Lunt ensnares Bears
For three innings Thursday at Central Valley, Mead’s potent offense was dormant.
No worries – the Panthers had Cody Lunt.
Lunt, a junior in his second start, overcame a shaky beginning to shut down the Bears for five innings, awaiting Mead’s bats to come alive. The Panthers (13-3) won a 7-4 Greater Spokane League baseball victory to break their second-place tie with the Bears (12-4).
“He’s worked hard on junior varsity and did really well,” Mead coach Jason Reich said of Lunt. “We felt he could match up against CV really well. He’s had two good outings.”
Lunt’s first six pitches were balls, followed by an RBI double from second hitter Dane Berg. Thereafter, mixing curveballs and change-ups, he faced the minimum 15 batters. CV had only one other base runner as Lunt equaled his strikeout effort during last week’s win over North Central.
“My curveball was definitely there today,” Lunt said. “It was definitely messing them up. My change-up was working, too.”
Bears starter Scott Simon matched Lunt through three innings, but in the fourth he allowed a two-run homer to Seth Peterson.
The game sped into the sixth inning when a misplayed one-out fly-ball single by Peterson was prelude to a three-run outburst. Simon loaded the bases and one out later pinch-hitter Kramer Kembel slugged a two-out bases-clearing double for a 5-1 lead.
CV got two runs back off Kembel in relief. The middle of Mead’s order, Peterson and Grant Fink, however, proved tough outs, driving in runs in the seventh for insurance. Between them they had five hits, scored four runs and drove in four. Peterson’s line was 3 for 4, three runs and three RBIs.
“The difference between their hitters and our hitters was that they laid off the curve and waited for us to throw a fastball,” CV coach Barry Poffenroth said. “Our guys were not disciplined enough to lay off the curveball.”
“It felt good knowing that team was one of the best in league,” Lunt said. “Throwing a one-hitter against them was really nice.”
•Also in the GSL: Fourth-place Ferris (11-7) topped host East Valley (5-11) 7-2. Gabe Arguinchona fanned eight batters in five innings and C.J. Haney hit two RBI doubles. … Gonzaga Prep (8-8) used big first and third innings en route to a 17-2 five-inning win over North Central (1-15) at Avista Stadium. Ryan Murphy hit a two-run homer in the six-run third and Alec Albinson scored three times. … League-leading University (15-1) took a 13-2 five-inning win at Rogers (1-15). Michael Holmes was 3 for 4 with three RBIs and Craig Keeton homered. Billy Moon was 3 for 4. … Lewis and Clark (9-7) won its sixth straight game, 11-4 over visiting Shadle Park (6-12) at Hart Field. Josh Martin drove in four runs with two hits. Shadle’s Casey Sargent was 4 for 4.
•Northeast A League: Lakeside improved to 14-1 with an 11-1 victory over visiting Kettle Falls at Nine Mile Falls that clinched the league title. Brenden Herzer drove in three runs with two hits.
•Inland Empire League: Coeur d’Alene (18-6, 13-3) scored in every inning but the first to beat host Lake City (8-13, 4-11) 12-3. Devon Austin was 4 for 4, scored twice and drove in two. Mitchell Sanchez hit a solo home run.
•Non-league: League-leading Lewiston (18-3) swept independent Lakeland (5-16) 12-3 and 11-4 at Lewiston. Zach Holley had five hits on the day.
•Intermountain League: Derek Tymesen singled in a run and scored the winner in the bottom of the seventh on Sal Miranda’s third hit (for four RBIs) as Timberlake (7-13, 5-8) beat visiting Kellogg (7-10, 4-10) 9-8 at Spirit Lake. … Bonners Ferry (13-6, 8-4), trailing 4-2, scored three times in the third and fourth innings to win 10-4 at St. Maries (6-12, 4-8). Zach Roberts was 2 for 2 with two RBIs and Robby Burns hit a two-run triple.