Lakeland, Moscow Get Title Shot

The State A-2 baseball tournament will have an all-Intermountain League final.

Lakeland and Moscow claimed semifinal wins on Friday to advance to today’s championship game at Hawks Stadium in Boise.

At Meridian’s Storey Park on Friday, Lakeland downed Jerome 8-4 while Moscow defeated Preston 9-2.

Lakeland’s Kurt Reese slugged a three-run homer in first inning. Jerome scored twice in the bottom of the first, but Lakeland pitcher Ryan Banks (7-1) then held the Tigers scoreless until a two-run seventh.

Meanwhile, Lakeland built on its lead as Taylor Skidmore went 3 for 3.

Moscow took advantage of four Preston errors to score nine runs despite just four hits.

It figures to be a hotly contested championship. Moscow (17-10) upset Lakeland (19-3) in last week’s district title game. Defending state champ Lakeland, however, won the IML regular-season crown.

Lakeland defeated Vallivue 8-7 in Thursday’s opener, scoring a run in the ninth inning on a wild pitch. Moscow edged St. Anthony 1-0.

, DataTimes