Runs come by the bunch for Coeur d'Alene, Prairie in doubleheader split

POST FALLS — Big innings were the difference between a win and a loss for the Prairie Cardinals and Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen in “AA” Legion North Idaho League action Tuesday as the Cardinals scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth for a 9-2 win in the first game, while the Lumbermen had a five-run fourth in the nightcap in a 17-6 victory to split the doubleheader at Post Falls High.

In the opener, Matt Cade and Alex Gunnerson each had an RBI in the second inning to move the Lumbermen out to a 2-0 lead. Prairie answered in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Jake Coleman.

Prairie shortstop Bordyn Greiser hit a two-out double to score Derek Tymesen to tie the game at 2 after the fifth.

Prairie pulled away in the sixth as Tyler Burnett dropped a two-run single over Coeur d’Alene first baseman Matt Cade’s glove to start a seven-run inning.

“I was just thinking about getting a hit,” Burnett said. “All I wanted to do was get the run in. It was a big game for us. We didn’t have a good outing the last time against them — so to get a win was special.”

Prairie’s Cody Vandever added a two-run single and went the distance on the mound in the win.

“The biggest thing for us in the first game was Cody (Vandever) was excellent on the mound,” Prairie coach Dustin Frank said. “He was able to locate his off-speed pitches, You’ve got to give him credit, he really kept off balance. We really made them earn everything with the way we played defensively.”

“We just didn’t have any quality at bats in the first game,” Coeur d’Alene coach Lloyd Duman said. “They just weren’t there in that game. We’ve been playing a lot of baseball, but that’s no excuse for being lackadaisical.”

In the nightcap, the Lumbermen scored five runs in the first inning and ran away from the Cardinals 17-6 to earn a split.

Mitch Bevacqua had an RBI single and two-run home run in the second game for Coeur d’Alene.

“It’s really a fun group to be around,” Bevacqua said. “I was excited to finally hit one (home run) again. I’ve been trying to learn from my mistakes and wanted to come prepared in the second game.”

Lumbermen pitcher Grant Curtis had seven strikeouts in his first start since attending various baseball camps over the past two weeks.

Coeur d’Alene (14-17, 5-3 NIL) and Prairie (10-19, 5-5) travel to the Josh Burton Memorial tournament in Lewiston starting Thursday.

FIRST GAME

Coeur d’Alene 020 000 0 — 2 8 1

Prairie 010 017 x — 9 9 0

Pete Hoffman, Ransom Storm (6) and Alex Gunnerson; Cody Vandever and Cody VanDuyne. W — VanDuyne. L — Hoffman.

HITS: Cd’A — Nyquist 2, Cade, Gunnerson, Krapas 2, DeHaas, Bevacqua. Pra — Berger, South 2, Coleman 2, Greiser, Vandever 2, Burnett, Smith. 2B — Krapas, Greiser, Vandever, Smith.

SECOND GAME

Coeur d’Alene 534 50 — 17 18 4

Prairie 300 12 — 6 8 4

Game was called after five innings due to 10-run rule.

Grant Curtis and Kaleb DeHaas; Derek Tymesen, Tyler Burnett (3), Connor Peery (4) and Cody VanDuyne, Bordyn Greiser (4). W — Curtis. L — Tymesen.

HITS: Cd’A — Kiefer 3, Bevacqua 4, DeHaas 2, Roletto 2, Nyquist, Pattis 2, Cade 2, Priano. Pra — Greiser, Vandever, South, VanDuyne, Tymesen, Garcia, Burnett, Leva. 2B — Kiefer, DeHaas, Cade, Burnett.