Iel Baseball
In predicted order of finish:
1. Lewiston Bengals 1994 record: 8-4 IEL, 18-11 overall, fourth at state
Coach: Tom Grunenfelder, second year
Top returners: Ryan Baerlocher, senior, right-handed pitcher/ shortstop; Mike Wilson, sr., rhp; Marshall Evans, sr., outfield; Jay Wendt, sr., third base; Chris Pendell, sr., catcher.
Key newcomers: Chris Kennedy, jr., of; Jeremy Frei, jr., utility; Lysandro Perez, jr., rhp.
Coach’s comment: “(Ryan) Kempton (of Post Falls) will be the best pitcher in the league, but I’ve got four guys that are real good, too,” Grunenfelder said. “I hope we play to our ability. I think we will because my seniors are real mature.”
Outlook: The Bengals return nine players - three starting pitchers - from a team that peaked at the right time last year. After dropping its regional opener, Lewiston battled back to win four games and the regional championship. That experience could carry Bengals to league title and return visit to state.
2. (tie) Coeur d’Alene Vikings
1994 record: 10-2 (league champ), 18-9
Coach: Paul Mather, first year
Top returners: Mike Dorame, sr., catcher; Bruce Coppess, sr., second base; Mark Scates, sophomore, rhp/of; Jeff Anstine, sr., lhp.
Key newcomers: Jesse Hoorelbeke, jr., rhp/infielder; Matt Nason, sr., shortstop; Todd Hughes, jr., cf; Travis Lovejoy, jr., lf.
Coach’s comment: “We can run. We’re going to bunch our speed together and put pressure on opposing catchers. We’ll be OK defensively, but I’m not sure how we’re going to hit the ball, and some of our pitching is untested.”
Outlook: Most of the returning talent landed at Coeur d’Alene. The Vikings should be tough up the middle with Dorame, Coppess and Hughes. Pitchers Anstine and Scates will be difficult to beat, but newcomers must produce for Viks to make a serious run at a league title. Mather calls Anstine “the best lefthanded pitcher in the state, maybe the best pitcher period (in the state).”
2. (tie) Post Falls Trojans
1994 record: 4-8, 12-11
Coach: John Pettoello, third year
Top returners: Ryan Kempton, sr., rhp; Ryan Ries, jr., catcher; Brett Hollenbeck, jr., of/lhp; Brad Medlock, jr., ss/rhp; Jake Medlock, jr., rhp/infielder.
Key newcomers: Ryan Novak, sr., first base; Mike McKeown, jr., second base; James Ownbey, soph., third base-rhp.
Coach’s comment: “We’ve played together for a long time now,” Pettoello said. “We’re not young anymore. We have high expectations.”
Outlook: The Trojans booted a golden opportunity to win the regional title and advance to state last year. Post Falls will be difficult to beat when Kempton, ranked as the top draft prospect in the state by Baseball America, is on the mound. Several young Trojans got valuable late-season experience last year and they’ll have to step up for Post Falls to challenge for one of the league’s two berths to state.
4. Sandpoint Bulldogs
1994 record: 2-10, 7-19
Coach: Dave Martinez, first year
Top returners: Mike Lindgren, jr., rhp/infielder; Ryan Beard, sr., rhp/first base; Ryan Lamonaco, sr., of/lhp; Travis Riese, sr., third base; Dallas Spielman, sr., infield/of.
Key newcomers: Jared Herrington, soph., ss/rhp; Paul Baran, jr., infield; Geordie Osborn, jr., catcher/rhp.
Coach’s comment: “I’m excited about this group,” said Martinez, who assisted Gene Tomt last season. “We’ve got a good group of kids up from a successful junior varsity team.”
Outlook: To Tomt’s credit, he got the Bulldogs to the point where they were competitive at times in the league. Now Martinez hopes to make Sandpoint a serious contender. It will be a difficult task, unless the younger players mature quickly.
5. Lake City Timberwolves
1994 record: None, first year
Coach: Cory Bridges
Top returners: (From Coeur d’Alene) Garrett Gosch, sr., rhp/ infield; Luke Anderson, sr., catcher; Kevin Moering, sr., rhp; Chuck Shriner, sr., first base; Ryon Packard, sr., ss/rhp; Kurt Ramsrud, sr., third base-rhp.
Key newcomers: Ryan Scharnhorst, jr., of; Wayne Bryant, jr., utility infield/rhp; Travis Whiteside, jr., second base.
Coach’s comment: “Except for a few kids, most of the team hasn’t seen any varsity action yet,” said Bridges, who served most recently as varsity assistant to retired Coeur d’Alene coach Ted Page. Bridges was head coach at Minico. “Most of our experience is at pitching. That should be a strength. (Coeur d’Alene) got most of the infielders. We’ve got a lot of third basemen all over the place.”
Outlook: Timberwolves will battle Sandpoint to avoid the cellar. Sandpoint could overtake LC based on a successful junior varsity team. If pitching comes through - Gosch should be back next week from a broken foot and Moering didn’t pitch last year because of an injured arm after a solid sophomore season - Timberwolves will compete. If pitching struggles, LC will have a long season.
xxxx Players to watch 1. Ryan Kempton, senior, right-handed pitcher, Post Falls. If he has a good season he will likely be drafted in pro baseball’s amateur draft in June. 2. Mike Dorame, senior, catcher, Coeur d’Alene. The three-year starter’s leadership at and behind the plate will be key for Vikings’ hopes of winning league. 3. Ryan Baerlocher, senior, right-handed pitcher/ shortstop, Lewiston. Athletic Bengal expected to have big impact as Lewiston aims to repeat as regional champion. 4. Garrett Gosch, senior, right-handed pitcher, Lake City. He posted top record (7-1) in league last year and will have to carry huge load for inexperienced Timberwolves. 5. Jeff Anstine, senior, left-handed pitcher, Coeur d’Alene. After getting just one decision during the high school season last year, he emerged as top pitcher on American Legion team, posting 10-1 record and 2.35 ERA. 6. Bruce Coppess, senior, second base, Coeur d’Alene. As hard-nosed as they come, Coppess must be leader of young infield. He will lead a speedy team on the bases and will be counted on to provide much-needed hitting.