RATHDRUM — Wyatt Kitchin delivered a bases-clearing single in the bottom of the second inning to help the Northern Lakes Mountaineers beat the North Idaho Lakers 12-7 in the first game of a North Idaho League doubleheader at Gorton Field on Tuesday.

In the nightcap, Zeke Roop struck out seven over five no-hit innings as the Lakers held off the Mountaineers 6-4 to get the split. Northern Lakes (16-13, 8-2 NIL) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Ethan Butler recorded back-to-back strikeouts to close out the game for the Lakers (12-10, 8-2).

Both Northern Lakes and the North Idaho Lakers finished 8-2 in league, but the Mountaineers will be the top seed to the Class A Area A tournament, based on run differential between the two teams in their two league games Tuesday.

“It was one of those things where we wanted to win both games,” Northern Lakes coach Bryce Johnson said. “We got down in the second game and their kid was throwing really well. We knew in the second game, if we were going to lose, it had to be by less than five.”

Sam Pemberton had a two-run double in the third inning of the first game for Northern Lakes, which trailed 4-0 after the top of the second inning before scoring the next nine runs.

“We had a lot of quality at-bats and were able to get the bats rolling,” Johnson said. “We knew if we could get that first game, we’d be in good shape.”

Mike Riley had two RBIs in the first game for the Lakers.

Kody MacDonald and Alex Leverich had three hits each in the second game for the Lakers.

The Class A Area A tournament is at Harris Field in Lewiston starting Thursday.

FIRST GAME

NI Lakers 310 003 0 — 7 8 3

North. Lakes 063 003 x — 12 10 3

Jack Ringer, Alex Leverich (3), Mick Koch (6) and Trevor Brackett; Kenny Wells, Scott Pote (6) and Sam Pemberton.

HITS: NIL — Garcia, MacDonald, Mellander, Roop, Leverich, Koch, Riley 2. NL — Wysong 2, Wells 3, Robinett, Hessing, Horn, Pemberton, Kitchin. 2B — Koch, Riley, Garcia, Wells, Pemberton.

SECOND GAME

NI Lakers 004 000 2 — 6 10 1

North. Lakes 000 001 3 — 4 2 3

Zeke Roop, Avery Bocksch (6), Kody MacDonald (6), Ethan Butler (7) and Trevor Brackett; Wyatt Kitchin, Jacob Hessing (6) and Sam Pemberton.

HITS: NIL — MacDonald 3, Mellander 2, Roop, Koch, Leverich 3. NL — Wells, Borges. 2B — Leverich.