Vikings Pitchers Winterize ‘Wolves
Playing in frigid temperatures Saturday, Coeur d’Alene High pitchers Jesse Hoorelbeke and Mark Scates did a splendid job themselves of freezing Lake City’s bats.
Scates tossed a two-hitter and received plenty of offensive support in the opener as the Viks hammered LC 15-0 in a run-rule, six-inning Inland Empire League game. In the second contest, Hoorelbeke, who has struggled at times with control this season, crafted a one-hitter in a 6-1 decision at LC.
The Viks, bouncing back from being swept by Sandpoint on Tuesday, added some cushion to their league-leading 7-3 record. CdA improved to 13-14 overall.
The Timberwolves (5-9) fell out of a three-way tie for second at 3-5. The day’s other IEL doubleheader, featuring Sandpoint at Lewiston, was rained out. No makeup date has been set.
Scates and Hoorelbeke were equally masterful. Scates used all of his pitches to retire the final 14 batters he faced while striking out nine and allowing no walks.
Hoorelbeke allowed a leadoff single in the second inning to Charlie Walker, who moved to third on an error and scored LC’s lone run in the doubleheader. Hoorelbeke finished with 10 strikeouts and one walk.
“When you’re pitching that (well) you can stay warm,” CdA coach Paul Mather quipped when asked what his pitchers did to battle the cold. “One unearned run all day (for both pitchers). It’s the best pitching performances by those kids this year. Jesse found his changeup and Scates spotted really well and has great movement on his splitter.”
Hoorelbeke and Scates both improved to 5-1.
Scates said he was pleased, especially following a loss to Sandpoint earlier in the week. But he’s far from content.
“I’m still not happy,” Scates said, acknowledging he’d pitched his best game of the season. “I don’t have any pop on the ball. I haven’t thrown hard all year. I’m glad we got the sweep; that was important since we got swept by Sandpoint. I don’t think anybody has as much talent as we do. It’ll (his pop) come sooner or later. Maybe with warm weather.”
David Goodwin had a two-run single in the first game to put CdA ahead after two innings. Ben Johnston added a run-scoring single in the third off LC starter David Frank, who was charged with just one earned run out of the six CdA scored off him in five innings.
But things fell apart for LC in the sixth, when CdA pushed across eight runs on four hits, three errors, four walks and two hit batsmen.
LC stayed close for five innings in the second game, but CdA broke open a 3-1 score with three runs in the sixth. Scott Ross, Travis Lovejoy and Nick Rook had RBI singles in the inning.
Hoorelbeke was his usual torrid self at the plate, going 6 for 9 and raising his average to a team-leading .627. He also knocked in five runs.
“We just got our fannies beat twice - plain and simple,” LC coach Cory Bridges said. “There were two good pitchers throwing against us, but the way we looked (on offense) they belong in the Hall of Fame.”
Both teams return to league play Tuesday when CdA entertains defending State A-1 champion Lewiston (3-3, 5-8) and LC plays host to Post Falls (4-6, 7-7).
, DataTimes