Senators rule Lumbermen, make semifinal

If folks were wondering why the Boise Senators came into the Class AA state tourney heavily favored to repeat, they should understand clearly after Saturday evening.

The Senators played flawlessly while the Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen made more mental and physical errors than one could count.

Still, Boise had to hold off the Lumbermen 9-7 and will meet Lewis-Clark in the semifinal this afternoon.

Lewis-Clark pulled away from the Idaho Falls Russets 13-3 in a run-rule shortened eight innings in the other quarterfinal matchup at McEuen Field. L-C (44-10) and the Senators (33-1) face off at 4, with the winner advancing to Monday’s championship game.

Coeur d’Alene (34-18-1) will take on Riley Creek of Sandpoint (19-31-1) today at noon in one of three loser-out games. In a loser-out opener at 9, Idaho Falls (26-17) goes against Twin Falls (40-13).

If the Lums hope to get another crack at Boise, they must win two games today. The loser-out survivors play in another elimination game at 7 tonight.

Boise Senators 9, Coeur d’Alene 7: The Lumbermen made six errors to the Senators’ none. Worse yet, the Lums made countless mental mistakes to Boise’s none.

The miscues were the difference.

It left CdA coach Jim Straw shaking his head.

“We didn’t play well,” Straw said, not pulling any punches or trying to sugarcoat the obvious. “We played hard – we played really hard. We competed really well, but we didn’t play real well. We’ve talked about that. Our base-running has to be better, our defense needs to be better, if we want to play at the level at obviously we want to be at.”

Or, as Straw stopped short of saying, if his team hopes to play at Boise’s level. No wonder the Senators came to state sporting just one loss.

“We do some things really, really well, but the Senators tonight took advantage of some things we don’t do so well,” Straw said.

Two Lums were picked off bases and another was thrown out trying to score. Each time CdA saw rallies thwarted.

Still, despite finding themselves in the deepest of the many holes when they trailed 9-3 through seven innings, the Lums battled back.

CdA loaded the bases for the third time in the eighth and scored four runs to pull within the final margin. K.C. McDonald had a clutch single he golfed into center field after falling behind Boise starter Stephen Fife 0-2. Mike Estrada had a run-scoring hit moments later followed by a two-run double by Cory Kreighbaum, who twisted his knee legging out the double. He had to leave the game.

Estrada belted his team-high 15th homer earlier and Travis Georgious hit his 10th.

Boise got timely hits. More important, the Senators didn’t beat themselves.

Boise coach Jake Taylor praised both teams.

“Both teams played fantastic and neither team deserved to lose that game,” Taylor said. “I was so impressed with Coeur d’Alene’s kids. They just competed hard. I was proud of our kids. We played great defensively and our pitcher was fantastic. Our kid threw one of his best games of the year, but (the Lums) competed.”

Lewis-Clark 13, Idaho Falls 3: Twins pitcher Nick Masters pitched with a swollen forearm on his non-throwing arm after being stung by a bee the day before.

Masters went the distance, limiting the Russets to six hits.

“He dug down,” said L-C coach Tom Grunenfelder, who had to watch most of the game from outside the park after being ejected. “His left (forearm) is twice the size of his right. We’re going to try to get him some antibiotics. He had a lot of pain, but he wanted to pitch.”

Jacob Acey led the Twins with two hits, including a three-run homer.

Riley Creek 9, Centennial 5: The Lakers secured the win by scoring five runs without the benefit of a hit in the eighth inning to stay alive.

Lakers lefty Glen Poelstra struck out eight and allowed just one walk. Adam Hodges, Tyler Crabb and Jake Howell had two hits each for Riley Creek.

Twin Falls 12, Boise Gems 7: The Cowboys overcame eight errors to eliminate the Gems. Five Cowboys had two hits each.