Atlas Drops Twin Bill To Twins
Had Lewis-Clark hit true to form, Atlas quite possibly could have swept the District 1 American Legion baseball doubleheader on a hot Tuesday afternoon at McEuen Field.
But LC strayed from its usual hitting patterns and held the Lumbermen at bay, 14-8 and 7-5.
The league-leading Twins, winners in 20 of their last 24 games, improved to 14-3 and 30-14.
“We chart these guys pretty good throughout high school,” Atlas coach Paul Mather said of the combined Lewiston-Clarkston team. “They (hit) against all their tendencies and that’s to their credit. They did a good job. We were outplayed.”
Twins coach Bo Cummings agreed. “The guys know each other so well, they get to know what you’re going to do. We found the holes. Again, we went against our chart and hit the ball very well today.”
“We have played these guys so much, it’s like playing yourself,” LC pitcher/ shortstop Ryan Baerlocher said. “We will always take two wins up here.”
The first inning of the opener went a long way toward deciding the winner in that game.
With two outs, catcher Chris Pendell rallied LC, beating the throw of Atlas third baseman Jesse Hoorelbeke to first baseman Chuck Shriner. Shriner tagged Pendell on the batter’s helmet, but the umpire ruled Pendell safe. Mather’s subsequent protest was in vain.
Twins third baseman Jay Wendt followed with a home run over the right-field fence for a 2-0 lead.
Atlas managed to take the lead at 4-3 in the third, but LC responded with a seven-run fourth.
The Twins connected on seven of their 16 hits in that decisive inning, including four consecutive doubles, and chased Lumbermen’s starting pitcher Mark Scates from the mound.
LC never trailed in the late game, as Baerlocher picked up his seventh win against no losses.
Baerlocher, who has collegiate baseball offers from Washington State, Gonzaga, Lewis-Clark State and Albertson College, supported himself. The right-hander notched three of the team’s seven hits and wound up 6 for 9 on the day.
Atlas (6-6 in league, 14-22 overall) was led by Hoorelbeke (6 for 8) and Shriner (5 for 8) in the two games.
LC closes league play in Lewiston on Thursday against Trail, British Columbia (9-3, 22-7).
Eight league games remain for Atlas, including Thursday’s home doubleheader against Prairie (11-7, 24-19). The first game starts at noon.
The league’s top two finishers receive first-round byes into the district tournament at Lewiston on July 29-Aug. 2.
Wrestling
Less than two weeks after resigning as head wrestling coach at Coeur d’Alene High School, Craig Hanson on Tuesday accepted a similar post at East Valley.
Hanson taught at Lakeside High in Nine Mile Falls last year, but commuted to Coeur d’Alene to coach. He was hired late in the summer last year at CdA after previous Vikings coach Bill Bauman left for West Valley.
Hanson is the third former CdA wrestling coach to take a coaching position in the Spokane Valley, following Bauman and Don Owen, who is at University High.
The hiring of Hanson at EV is pending board approval, which is expected at a meeting next week.
Hanson said he regretted having to leave CdA. He looked at taking a teaching job at CdA, but resigned when the finances didn’t work out.
“In terms of a job, it was an excellent job. I really enjoyed the people and the kids there,” Hanson said. “But, financially, it would have been too much of a hardship on my family. It was a family decision.”
Prior to taking the job last year at CdA, Hanson assisted Scott Jones at Lakeside for three years. Hanson previously was head coach at Wapato, Wash., for three years.
Hanson takes over at EV for Mark Perry. Perry resigned to take a head football job at Snohomish, Wash.
The vacancy at CdA leaves Vikings athletic director Larry Schwenke with two head coaching jobs to fill. Bryan Rasmussen resigned as head track coach last month.
Schwenke said he’s scheduling interviews for both jobs this week.
Spokane Legion baseball
Tucker Urdahl pitched a two-hitter as Spokane Federal Credit Union (13-5) shut out Spokane Athletic Supply (12-6) in a battle for first place in the South Division of the Spokane Senior Legion league.
Ryan Gardner of Frank and Clancy (Central Valley No. 1) pitched a no-hitter in a 12-0 win over Rogers Boosters in a Junior Legion game.
, DataTimes