LEGION BASEBALL: With depth on the mound, Lums look for deep state run

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

Before this week’s state class AA American Legion baseball tournament began, the Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen caught a little bit of a break if possible.

The Lums were selected as the second seed to state after finishing last year as the tournament runner-up at Thorco Field in Coeur d’Alene.

“I really like our starting pitchers,” said Coeur d’Alene coach Darren Taylor, who played on the Lums’ last regional team in 1979. “If they don’t walk a lot of people, we’re going to be hard to beat.”

Coeur d’Alene (20-14) will face the winner of an opening round game between defending champion Pocatello (25-10), the third-seed, and Hillcrest (9-34), the tournament’s sixth seed on Friday.

“We can bring Aaron (Gwaltney), Nate (Weatherhead) and Austin (DeBoer), bang, bang, bang,” Taylor said. “And three wins, that can put you in the money. We’ve got some lefties that are pitching well, and they’re poised to win some big games for us at the end of the tourney.”

The Nampa Chiefs, the fifth-seed, face fourth-seeded Lewis-Clark (16-21) in the other opening round game on Thursday afternoon.

Coeur d’Alene won four straight elimination games to battle back to last year’s championship game. 

“Pocatello is having another good season and they’re going to be tough to beat,” Taylor said. “Lewis-Clark has some good players and pitching as well. It should be a good tourney.”

Coeur d’Alene dropped a pair of games to Lewis-Clark earlier this season in Coeur d’Alene on June 10.

The Lums have won four of their last five games, including a win in the championship game of the Ed Gallo Memorial Tournament in Kalispell, Mont., on July 14.

The state champion advances to the Northwest Regional tournament Aug. 7-11 at Dehler Park in Billings, Mont.

STATE AA AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

At Halliwell Park, Pocatello

Thursday’s Games

Game 1 — No. 5 seed Nampa Chiefs vs. No. 4 Lewis-Clark Twins (16-21), 3 p.m.

Game 2 — No. 3 Pocatello Runnin’ Rebels (25-10) vs. No. 6 Hillcrest (9-34), 6:30 p.m.

Friday’s Games

Game 3 — No. 1 seed Twin Falls Cowboys (19-19-1) vs. Winner Game 1, 9 a.m.

Game 4 — No. 2 seed Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen (20-14) vs. Winner Game 2, noon

Game 5 — Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3, 3 p.m. (loser out)

Game 6 — Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 4, 6 p.m. (loser out)

Saturday’s Games

Game 7 — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 8 a.m.

Game 8 — Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 7, 10:30 a.m. 

Game 9 — Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 1 p.m.

Sunday’s Games

Game 10 — Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9, 10 a.m. (championship game)

Game 11 — Loser Game 10 vs. Winner Game 10, 1 p.m. (if necessary game)