COEUR d'ALENE - To be a strong baseball team, you've got to play like brothers for at least seven innings each and every time out on the field.

For the Coeur d'Alene Vikings, they turned to their duo of brothers on Saturday as senior pitcher Jake Pereira tossed a two-hit shutout to win the first game 8-0, then watched as his younger brother, Levi, delivered a clutch double in the fifth inning of a 3-1 win over the Lewiston Bengals at Ted Page Field to clinch the 5A Inland Empire League championship and top seed to regionals starting on May 9.

"This is step 1 of a three-step process," Coeur d'Alene coach Nick Rook said. "Our first goal was to win out in league and then we'll worry about districts when we get there."

Coeur d'Alene clinched its first outright league title since 2001. Lewiston had won or shared the previous six league championships, including a share of the title with Coeur d'Alene in 2005.

“To host in the tournament is huge,” Rook said. “It’s always tough to travel to Lewiston. I’m tremendously proud of our guys for remaining focused throughout the year. We’ve got our minds set on doing something special this year.”

Jake Pereira, who struck out five in the first game, tied the Coeur d’Alene school record with his eighth win of the season.

“I had control of my pitches today and got some solid defense behind me again,” Pereira said. “Lewiston is always competitive and can get you at any time.”

Looking on from the dugout as his sophomore brother delivered in the second game, Pereira felt the same joy.

“I was very excited for him,” Jake Pereira said. “It’s the biggest opportunity he’s had all year. He’s going to be an awesome player.”

Matt Lambert went 2 for 4 with an RBI in the first game for Coeur d’Alene (17-1, 8-0 5A IEL), which travels to Post Falls on Tuesday.

“We’re still 0-0 heading into districts,” Lambert said. “It will be nice not to have to go to Lewiston, but we’ve still got to prove ourselves in districts.”

Lewiston was held scoreless in the doubleheader until a sacrifice fly with one out in the seventh inning of the second game by Matt Kalbfleisch made it a 3-1 Coeur d’Alene lead.

“Our pitching is really solid right now,” Rook said. “We’re doing a good job behind our pitchers and finding a way to manufacture runs when we get players on.”

Lewiston threatened to score in the fifth inning after Allen Willey led off with a double, but senior left fielder Andrew Baracco sprawled out to make a catch to end the inning. The Bengals loaded the bases in the seventh inning twice, but were only able to get one run across as second baseman Bubba Duran snatched a line drive by Glade Grunenfelder to end the game.

Willey had five strikeouts and held the Vikings to four hits in the nightcap.

“Willey threw really well today, but Coeur d’Alene just outplayed and outhustled us,” Lewiston coach Tom Grunenfelder said. “That’s something we need to work on before districts because we’re getting beat at our own game. Outside of a few mistakes, I was pretty glad with the way we played.”

Lewiston (12-8, 5-5) intended on resting Willey for Monday’s doubleheader at Lake City, but was forced to alter those plans after Jarrod Hassell, who started the first game, was hit in the leg by a Drew Turbin line drive in the second inning.

“Our goal coming into today was not to throw either Beau (Kerns) or Allen,” Grunenfelder said. “Jarrod going out as early as he did made us change our plans.”

With Hassell unable to continue, Lewiston brought in Tyler Charlo, who was scheduled to start the second game.

“He’s got a good-sized bruise,” Grunenfelder said of Hassell. “It is right on a muscle and not on the bone, but we’ll be able to give him 9 to 10 days to rest before the playoffs.”

Lewiston (12-8, 5-5) travels to Lake City on Monday for a doubleheader with the Timberwolves at 3 p.m.

FIRST GAME

Lewiston 000 000 0 — 0 2 0

Coeur d’Alene 132 101 x — 8 11 2

Jarrod Hassell, Tyler Charlo (2) and Petey Bakker; Jake Pereira, Ransom Storm (7) and Kaleb DeHaas. W — Pereira (8-0). L — Hassell (1-2).

HITS: Lew — Kerns 2. Cd’A — Roletto, Lambert 2, Lockhert 2, DeHaas, Comack, Nyquist 2, Duran 2. 2B — Duran 2, Lockhert. 3B — Comack.

SECOND GAME

Lewiston 000 000 1 — 1 9 2

Coeur d’Alene 000 021 x — 3 4 0

Allen Willey and Petey Bakker; Colin Comack and Kaleb DeHaas. W — Comack (3-0). L — Willey (3-3).

HITS: Lew — Grunenfelder, Humphrey 2, Willey 3, Kerns, Robbins, Bakker. Cd’A — L. Pereira, Duran, Lockhert, Comack. 2B — Willey, Pereira.