PREP BASEBALL: Lake City's turn to rally ... Timberwolves force deciding game at Coeur d'Alene for 6A District 1 title

COEUR d’ALENE — At one point in the sixth inning, Lake City baseball coach Mike Criswell was just hoping that the game didn’t slip so far away that his team might be looking at a road trip next week. 

Instead, they’ll make a familiar one instead across U.S. 95 to settle the 6A District 1 championship on Saturday afternoon. 

Senior Jack Pierce hit a walk-off RBI triple to cap a five-run bottom of the seventh inning as the Timberwolves beat the Coeur d’Alene Vikings 11-10 in Game 2 of the best-of-3 series, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 at Coeur d’Alene High on Saturday at noon.

Coeur d’Alene scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 10-4 lead. Lake City answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, then cut into the deficit on a two-run double by senior Tanner Franklin to make it 10-9. A sacrifice fly by Mark Holecek tied it at 10-10. 

“For me, I was worried we’d get 10-runned for a second,” Criswell said. “I just told the boys to be patient in their at-bats and see if we can get some pitches. We started to see some out of the zone and then started to get some chip shots. It was just perfect timing for us. This game was crazy and crazy things happen.” 

Pierce also walked and scored a run for Lake City (12-8). 

“People were looking at him as a sophomore and he’s been amazing for us since he’s been up,” Criswell said. “To have him come through like that was big. I don’t think he’s been hitting like he wants this year, but it’s all about timing right now. He did really well.” 

Coeur d’Alene (16-3) scored twice on errors at the start of the sixth, then extended the lead to 7-4 on an RBI double by junior Hunter Chambers. 

“We just slowed everything down,” Coeur d’Alene coach Brandon Williams said. “We just wanted to have an approach. They’d tell us what they wanted to do before they went up to the plate.” 

Coeur d’Alene rallied to win Game 1 8-7 on Tuesday after coming back to beat the Timberwolves 8-7 in the regular season finale on April 22. 

 “I don’t feel that there’s a home field advantage," Williams said. "Hopefully we don’t have to have that last at-bat and can walk it off while we’re out there on the mound. Hopefully we’re ready because I know that Lake City is going to be ready.” 

“We’ve played really well there too,” Criswell said. “We’ve been leading two of the three games, and won one. We have to lock down the defense and can’t let simple plays get away from you.” 

The winner of Saturday’s game will host a state play-in series next week. The loser will likely travel for play-in series. 

“We’ll find out what happens,” Criswell said. “This whole pod thing is crazy and we’re learning as we go.” 

“The game is never over, and we know that with these guys,” Williams said. “Now, it’s back to work tomorrow. Tip our caps. They didn’t roll over. We live to see another day.” 

Coeur d’Alene    300    106    0    —    10    10    2 

Lake City    003    102    5    —    11    12    4 

One out when winning run scored. 

Tyler Voorhees, Kolbe Coey and Hunter Chambers; Avrey Cherry, Maverick Lanigan (6) and Tanner Franklin. 

HITS: Cd’A — Helms 2, Coey, Fenter 2, Foulk 2, Chambers, J. Hackett 2. LC — Holecek, Pierce 2, Cherry 2, Mangini, Moore 2, Franklin 2, Adams, Everson. 2B — Fenter, Chambers, Franklin. 3B — Pierce, Franklin. HR — Cherry. 

St. Maries loses twice, out at districts

OROFINO — The fifth-seeded Lumberjacks fell 17-0 to top-seeded Orofino, then lost 12-7 to third-seeded Priest River in a loser-out game Thursday at the 3A District 1-2 tournament.

Against Orofino, the Lumberjacks were limited to one hit, a leadoff double by Amado Stewart in the fourth inning. 

Aiden Olive had two hits, three runs scored and four RBIs for Orofino (20-3), which plays second-seeded Grangeville (15-9) today in the championship game. Grangeville beat Priest River 18-0 on Thursday. The loser plays Priest River (7-13) in the second-place game.

In the loser-out game, Kris Brusseau scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Lumberjacks a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning, but the Spartans scored nine runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to pull away. 

Amado Stewart had two-run single in the third inning for St. Maries, which finished 4-19. 

Broden Collins went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and three runs scored for Priest River. 

OROFINO 17, ST. MARIES 0

St. Maries    000    00    —    0    1    4 

Orofino    474    2x    —    17    12    0 

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

Kaiden McMurrian, Amado Stewart (2) and Kris Brusseau; Ethan Gilmore and unknown. 

HITS: SM — Stewart. Oro — Barlow 3, Naranjo, Olive 2, Gilmore, Bonner, Runia, Zumpe, Gamble 2. 2B — Stewart, Olive, Naranjo, Barlow 2. HR — Olive. 

PRIEST RIVER 12, ST. MARIES 9

St. Maries    002    103    1    —    7    4    2 

Priest River    011    190    x    —    12    9    3 

Kris Brusseau, Peyton Lingo (5) and Amado Stewart; Jacob Best and Broden Collins. 

HITS: SM — Mitchell, Stewart, Holmes, R. Brusseau. PR — Kuprienko, Elder, Troumbley, Goins, Collins 3, Findley, Paschetag. 2B — Findley, Troumbley.