Lumbermen battle, but fall twice to Twins

COEUR d'ALENE - Shawn Montee hit a grand slam in the sixth inning of the first game for the Coeur d'Alene Lumbermen, but the team was swept 15-14 and 5-4 by the Lewis-Clark Twins in a class AA North Idaho League doubleheader on Tuesday at Ramsey Park.

Lewis-Clark (9-15, 6-2 NIL) scored seven runs in the first inning, but Coeur d'Alene answered with five of its own in the bottom of the inning. Coeur d'Alene battled back to tie the game at 7 in the fourth inning.

Joe Roletto went 3 for 4 with two doubles and Suraj Kedia and Devin Kluss each had RBIs in the first game for Coeur d'Alene (5-17, 2-4).

In the second game, Carter Chaffin went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and gave the Lumbermen a 3-2 lead in the third inning before Lewis-Clark scored twice in the fourth inning and once in the fifth inning.

Coeur d'Alene had the tying run on third base in the bottom of the seventh, but grounded into a double play to end the game.

Coeur d'Alene coach Lloyd Duman said he was happy with how his team bounced back and challenged in both games. "But it's kind of tough losing two games," Duman said. "It really puts us out of the hunt for anything within the league."

Lewis-Clark wrapped up the league title with the win in the opener.

Coeur d'Alene opens the Whitworth tournament on Thursday against the Spokane 49ers at 10:30 a.m.

Coeur d'Alene concludes league play against Prairie (4-15, 2-4) - which split with Lewis-Clark on Monday - at Post Falls High on July 16 with a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.