LEGION BASEBALL: Northern Lakes, Prairie open with wins

COEUR d’ALENE — Cooper Lenz doubled twice and drove in five runs as the Northern Lakes Mountaineers beat the Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen 15-1 in the first round of the Class A Area A (district) tournament Thursday at Thorco Field. 

Lenz hit a two-run double in the first inning and a three-run double in the third for Northern Lakes (29-5).  

Jace Cooksey drove in three runs for the Mountaineers, two on a first-inning single. Jace Taylor and Jake Larcher each drove in a pair of runs. 

Logan Strimback went 2 for 3 for Coeur d’Alene (15-18-2). 

“Their team is very talented,” Coeur d’Alene assistant coach Ryan Schneider said of Northern Lakes. “We didn’t show up today, didn’t do what we know we can do. We were just off today.” 

Northern Lakes plays the Lewis-Clark Cubs (26-10), a 14-1 winner over the St. Maries Savages, in the second round today at 10 a.m. 

Coeur d’Alene faces St. Maries today at 1 p.m. in a loser-out game. 

Coeur d’Alene     000    01     —    1    4    5 

Northern Lakes    564    0x    —    15    11    0 

Game called in 5th inning due to 10-run rule. 

Jackson Davenport, James Toglialua (2), Crew Thompson (4) and Colten Nordman; Eric Wylie, Jake Larcher (4) and Jace Cooksey. 

HITS: Cd’A — Strimback 2, Jensen, Anstine. NL — Tamagni, Pecor, Taylor, Ellwood 2, Brennan 2, Cooksey, Lenz, Larcher. 2B — Jensen, Brennan, Lenz 2, Larcher.  

Prairie 18, Moscow 3: Andrew Olson went 3 for 4 and drove in five runs as the Cardinals downed the Blue Devils in a second-round game. 

Olson hit a two-run double in the seventh for Prairie (19-12-1), and also had two run-scoring singles and a sacrifice fly. 

Bryce Berger had two doubles, drove in two runs and scored three for the Cardinals. 

Prairie returns to action Saturday at 10 a.m. against the winner of today’s Northern Lakes/Lewis-Clark game.  

Prairie    014    311    8    —    18    13    3 

Moscow    100    200    0    —    3    5    9 

Gavin Wienker, Timothy Howard (3), Grady Stinson (6) and Mason Perkins, Damien LaFountain (7); Trey Magallon, Jackson Banks (3), No. 20 (4), Oliver Castillo (6), Brock Fealy (6) and Benson Godfrey. 

HITS: Pra — Howard 2, Kearney, Wienker 2, LaFountain, Berger 2, Finn, Olson 3, Morast. Mos — Zollinger, No. 20, R. Perry, C. Perry, Fealy. 2B — Olson, Berger 2. 

CLASS A AREA A TOURNAMENT 

At Thorco Field, Coeur d’Alene 

Thursday’s Games 

Moscow Blue Devils 11, Orofino Merchants 2 

Northern Lakes Mountaineers 15, Coeur d'Alene Lumbermen 1

Lewis-Clark Cubs 14, St. Maries Savages 1 

Prairie Cardinals 18, Moscow Blue Devils 3 

Friday’s Games 

Game 5 — Northern Lakes Mountaineers vs. Lewis-Clark Cubs, 10 a.m. 

Game 6 — Coeur d'Alene Lumbermen vs. St. Maries Savages, 1 p.m. 

Game 7 — Orofino Merchants vs. Loser Game 5, 4 p.m. 

Game 8 — Moscow Blue Devils vs. Winner Game 6, 7 p.m. 

Saturday’s Games 

Game 9 — Prairie Cardinals vs. Winner Game 5, 10 a.m. 

Game 10 — Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 7, 1 p.m. 

Game 11 — Loser Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 4 p.m. 

Sunday’s Games 

Game 12 — Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11, 10 a.m. (championship game) 

Game 13 — Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12, 1 p.m. (if necessary)

    MARK NELKE/Press Cooper Lenz of Northern Lakes delivers a three-run double in the third inning against Coeur d'Alene in the first round of the class A American Legion Area A (district) tournament Thursday at Thorco Field in Coeur d'Alene.