Cda Avenges Losses At Right Time

Idaho prep baseball

Pitchers Jeff Anstine of Coeur d’Alene and Ryan Kempton of Post Falls have had some classic duels the past two seasons.

In two previous showdowns this season, Kempton has prevailed.

But Anstine got a measure of revenge Thursday in the most important game, as Coeur d’Alene handled Post Falls 9-2 in an A-1 Region I baseball tournament opener at Brett James Field.

CdA (13-11) will meet No. 1 seed and runaway Inland Empire League champion Lewiston (20-5), a 6-5 winner over Sandpoint in the other opener Thursday, in the championship game Saturday at 11 a.m. at McEuen Field in Coeur d’Alene.

The winner advances to state as the region’s top seed.

The loser will turn around and meet the survivor of a loser-out game between Post Falls (8-14) and Sandpoint (11-13). Sandpoint and Post Falls clash at 11 at North Idaho College.

The regional runner-up also earns a berth to state, which will be held May 25-27 in Nampa.

Post Falls coach John Pettoello was impressed with the left-handed Anstine.

“We’ve faced him three times (this season) and this is the best he’s pitched,” Pettoello said.

Anstine (6-2) scattered five hits, striking out seven and walking one. He was surprised he pitched well because his curveball was nonexistent.

“I really don’t know what it was,” Anstine said. “I guess I spotted it real well.”

Anstine said the Viks’ seven-run sixth inning took a lot of pressure off him.

It also proved to be the difference.

With two runners on, Jesse Hoorelbeke, who hit a solo homer earlier, had a run-scoring single, and Nick Groth followed with an RBI single.

One batter later, sophomore Ben Johnson slapped a run-scoring single to left.

Jason Rook then followed with a perfectly executed suicide squeeze, and Todd Hughes collected his second hit of the inning and put CdA ahead 9-1 with an RBI single.

Though Post Falls scored one run in the bottom of the inning, Anstine ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts.

“We’re playing the best baseball we’ve played all year,” CdA coach Paul Mather said.

“We’ve won four out of our last five. The key was we got Jeff (Anstine) some run support. He’s always there, we’ve just needed to give him some run support.”

Post Falls played without starting catcher Ryan Ries, who was suspended Thursday for an athletic code violation.

Pettoello said the suspension affected his team’s attitude. But he still praised CdA’s effort.

“They had good team intensity and we didn’t - and that’s baseball,” Pettoello said.

Earlier this year, CdA split two regular-season doubleheaders with Lewiston, the only league team to beat the Bengals.

“We play at home (Saturday) and it’s all there for us,” Mather said.

At Lewiston, the Bengals had to rally to beat the Bulldogs.

Sandpoint took a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh when starting pitcher Ryan Beard hit a two-run double.

But Lewiston rallied in the bottom of the inning. Two walks and a dragbunt single loaded the bases for Jay Wendt, who promptly served up the winning two-run hit.

“We didn’t play our best game, but you have to hand it to Sandpoint. They came in and battled,” Lewiston coach Tom Grunenfelder said.

Like Mather, Grunenfelder is looking forward to the regional championship game.

“It’s a big rivalry and the best comes out of both teams when we play each other,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a battle.”