faces Coeur d’Alene in the semifinal game Friday at 6:30, with the winner advancing to the championship game Sunday at 10 a.m.
Also Friday, Sandpoint plays Lewiston at 6:30 in an elimination game, with the winner playing the Post Falls-Coeur d’Alene loser Saturday at 1 p.m. for a spot in the title game.
If a second title game is needed Sunday, it would follow at 12:30 p.m.
11U: Coeur d’Alene defeated Lewiston 6-5 on Wednesday in an elimination game at Croffoot Park.
Post Falls, unbeaten in the tourney, and Coeur d’Alene will square off in the championship game Saturday at 10:30 a.m., with Coeur d’Alene needing to win twice. An if-necessary game would follow Saturday at 1 p.m.
10U: Hayden Black downed Lewiston Purple 12-6, and Coeur d’Alene Blue defeated Sandpoint 5-4, in elimination games Wednesday at Croffoot Park.
In the winners bracket, Coeur d’Alene Black faces Lewiston White in the semifinal game Friday at 4 p.m., with the winner advancing to the title game Sunday at 10 a.m.
Hayden Black and Coeur d’Alene Blue clash in an elimination game Friday at 4 p.m., with the winner facing the Coeur d’Alene Black-Lewiston White loser Saturday at 10:30 a.m. for a spot in the title game.
If a second championship game is needed, it would follow Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Champions from District 2 are West Valley (Little League), Southwest Ada (11U) and West Valley (10U). State playoff games will be July 19 and 20, and July 21 if necessary.
Gonzaga opens indoor baseball training facility
SPOKANE — Gonzaga University President Dr. Thayne McCulloh led a dedication ceremony celebrating the new Scott and Liz Morris Family Indoor Training Facility at the Patterson Baseball Complex. The project includes the new Danny Evans clubhouse locker room, an indoor practice facility, and recruiting gallery.
The facility provides the student-athletes a space to train during the winter months in the Inland Northwest.
“Gonzaga has a rich tradition as one of the best baseball programs on the west coast and we are honored to support the program,” donor Scott Morris said. “This facility will continue to help Gonzaga compete on a national basis.”
The new locker room is nearly 4,000 square feet and the training facility has 11,500 square feet of new space. After renovations, the upgraded complex will have over 35,000 square feet of space.
“This is a realization of Danny’s dream,” Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford said. “It is an incredible privilege to provide this to the baseball program, and it is the envy to any baseball program in the nation. The space is a coach’s classroom and gives the student-athletes an area to grow. The generosity and leadership of a very special group of donors brought this facility to reality.”
Outdoors, Gonzaga’s baseball team has access to turf training spaces as well as two bullpen pitching mounds. The improvements also provide a total of four indoor batting cages and two indoor pitching mounds.
The recruiting gallery has a visual display of the team’s history and accomplishments in addition to new gear and uniforms.
In January 2023, artificial turf replaced natural grass on Steve Hertz Field at the Patterson Baseball Complex. Those renovations also added a 12-foot wall in left field — up from 8 feet – and padding to the outfield walls for player safety.
Wenatchee hires Nachbaur, who coached Chiefs for seven seasons
WENATCHEE, Wash. — Former Spokane Chiefs coach Don Nachbaur was hired as head coach of the Wenatchee Wild of the Western Hockey League.
Nachbaur coached the Chiefs from 2010-17, advancing to the Western Conference finals in 2011.
His coaching career includes 19 seasons in the WHL; he also coached at Seattle and Tri-City, and is the third-winningest coach in league history with 692 career wins.
Most recently, Nachbaur worked for three seasons in the Calgary Flames organization, serving as an American Hockey League assistant coach with the Calgary Wranglers, and previously the Stockton Heat.
Wenatchee is preparing for its second season in the WHL after relocating from Winnipeg, Manitoba, last summer.