Lumbermen hang on to win state opener over Gems

With the game in the balance in the late innings, Coeur d’Alene Lumberman coach Jim Straw had the key players in the right spots.

Max Lyons, one of Coeur d’Alene’s hottest hitters of late, ripped a single to drive in what would prove to be the game-winning run in the eighth inning. Then Straw handed the ball to Dan Lau, the Lums’ closer.

Lau did the rest in the ninth inning as Coeur d’Alene held off the Boise Gems 7-6 in a Class AA American Legion state opener Friday at McEuen Field.

It was easily the most dramatic of the day’s four games. The other openers ended early because of the 10-run rule as the Idaho Falls Russets handled Riley Creek of Sandpoint 13-1; Lewis-Clark did likewise in a 12-2 win over the Centennial Cannons; and the defending state champ Boise Senators pulled away from Twin Falls 14-2.

Coeur d’Alene (34-17-1) will take on the favored Senators (32-1) at 7 tonight. In the other quarterfinal, Lewis-Clark (43-10) faces Idaho Falls (26-16) at 4.

In loser-out games, Riley Creek (18-31-1) meets Centennial (21-20) at 9 this morning and Twin Falls (39-13) goes against the Gems (28-16) at noon.

Coeur d’Alene 7, Boise Gems 6: It wasn’t the high-scoring effort the Lums have grown to expect the past two weeks, but it was equally satisfying.

Lums right-hander Adam Capaul had 11 strikeouts to offset 10 Boise hits in eight innings before Lau squelched the Gems’ comeback hopes in the ninth.

Lau picked up his fourth save by throwing first-pitch strikes to three of the four batters he faced.

“He has a good mentality,” Straw said of Lau. “We talk about being aggressive everywhere – defensively, offensively and on the mound, and he does that.”

Lau thought it took the Lums a while to find their stride.

“We settled down, got some hits and fell into a groove,” Lau said. “We came up clutch. All I try to do (in relief) is throw strike one. Luckily, it worked out.”

In the go-ahead eighth, Alex Capaul reached on a single deep in the hole between shortstop and third base. Tom Barlow sacrificed Capaul to second and Capaul moved over to third on a balk.

That set the stage for Lyons, who wasted no time when he lined the first pitch up the middle against a drawn-in infield.

“I knew it was my job to get (Capaul) in,” Lyons said. “I just tried anything to get it done.”

It will be the second time this season that CdA and the Senators have played. They met in the Lums’ Cranston Tournament in late June when Boise edged CdA 3-2.

Boise Senators 14, Twin Falls 2: The Senators scored nine runs on six hits in the seventh to invoke the 10-run rule.

Lefty Kyle Westenheld went the distance for Boise, limiting the Cowboys to five hits. Senators Cooper Blanc and Seth Anderson each had three hits.

Idaho Falls 13, Riley Creek 1: Right-hander Nick Birch scattered six hits over seven innings and got plenty of offensive support as the Russets handled the Lakers.

Birch set the tone early by striking out the side in the first inning. He finished with six strikeouts.

The Russets whacked three homers. A single by Birch and a two-run homer by Trent Johnson, who had four hits and four RBIs, in the seventh provided the difference in the run-rule shortened game.

Lewis-Clark 12, Centennial 2: The Twins busted out for five runs in the first inning and never looked back.

Five of the first six Twins batters reached on hits in the decisive first inning. Left-handers Chris Butler and Tyler Squires combined to limit the Cannons to eight hits in the run-rule shortened game.

Kevin Maurer led L-C with four hits and two RBIs while Cody Hill, back from an injury, had three hits including a homer. Four other Twins had two hits apiece.