PREP BASEBALL: Post Falls opens season with sweep at Sandpoint
SANDPOINT — Austin DeBoer, who recently signed with Washington State, struck out six in three innings in the nightcap, and also went 3 for 5 with four RBIs as the Post Falls Trojans opened their season with a 12-5, 12-6 Inland Empire League sweep of the Sandpoint Bulldogs on Saturday at Memorial Field.
“I was pretty happy with how we came out and hit in that first game,” Post Falls coach Kurt Reese said. “The biggest thing for us is that it was our first time against live hitters. On the mound, we just need to continue to work on our locations.”
In the second game, DeBoer hit a three-run double to highlight a nine-run fourth inning that broke a 3-3 tie. He also tripled in a run in the first inning.
“Austin hit the ball really well all day today,” Reese said. “His pitching was good, but he was just a little off and had some close pitches. But he looked good for an early season start.”
Caleb Jimerson and Marshall Tomlinson each had two-run singles in that nine-run fourth for the Trojans, and Jimerson also had a sacrifice fly.
In the first game, Jaxon Austin went 2 for 4 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored for Post Falls.
Brent Campbell drove in three runs in the second game for Sandpoint (1-3, 1-3).
Dallen Williams led the Bulldogs (1-3, 1-3) on the base paths in the opener. The sophomore standout went 2-for-4 with two singles and two runs scored. Junior Jesse Turner was solid on the mound in the last three innings, giving up just three hits, no earned runs, and striking out six batters.
“Jesse has been slow to get going after dealing with some injuries,” Sandpoint coach Ricky Klontz said. “He’s been coming back from it and I thought he was ready today, and he definitely proved that.”
Sandpoint’s Jayden Kuprienko went 2 1/3 innings in relief, giving up just two walks and striking out two.
“I thought Brent (Campbell) threw well and so did Jayden in relief,” Klontz said. “That was a big positive for us. In general, however, it was a tough day, and our next step is to figure out how to eliminate those big innings.”
Post Falls travels to Moscow on Tuesday for an IEL doubleheader.
Sandpoint returns to action Thursday at home vs. West Valley.
FIRST GAME
Post Falls 311 400 3 — 12 12 0
Sandpoint 012 020 0 — 5 5 4
Isaac Ziegler, Danny Davoren (5), Kaleb Gadney (7) and Aidan Tomlinson; Sage Medeiros, Parker Reichart (2), Jesse Turner (5) and Coleman Inge.
HITS: PF — Jimerson 2, Diamond, DeBoer 2, Ziegler, Cooley, French 2, Austin 2, Tomlinson. Spt — Little, Williams 2, Lehman, Johnson. 2B — Austin, French, DeBoer 2, Tomlinson. 3B — French, Ziegler, Johnson.
SECOND GAME
Post Falls 201 900 0 — 12 11 0
Sandpoint 012 300 0 — 6 5 0
Austin DeBoer, Caleb Elliott (4), Kaleb Gadley (5), Caleb Jimmerson (7) and Marshall Tomlinson; Brent Campbell, Drew Lehman (4), Jayden Kuprienko (6), Lucas Hansen (7) and N/A.
HITS: PF — Jimerson 2, Diamond, DeBoer 3, Morrison, Austin, Tomlinson 2, Carrasco. Spt — Little, Campbell, Turner, Mellander, Reichart. 2B — Diamond, DeBoer, Jimmerson. 3B — DeBoer.
Lake City 2-4
Lewiston 1-10
LEWISTON — Cooper Reese struck out nine in four no-hit innings in the opener as the visiting Timberwolves beat the Bengals 2-1 in the IEL opener for both at Church Field.
Lewiston won the nightcap 10-4.
In the opener, Avrey Cherry homered to lead off the fourth inning for Lake City (2-1, 1-1 IEL). Cooper Smith tripled with two outs, and scored on a double by Jake Dannenberg.
In the second game, Lake City walked five, hit three and committed seven errors. Travis Usdrowski and Jack Pierce each had two hits for the Timberwolves, all doubles.
Lewiston is 3-1, 1-1.
Lake City returns to action next weekend at the Rocky Mountain Invitational in Meridian, facing Rocky Mountain and Highland on Friday at Rocky Mountain High.
FIRST GAME
Lake City 000 200 0 — 2 10 3
Lewiston 000 010 0 — 1 2 1
Cooper Reese, AJ Currie (5) and Cooper Smith; Zack Bambacigno, Wiley Wagner (4) and Austin Topp.
HITS: LC — Smith 2, Dannenberg 2, Stoddard 2, Mangini, Johnson, Cherry, Reese. Lew — Kolb, Kennedy. 2B — Smith, Mangini, Dannenberg, Johnson. 3B — Smith. HR — Cherry.
SECOND GAME
Lake City 011 000 2 — 4 8 7
Lewiston 100 450 x — 10 6 0
Nate Weatherhead, Charlie Dixon (4), Kyle Johnson (4), Mark Holecek (5) and Avrey Cherry, Cooper Smith (4).
HITS: LC — Dannenberg, Stoddard, Holecek, Usdrowski 2, Cherry, Pierce 2. Lew — Krasselt 2, Kolb, Stamper, Kennedy, Topp. 2B — Pierce 2, Usdrowski 2.
Fruitland 5
Timberlake 4
FRUITLAND — The visiting Tigers pulled to within a run and had the tying run on first in the top of the seventh before falling to the Grizzlies in their final game of the Bill Betts Tournament at Fruitland High.
Cooper Lenz went 2 for 3 and scored twice for Timberlake (2-3-1), which went 2-1-1 at the tourney. Ethan Pecor hit a two-run single in the third inning to put the Tigers up 3-0, and Ryker Brennan had two hits and an RBI.
Owen Baker struck out eight in five innings for Fruitland, which scored all five runs in the fourth inning.
“Credit to them; they hit it where we weren’t,” Timberlake coach Bryce Johnson said. “Other than that one inning, we played lights out. I can’t express how pleased we were with how we competed down there. We proved we belonged.”
Timberlake travels to St. Maries on Tuesday.
Timberlake 012 000 1 — 4 6 2
Fruitland 000 500 x — 5 5 4
Grant Allaway, James Moore (5) and Ethan Pecor; Owen Baker, Coye Coffman (6) and Jace Mordhorst.
HITS: TL —Lenz 2, Moore, Pecor, Brennan 2. Fruit — Mordhorst 3, Hood, Pettet. 2B — Lenz.
Kellogg drops pair to open season
ASOTIN, Wash. — The Wildcats lost 11-1 to Colfax and 25-0 to Northwest Christian of Colbert, Wash., to open their season.
Kellogg had one hit in each game.
Kellogg travels to Clarkston on Thursday for a doubleheader.
COLFAX 11, KELLOGG 1
Colfax 331 000 4 — 11 11 2
Kellogg 100 000 0 — 1 1 4
D. Lobdell, E. Christenson (5) and A. Burt; Travis Eixenberger, Austin Clapper (4), Ramsey Rainio (7) and Clapper, Ethan Coberly (4).
HITS: Col — Bodey, Christenson 2, Wigen, Burt 3, CI 2, Anderson. Kell — Smith.
NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN 25, KELLOGG 0
NW Christian 539 35 — 25 20 0
Kellogg 000 00 — 0 1 9
Game called after 5 innings due to 10-run rule.
Famolaro, Wing (4) and Wing, NA (4); Logan Smith, Reed Whatcott (2), Ramsey Rainio (4) and Austin Clapper.
HITS: NWC — McLaughlin, Van Dyke 2, Bell 2, Waters 4, Farr, Wing 3, Mortlock 2, Roth, Bevian 4. Kell — Clapper. 2B — Bell, Mortlock 2, Waters 3, Wing, Bevian.