PREP BASEBALL: Coeur d'Alene sweeps Lake City to clinch IEL title; Sandpoint takes two from Moscow

COEUR d’ALENE — Junior Bam Fenter hit a three-run double for Coeur d’Alene in the top of the seventh inning as the Vikings scored six runs in the frame to rally past the Lake City Timberwolves in the first game of an Inland Empire League doubleheader on Saturday at Lake City High. 

Coeur d'Alene went on to win the second game 7-1 to complete the sweep and clinch the Inland Empire League title.

Lake City was one strike away from victory in the opener. Coeur d'Alene trailed 5-3 with the bases loaded before Fenter hit a fly ball near the right field line, just out of reach of a diving Lake City right fielder, to clear the bases and give the Vikings the lead.

Coeur d’Alene senior Harrison Trunkey-Evans struck out nine and Lake City senior Avrey Cherry allowed one hit through five innings in the first game. 

“It was a great game,” Coeur d’Alene coach Brandon Williams said. “Both guys pitched really well. Lake City scratched together some big hits and put up five runs going into the seventh. Our first two guys had some quality at-bats and got on base and then we had some outs, but we had some guys step up and take some big walks and Bam had a big hit to get us going. We just took the approach of not trying to be the guy, but being patient and Bam stepped up and got a big hit.” 

Lake City senior Mark Holecek hit a two-run single to give the Timberwolves a 4-1 lead in the sixth, part of a five-run inning to take a 5-1 lead. Senior Travis Usdrowski had three hits and a run scored in the first game for Lake City. 

"That was the most fun I’ve had on the field this year,” Lake City coach Mike Criswell said. “Archrivals in a pitching duel. Avrey pitched a heck of a game and kept us in there against the Viks.” 

Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, Usdrowski hit what appeared to be a solo home run, but was ruled a ground rule double. He was stranded at third base. 

“This is the third time this week we’ve been on the wrong end of bizarre calls,” Criswell said. “We needed that run and momentum. Travis was seeing the ball well today. We need that production out of that part of the lineup.” 

Coeur d’Alene senior Kolbe Coey struck out two of three batters in the seventh to close out the first game.

In the second game, sophomore Evan Robertson allowed three hits and struck out seven as the Vikings clinched the top seed to the 6A District 1 tournament. 

“ER went out and did what he’s accustomed to doing,” Williams said. “It’s exciting to have him for two more years. We didn’t want to burn him in case we needed him on Tuesday, but he told me after the fifth inning this game was his. He had some tough innings, but pitched his way out of it.” 

“Our sticks were put on mute all game,” Criswell said. “Late in the game, we were serving up pitches that were too hittable.” 

In the nightcap, junior Gavin Helms and Coey hit back-to-back solo home runs for the Vikings, who have won 10 straight games since splitting a doubleheader with Moscow on March 25. 

Lake City (9-6, 8-5) travels to Coeur d’Alene on Tuesday for an IEL doubleheader, then plays at Post Falls on Wednesday in the conclusion of a suspended game. 

FIRST GAME 

Coeur d’Alene    100    000    6    —    7    5    1 

Lake City        000    005    0    —    5    7    2 

Harrison Trunkey-Evans, Tyler Voorhees (6), Kolbe Coey (7) and Hunter Chambers; Avrey Cherry, Kasen Noffke (6), Mark Holecek (7) and Tanner Franklin. 

HITS: Cd’A — Coey, Fenter, Foulk, Beckenhauer, Hackett. LC — Holecek 2, Usdrowski 3, Adams, Franklin. 2B — Fenter, Usdrowski. 

SECOND GAME 

Coeur d’Alene    030    000    4    —    7    14    1 

Lake City        100    000    0    —    1    3    1 

Evan Robertson and Hunter Chambers; Kyle Johnson, Maverick Lanigan (6) and Tanner Franklin. 

HITS: Cd’A — Voorhees 2, Helms, Coey 4, Fenter 2, Beckenhauer 2, Chambers 2, Foulk. LC — Pierce, Johnson, Usdrowski. 2B — Fenter, Chambers, Usdrowski. HR — Helms, Coey. 

Sandpoint 7-6

Moscow 6-5

SANDPOINT — Junior Dallen Williams hit a walk-off single in the opener, junior Soren Caprio had a two-run double and multi-hit effort in the nightcap, and the host Bulldogs swept the Bears in an Inland Empire League doubleheader at War Memorial Field.

Williams, who was 2-for-3 in the opener, hit his walk-off single to center on a 1-0 count. He also tied the game in the fifth with a sacrifice fly, also to center.

"We put together some good at-bats that inning," Sandpoint coach Ricky Klontz said of the inning Williams hit the walk-off. "Dallen put a really good swing on the ball and drilled it right up the middle and Drew (Lehman) scored to walk it off."

Down 4-0 heading into the bottom of the third Lehman, who was 3-for-3, hit a three-run bases-clearing triple to deep right to bring the Bulldogs within one run. In the fourth, junior Sage Medeiros and Coleman Inge hit back-to-back RBI singles to give Sandpoint a 5-4 lead.

"We felt like that was going to come," Klontz said about the five-run fifth frame. "We got outside of what our approach should be at the plate early on. We made a few adjustments and the guys really bought into it and put it together. We've shown the ability to put together those big innings throughout the year. It really boils down to the depth that we have."

Medeiros relived sophomore Brennan Shaw, who started off the game with a solid four innings on the bump, in the fifth inning and pitching three one-hit innings to go along with three strikeouts to lift the Bulldogs to the one-run victory.

In game two, the result was another one-run win that was equally as exciting. Moscow outhit Sandpoint 11-7, but the Bulldogs rallied late when it mattered most.

Down 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, Shaw hit an RBI single, Caprio a two-run double, and junior Mason Little put a ball in play and the Bulldogs scored two runs on errors to take a 5-4 lead. In the sixth, senior Jesse Turner knocked in an insurance run via an RBI single to left, which proved to be crucial as Sandpoint surrendered a run in the top of the seventh before holding on for the sweep.

On the mound, Turner came in for the final out and recorded a strikeout in just four pitches to pick up the save.

Sandpoint (12-10, 9-7 IEL) will travel to Moscow (13-9, 9-7) on Tuesday for a IEL doubleheader — the regular season finale for both teams. The teams are tied for the top seed in the upcoming 5A Region 1 tournament.

FIRST GAME 

Moscow    004    020    0    —    6    3    0 

Sandpoint    003    210    1    —    7    11    2 

One out in bottom of 7th inning when winning run scored. 

Butch Kiblen, Keaton Clark (6) and Tyson Izzo; Brennan Shaw, Sage Medeiros (5) and Coleman Inge. 

HITS: Mos — Hurley, Izzo, Rigney. Spt — Lehman 3, Williams 2, Medeiros 2, Inge 2, Reichart, Little. 2B — Rigney, Lehman, Williams. 3B — Lehman. 

SECOND GAME 

Moscow    000    130    1    —    5    11    1 

Sandpoint    000    051    x    —    6    7    1 

Sam Rigney, Conor Isakson (5) and Tyson Izzo; Dallen Williams, Jayden Kuprienko (5) and Gavin Day. 

HITS: Mos — Izzo 3, Hurley 2, Isakson, Hartig, Clark, Kiblen, Breese, Helbling. Spt — Caprio 2, Medeiros 2, Turner, Williams, Shaw. 2B — Turner, Caprio, Medeiros, Izzo. 

Lewiston 5-9 

Lakeland 3-2 

RATHDRUM — Griffin Tamangi singled to score Wyatt Fuhriman to cut the deficit to 4-3 with two outs in the fourth inning for the Hawks, but the Bengals added another run in the top of the fifth inning en route to victory in the first game in an Inland Empire League doubleheader at Gorton Field. 

Austin Hocking and Tadgh Ellwood also had RBIs in the opener for Lakeland. 

In the nightcap, Grady Peterson hit a three-run double in the top of the sixth inning, finishing with four RBIs as the Bengals completed the sweep. 

Lakeland (5-15, 3-13 IEL) concludes the regular season with a doubleheader at Post Falls on Tuesday. 

Lewiston (11-13, 7-11) is off until the 5A Region 1 tournament. 

FIRST GAME 

Lewiston    103    010    0    —    5    6    2 

Lakeland    002    100    0    —    3    7    2 

Zack Bambacigno, Jaxon Holthaus (2) and Peyton Bonebrake; Evan Shanley and Nate Bevacqua. 

HITS: Lew — Krasselt 2, Schumacher 2, Peterson, Bonebrake. LL — Tamangi, Hocking, Bevacqua 2, Shanley, Puzio, Lund. 2B — Schumacher, Krasselt, Bonebrake, Hocking. 

SECOND GAME 

Lewiston    200    205    0    —    9    8    1 

Lakeland    100    001    0    —    2    6    3 

Grady Kennedy, Jayden Estlund (3) and Peyton Bonebrake; Tadgh Ellwood, Landon Puzio (6) and Nate Bevacqua. 

HITS: Lew — Krasselt 2, Schumacher, Peterson, Bonebrake 2, Bambacigno, Topp. LL — Bevacqua, Ellwood 2, Avriett, Caywood, Lund. 2B — Schumacher, Peterson, Krasselt, Bevacqua. 

St. Maries 8 

Kellogg 6 

ST. MARIES — Peyton Lingo and Jordan Hammons drove in two runs each for the Lumberjacks in a Central Idaho League win over the Wildcats at the new PotlatchDeltic Field at St. Maries High. 

The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was suspended due to rain in the middle of the third inning with the Wildcats (1-12, 1-7 CIL) leading the Lumberjacks (3-13, 2-5) 5-0. 

That game will be resumed on Tuesday at Morehouse Field in Osburn starting at 3 p.m., to be followed by the regularly scheduled game between the two. 

FIRST GAME 

Kellogg    110    100    3    —    6    8    0 

St. Maries    102    302    x    —    8    9    3 

Preston Grasskamp, Kaden Keller (3) and Maddux Allen; Kris Brusseau and Amado Stewart. 

HITS: Kell — Rose, Keller, Grasscamp 2, Lindcoat, VanVleet, Cassidy 2. SM — Morris, Stewart, Holmes, K. Brusseau, Lingo 2, McMurrian 2, Hammons. 2B — Stewart. 

Grangeville 19-19

Priest River 0-0

PRIEST RIVER — Sophomore Brayden Elder had Priest River's lone hit in the opener, freshman Jacob Best struck out eight batters over four frames in the nightcap, and the host Spartans were bested by the Bulldogs in both games of a Central Idaho League doubleheader at Priest River Junior High.

Priest River (4-11, 4-7) will look to regroup on Wednesday when they host Bonners Ferry for a nonleague doubleheader.

Grangeville is 12-6, 7-1.

FIRST GAME 

Grangeville    246    61    —    19    15    0 

Priest River    000    00    —    0    1    4 

Game called after 5 innings due to 10-run rule. 

David Goicoa and unknown; Collins, Elder (4) and unknown. 

HITS: Grang — Goicoa 4, Sickles 3, Long 2, Jackson 2, Told, Poxleitner, Wassmuth, Williams. PR — Elder. 2B — Goicoa, Long, Poxleitner, Sickles, Told. HR — Goicoa 2, Jackson. 

SECOND GAME 

Grangeville    012    4(12)    —    19    11    0 

Priest River    000    00    —    0    0    4 

Game called after 5 innings due to 10-run rule. 

Trayven Sickles, Kolton Heitzman (5) and unknown; Jacob Best, Mike Eason (4) and unknown. 

HITS: Grange — Wilson 2, Jackson 2, Wassmuth 2, Sickles 2, Poxleitner, Williams, Long. PR — none. 2B — Jackson, Sickles. 3B — Williams. 

    MARK NELKE/Press Gavin Helms (4) of Coeur d'Alene awaits the throw as Kyle Johnson of Lake City dives back into first base in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Lake City High.