LEGION BASEBALL: Junkin sparks Northern Lakes to sweep in opener

DEER PARK, Wash. — Matthew Junkin, a freshman at Coeur du Christ Academy who played this spring at Lakeland High, went 4 for 8 with six RBIs and two runs scored as the Northern Lakes Mountaineers class A team opened its season with a 13-0, 6-3 sweep of the Tri-County Northstars on Monday at Deer Park High. 

Junkin doubled twice and drove in three runs in the opener for Northern Lakes. 

“He swings it as well as anybody we’ve got,” Northern Lakes coach Bryce Johnson said, “and he’s the youngest kid on the team.”

Ryker Brennan struck out eight and allowed two hits in five innings in the opener for Northern Lakes. He also had two hits and scored twice. 

Gage Tenney went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs in the opener for the Mountaineers, and Gage Haines had two hits and drove in three. 

In the second game, with two out and nobody on and the game tied at 2 in the seventh, Brennan reached on an error, stole second and scored the go-ahead run on a single by Parker Byrd. Jake Larcher singled, Nate Beardsall singled in a run, and Junkin followed with a two-run triple. 

“Our kids fight really hard. I was proud of our stick-to-itiveness,” Johnson said. “Ryker and Jake gave us quality starts.” 

Larcher fanned nine and walked two in 6.1 innings in the second game. 

Northern Lakes returns to action Sunday with a class A North Idaho League doubleheader vs. Lewis-Clark at John Shaffer Field in Spirit Lake. 

FIRST GAME  

N. Lakes     106    015    —    13    14    0 

Tri-County    000    000    —    0    2    0 

Ryker Brennan, Grant Rigler (6) and Gage Haines; H. Robb, No. 16 (5) and P. Hansen. 

HITS: NL — Brennan 2, Byrd, Larcher, Beardsall, Junkin 2, Weitz 2, Haines 2, Tenney 3. TC — Talmich, Hansen. 2B — Junkin 2, Tenney. 

SECOND GAME  

N. Lakes     000    200    4    —    6    9    0 

Tri-County    200    000    1    —    3    8    1 

Jake Larcher, Matthew Junkin (7) and Gage Haines; I. Olietti, C. Knudsvig (7) and N. Hunsaker.  

HITS: NL — Brennan, Byrd, Larcher 2, Beardsall, Junkin 2, Perkl 2. TC — Talmich, Knudsvig 2, Robb, Olietti 2, No. 5, Hunsaker. 3B — Junkin. 

SUNDAY

Prairie finishes second at Whitworth tourney

SPOKANE — The Prairie Cardinals AA team reached the championship game of the Whitworth Prospect Series on Sunday, falling to the Expos Williamson 18U 5-1 in the championship game at Whitworth University’s Paul Merkel Field. 

Earlier Sunday, Prairie defeated the Central Washington Sixers 18U 9-2. 

In the title game, Bryce Berger homered in the bottom of the first inning for Prairie to tie the game at 1. 

Tyson Blake homered in the third for the Expos, who added three runs in the fifth, two on a double by Eamonn Keaton. 

Prairie loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, and brought the tying run to the plate, but a strikeout and popout ended the game. 

In the first game, Alec Finn hit a three-run double in the first inning for Prairie. 

Gavin Wienker struck out seven, walked three and allowed four hits in 5.2 innings for the Cardinals. 

Prairie (5-2) plays host to Coeur d’Alene on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Post Falls High in a Class AA North Idaho League game.

EXPOS WILLIAMSON 18U 5, PRAIRIE 1 

Expos     101    030    0    —    5    8    0 

Prairie    100    000    0    —    1    3    0 

Eamonn Keaton, Brady Coulter (7) and Tommy Krotzer; James Morast, Andrew Olson (2), Timothy Howard (5) and Houston Smith. 

HITS: Exp — Blake, Keaton 2, Coulter, Bevan, Bushnell, King 2. Pra — Berger, Olson, Kearney. 2B — Keaton. HR — Blake, Berger.  

PRAIRIE 9, CENTRAL WASHINGTON SIXERS 2 

CW Sixers     000    101    0    —    2    6    1 

Prairie     300    114    x    —    9    5    2 

Carter Peone, Aaden Montes (5), Darian Barr (6) and Manny Barrios; Gavin Wienker, Grady Stinson (6) and Houston Smith. 

HITS: CW — Decubber, Peone 2, Martinez 2, Huber. Pra — Wienker, Berger, Finn, Stinson, Morast. 2B — Peone 2, Decubber, Martinez, Finn.