COEUR d'ALENE - Patience has been paying off for the Coeur d'Alene Viking baseball team this season.

The Vikings took advantage of 15 walks by six Lake City pitchers to win a 5A Inland Empire League game 27-2 in five innings at Lake City High.

"The kids did a good job at the plate today," Coeur d'Alene coach Nick Rook said. "We ran into a few balls today, but things worked out well for us."

Bubba Duran hit a 3-run home run in the first inning for Coeur d'Alene. The Vikings piled on as Kolby DeHaas singled to score D.J. Sutton to make it 5-0.

Levi Pereira, who converted from first base to catcher this season, hit two home runs - a solo shot in the second inning and a three-run shot in a 19-run third inning - for Coeur d'Alene (9-2, 7-0 5A IEL), and finished with five RBIs.

"I was just sitting on the pitch and looking for something I could drive on a line," said Pereira of his three-run shot. "I just wanted to elevate something."

Pereira added that the switch from first base to catcher has helped with his hitting approach.

"I know the situations more and what pitchers are going to throw in certain situations," Pereira said. "Catching really helps you know what's coming."

"Levi's a great player," Rook said. "He was pretty spectacular today and a great overall leader."

Devin Burgess had two hits and a run scored for Lake City (2-5, 2-3), which travels to Moscow for a doubleheader on Thursday.

"Anytime you step on the ball field, you don't want to get beat like that," Lake City coach Al Bevacqua said. "I think there were some learning moments and we learned how to execute against a team like this. Coeur d'Alene is a good ball club. The best thing for us is to have a short memory."

Lake City was coming off a sweep of 5A IEL foe Lewiston last Thursday in Lewiston.

“Anytime we take the field, we want to have a sense of confidence,” Bevacqua said. “But sometimes our youth shows a little bit. Overall, I’m proud of the kids. They never gave up as far as their effort went. In a game like this, that is the only thing you can control — we just need to cut down on the walks and cut down on their at-bats.”

Trailing 6-1 with nobody out in the first, Lake City shortstop Mitch Bevacqua popped out to first baseman Sean Sutton, who made a running catch down the right field line, then threw home to get Alec Turrell tagging from third.

“That kid (Sutton) made one of the better high school plays I’ve seen,” Bevacqua said. “He needed to make a perfect throw and catch, and he did that. They got the momentum back and we could never get going. This league is a grind. You can’t get caught up in yesterday’s news. We just need to keep moving forward.”

Coeur d’Alene is 3-0 vs. Lake City this year by a combined score of 60-11.

Coeur d’Alene travels to Post Falls on Thursday.

Coeur d’Alene 62(19) 00 — 27 12 2

Lake City 100 01 — 2 6 5

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

Mikey Schmidt, Mark Nuttleman (4) and Levi Pereira, Kolby DeHaas (4); Ray Buley, Sam Schultz (1), Zach Vaudreuil (3), Austin Lake (3), J.J. Winger (3), Sam Fortis (4) and Ethan Brandt. W — Schmidt (4-0). L — Buley (0-1).

HITS: Cd’A — Roletto 2, Pereira 3, Duran, Nyquist 2, DeHaas 3, Kluss. LC — Burgess 2, Turrell, Rosteck, Cooke, Bevacqua. 2B — Nyquist 2. HR — Duran, Pereira 2 (5).