Inland Empire League baseball

Thu., March 23, 2006

The Spokesman-Review

Defending champ: co-champs, Coeur d'Alene and Lewiston

Defending regional champs: Lewiston (5A), Post Falls (4A)

Returning all-league picks: First team – Andy Seaman and Travis Georgius, Coeur d'Alene; Cory Kreighbaum and Brady Capaul, Lake City; Chris Butler, Lewiston; Dan Hamilton, Post Falls. Second team – Beck Roan, LC; Bryant Sampson, CdA; Mike Schaffer, Bobby Kuber and Brandon Parker, Post Falls; Rob Roth, Lewiston; Brad Herrenbruck and Ross Steele, Moscow; Ricky Klontz, Sandpoint.

League: For a second year in a row, coaches want to play the teams in their respective classifications more times than the others, creating an unbalanced league schedule as 5A teams will play each other four times and 4A teams twice, while 4A teams will play each other four times and 5A teams twice. That gives 4A teams 18 league games and 5A teams 16 league games. The league title will be determined by winning percentage, and regional seeding will be based on games involving teams from the same division.

Postseason: The regional champs earn automatic state berths. The runners-up can also capture state berths in play-games against District III (Boise-area) teams. The state tournaments will be held May 18-20 in Boise for 5A and in Nampa for 4A.

In predicted order of league finish:

Lewiston Bengals

2005 records: 16-9 overall, 11-5 league

Coach: Tom Grunenfelder

Years coaching: 12th

Returning lettermen, starters: 10, 5

Key players: Chris Butler, senior, left-handed pitcher/first baseman; Rob Roth, sr., right-handed pitcher/shortstop; Noah McKay, junior, center fielder; Tyler Carson, sr., catcher; John Rohde, jr., outfielder/rhp; Brett Harris, jr., lhp/of/1b; Collin Gibbs, sr., lhp/of.

Coach’s comments: “Potentially, ‘staff-wise,’ this as good as any team I’ve had. Offensively, we’ll be more of a team that manufactures runs. We won’t be able to sit back and wait for the five- and six-run innings to come around.”

Outlook: The Bengals get the nod here probably based on tradition more than anything, and the fact that they have a few players off last summer’s state-title winning American Legion team. But Lewiston won’t be a walkaway winner. It will be pushed by both Coeur d’Alene and Lake City.

Coeur d’Alene Vikings

2005 records: 18-8, 11-5

Coach: Brian Holgate

Years coaching: 10th

Returning lettermen, starters: 8, 5

Key players: Andy Seaman, jr., rhp/1b; Travis Georgius, sr., c/infielder; Logan Wadsworth, sr., c/inf; Jake Hall, sr., rhp/cf; Shea Vucinich, jr., ss; Bryant Sampson, sr., rhp; Alex Reyes, jr., rhp/of; Trevor Leaf, sr., inf.; Vinny Lupinacci, jr., inf.

Coach’s comments: “We’re a pretty talented group. Offensively, we’re going to be improved and we’re pretty solid at each position.”

Outlook: The Vikings finished as co-champs last year and they’ll be right on the Bengals’ heels this time around, too. CdA will bash the ball around. The question will be if the Vikings have the depth on the mound.

Lake City Timberwolves

2005 records: 16-8, 10-6

Coach: Cory Bridges

Years coaching: 12th

Returning lettermen, starters: 9, 6

Key players: Cory Kreighbaum, sr., rhp/cf; Beck Roan, sr., rhp/rf; Brady Capaul, sr., third baseman/rhp; Alex Capaul, jr., rhp/1b; Brent Everson, sr., ss.

Coach’s comments: “This group should be very talented. It’s been a successful baseball bunch for years. With the pitching we have we’ll be in every game.”

Outlook: Yes, the strength of this team will be pitching. If the hitting is consistent, watch out. LC will give Lewiston and CdA all they can handle.

Post Falls Trojans

2005 records: 17-11, 8-9

Coach: Mick Zeller

Years coaching: 6th

Returning lettermen, starters: 8, 8

Key players: Michael Shaffer, jr., lhp/1b/of; Brandon Parker, sr., rhp/ss; Brandon Haas, jr., rhp/1b/of; Kelly Hall, sr., c; Dan Hamilton, sr., cf; Bobby Kuber, sr., lf; Jon Aune, jr., 3b/of/rhp/c; Mike Aune, jr., ss/rhp/of.

Coach’s comments: “The strength has to be our pitching staff. I don’t know how we’re going to hit yet. Defense is what got us to state last year and we should be good there.”

Outlook: The Trojans should battle the 5A teams, no doubt. Post Falls made a late-season run that ended in the state final. The Trojans have the talent to get back to the state final.

Sandpoint Bulldogs

2005 records: 9-17, 5-12

Coach: Mike Givens

Years coaching: 3rd, 1st in second stint

Returning lettermen, starters: 10, 9

Key players: Rick Klontz, sr., ss/2b; Tyler Lichty, sr., rhp/inf; Vince D’Orazi, sr., inf/rhp; Noah Hawkins, sr., rhp/inf; Zach Manor, sr., lhp/1b; Clay Montgomery, sr., of.

Coach’s comments: “Our seniors will be a strength. Fundamentally, we’re sound. I like the camaraderie.”

Outlook: Givens was the head coach for two years in the mid-1990s. He returns and plans to stick around a while. He has a nice nucleus off a team that qualified for the state American Legion tournament last summer. The Bulldogs should push Post Falls.

Moscow Bears

2005 records: 13-16, 8-10

Coach: Denny Sumner

Years coaching: 2nd

Returning lettermen, starters: 9, 8

Key players: Paul Wimer, jr., 1b; Brad Herrenbruck, sr., rhp/3b; Ross Steele, sr., catcher/rhp.

Coach’s comments: “I think we’re going to be fine. Our biggest problem, like most of the 4A schools, will be depth in pitching.”

Outlook: Sumner was the head coach for one year back in 1968. He’s been a longtime assistant in the baseball and football programs. The Bears will give Post Falls and Sandpoint all they can handle.

Lakeland Hawks

2005 records: 6-16, 6-12

Coach: Jason Bradbury

Years coaching: 3rd

Returning lettermen, starters: 6, 1

Key players: Cruz Bruner, jr., c/rhp; Bubba Bartlett, jr., 3b/cf/rhp; Scott Carr, sophomore, ss; Kevin Thompson, sr., cf.

Coach’s comments: “This is going to be a test year. We lost all of our pitching. I’m very impressed with our sophomores and freshmen.”

Outlook: It could be a long year for the Hawks. Lakeland could be on the long end of many lopsided scores. But Bradbury is taking the right approach in that he wants to use this season to be better by next spring.