The Coeur d’Alene baseball team isn’t headed to state – at least not yet and not by the shortest route. Coeur d’Alene on Wednesday had to forfeit its 4-2 5A Region I tournament championship victory over Lewiston on Tuesday after it was discovered the Vikings violated a pitching rule. Colin Richards threw a one-hitter, striking out eight in seven innings. He closed out CdA’s regional opener on Monday, collecting the save in the final inning of a 7-6 win over Lake City. The rule states that a pitcher shall not be permitted to pitch more than seven innings in a) one game; b) a total of seven innings in two games on the same day; or c) in two games on consecutive games. CdA appealed the forfeit Wednesday afternoon to the District II Board of Control, where the violation occurred. But the appeal was denied. That means Lake City (16-10), which topped Post Falls 4-3 in an elimination game Tuesday, visits CdA (17-8) this afternoon at 4 in a loser-out game. The winner advances to a play-in game for a state berth on Saturday against the District III fifth-place team/Greg Lee, SR. More here.