Hawks Counter In Non-Counter Lakeland Rallies Against Cda In Game Suspended By Darkness

Technically, the Lakeland-Coeur d’Alene nonleague high school baseball game Thursday will likely stand as a tie.

Technically, though, Lakeland outplayed Coeur d’Alene - at least in the later innings as the Hawks took an 11-8 lead moments before umpires suspended the game because of darkness at North Idaho College.

Lakeland was batting in the top of the seventh with runners on first and second base and two outs.

Neither coach expressed much interest in completing the game where it left off. The teams are scheduled to play another single game April 13 at Lakeland.

Both teams had many opportunities to end the game before the sun set behind Blossom Mountain.

CdA (3-1 overall) jumped on the Hawks for four runs in the first inning. Jeff Nason provided the big hit with a two-out, three-run single.

Viks starting pitcher Mark Scates limited the Hawks to one hit and no runs in three innings. CdA coach Paul Mather pulled Scates to save him for relief duty Saturday when the Viks travel to Lewiston for an Inland Empire League-opening doubleheader.

CdA relievers struggled thereafter. Lakeland’s bats also came alive as the Hawks collected 13 hits over the last four innings.

Lakeland tied the score at 4 in the fifth inning when Josh Phelps drilled a double to deep center field to drive in two runs.

The Viks regained the lead at 6-4 in their half of the inning. With the bases loaded and two outs two runs scored on a wild pitch and throwing error.

Lakeland, which opened its season Tuesday with an impressive 19-5 win over West Valley, scored four runs on six hits in the sixth inning to take an 8-6 lead. Kevin Bridge, Al Bevacqua, Joel Gorham and Phelps each had RBI singles in the inning.

CdA knotted the score at 8 moments later. In his first at-bat of the season after serving a two-week suspension, Vik Todd Hughes hit a runscoring triple and scored when a throw by shortstop Erik Martin skipped past third base and into the CdA dugout.

Bevacqua, who went 4 for 4 and reached base five times, collected a RBI and double in the top of the seventh before the game was suspended.

“I was happy with the way we battled back after a tentative start,” Lakeland coach Ken Busch said. “That shows me a lot. Whether we win or lose that means more than anything to battle back.”

Mather was disappointed with the Viks’ hitting. CdA had just two hits after getting three in their four-run opening inning.

Lakeland 11, Coeur d’Alene 8

Lakeland 000 224 3 - 11 13 7

Coeur d’Alene 400 022 - - 8 5 4

Travis Cottier, Kurt Reese (4), Joel Gorham (6) and Josh Phelps; Mark Scates, Jason Quast (4), Nick Groth (6) and Mike Dorame. 3B: Bridge, Hughes. 2B: Bevacqua, Phelps.