Cda, Prairie Prep For Districts With Split Teams Follow Different Paths To State Play

After North Idaho American Legion rivals Coeur d’Alene and Prairie split their final District I league doubleheader Monday, both coaches asserted that their teams will be ready for the state-qualifying district tournament later this month.

But both teams are traveling distinctly different roads in hopes of ultimately earning a berth to state.

Coeur d’Alene kept its hopes of a league championship alive by salvaging a split. In the twinbill at North Idaho College, Prairie took the opening nine-inning game 10-8 before the Lumbermen rebounded for a convincing 13-4 victory in the nightcap.

The Lumbermen, who have won three of four league contests against Prairie, raised their league record to 7-3 (19-10 overall). West Kootenay of Trail, British Columbia, is in first at 7-1.

Fresh from winning the Fourth of July Tournament in Spokane on Sunday, Prairie, probably out of the race for a league title, remained in third place at 5-5 while improving to 27-10 overall.

Both teams play five league doubleheaders in the two weeks remaining before district.

Coeur d’Alene coach Paul Mather wants the highest seed possible for the district tourney. Prairie coach Darren Taylor, whose team has won two tournaments this summer, believes his team will benefit most from its success in tournaments.

Check back in late July to see which road proves the best route to state.

“I didn’t set the schedule up to win the league title,” Taylor said. “I used to schedule that way, but what do you get out of it? A bye. Sometimes a bye can hurt you.”

Still, Taylor accepted some blame for scheduling both league doubleheaders with CdA on Mondays immediately following tournaments.

“I’m not going to give up those tournaments we go to,” Taylor said. “We go after those tournaments to get ready for state.”

The modest crowd of 50 that endured the scorching sun witnessed typical offensive fireworks by both teams.

Prairie seemed to pick up where it left off in a 10-8 win over Tacoma in the Fourth of July title game.

The Cardinals touched up usually steady CdA pitcher Mark Scates for four runs in the first inning of the opener, the big hit coming on a three-run homer by Kurt Reese, his first of the season.

Oddly, Scates appeared to have Reese struck out, but the Card managed to foul tip a 2-2 pitch before crushing Scates’ next offering over the fence in left-center field. In fact, the ball landed on the road bordering the field, some 375 feet from home plate.

Scates settled down after the first, eventually finishing with 10 strikeouts before leaving after seven innings.

Twice CdA cut Prairie’s lead to one run (4-3 and 6-5). But the Cards added three insurance runs in the eighth, two coming on a double by Brett DeBoer.

The runs would prove crucial as CdA tried to rally in the ninth. CdA loaded the bases on a single, double and walk to open the inning. but Prairie pitcher Kurt Reese (6-1) settled down to earn the win.

Mather was pleased with the win in the second game. But he was obviously more elated with the pitching of starter Andy Potter.

Mather called Potter’s effort his best of the season. In fact, neither coach nor player could remember the last victory turned in by the pitcher.

Potter, who has struggled with control, attributed his turnaround in part to attending a camp last week at Stanford University.< CdA scored three runs in the third inning of the second game to take the early lead. Then Potter benefitted from a five-run uprising in the fifth. The Lums used five hits, four straight at one point, and three walks to break open the game.

, DataTimes