BONNERS FERRY — The Badgers opened Intermountain League baseball play last Friday, losing two to the visiting Timberlake Tigers. But Bonners Ferry rebounded in its next IML doubleheader, sweeping visiting Priest River 2-0 and 9-8 on Tuesday, April 16.

Seth Bateman went 2-for-2 for the Badgers and Ty Bateman hit a go-ahead triple in the bottom of the third inning in the first game. On the mound, both pitchers threw well in the opener, as Ty Bateman had 12 strikeouts for Bonners Ferry, while Lucas Jantzen fanned 11 for Priest River. Bateman earned the win with six shutout innings, scattering four hits, while Spencer Eby pitched the seventh to earn the save.

The Badger defense backed up the strong pitching by playing an error-free game in the opener.

In the nightcap, Seth Bateman hit a three-run triple in the second inning for the Badgers, putting the hosts ahead 4-3. The Spartans scored four runs in the next inning, but Bonners Ferry chipped away at the lead, tying the game at 7 going into the final inning.

The Spartans scored to take a one-run lead in the top of the seventh. The Badgers, running out of daylight, started the inning with a strikeout and then a walk to sophomore Spencer Eby, coach Tom Turpin reported. Eby stole second base, then Senior Kenny Branson was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a passed ball, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd base when the Spartan catcher overthrew their pitcher, allowing Eby to score the tying run and Branson to advance to 3rd.

With Branson on 3rd with two outs and the score tied 8-8, the Badgers’ best hitters, Seth Bateman and Ty Bateman, were intentionally walked to load the bases and force freshman Wilson Newell to the plate, Turpin reported. With two strikes on Newell, he hit a line shot to right field for the winning hit, as Bonners Ferry improved its record to 2-4 overall, 2-2 in the IML.

The Badgers host Kellogg today, April 18.

FIRST GAME

Pr. River 000 000 0 — 0 4 3

BFHS 002 000 x — 2 5 0

Lucas Jantzen, Jordon Best (5) and Brendon Reeves; Ty Bateman, Spencer Eby (7) and Bo Bateman. W — T. Bateman. L — Jantzen. S — Eby.

HITS: PR — Shockey 2, Rogers, Jantzen. BF — S. Bateman 2, T. Bateman, Newell, Koehn. 3B — T. Bateman.

SECOND GAME

Pr. River 124 000 1 — 8 5 2

BFHS 130 021 2 — 9 8 6

Justin Allbee and Brendon Reeves; Seth Bateman, Spencer Eby (3), Gabe See (4) and Bo Bateman, Quinn Gray (4). W — See. L — Allbee.

HITS: PR — Rogers, Shockey, Reeves 2, G. Rogers. BF — S. Bateman 2, T. Bateman, Newell 2, See, B. Bateman 2. 3B — S. Bateman.

Timberlake sweeps BFHS

BONNERS FERRY — Timberlake junior Jack McDonald threw a no hitter against the Bonners Ferry Badgers in the first Intermountain League game of the season last Friday, winning 13-0 in a five inning game.

McDonald struck out 11 batters and got two hits including a triple for the Tigers. Junior Ty Bateman pitched for the Badgers but could not overcome defensive mistakes made throughout the game, coach Tom Turpin said.

BFHS lost game two of the IML doubleheader 17-3, with the game shortened to five innings due to the 10-run rule.

The Badgers did get their bats going in game two, with 9 hits to Timberlake’s 12, but errors and walks cost the Badgers an opportunity to stay in the game, Turpin said. Seth Bateman, Ty Bateman, Spencer Eby and Chris Durette all had two hits for Bonners Ferry.