Vikings stripped of regional victory
Pitching violation erases 4-2 win over Lewiston
The Coeur d’Alene baseball team isn’t headed to state – at least not yet and not by the shortest route.
Coeur d’Alene on Wednesday had to forfeit its 4-2 5A Region I tournament championship victory over Lewiston on Tuesday after it was discovered the Vikings violated a pitching rule.
Colin Richards threw a one-hitter, striking out eight in seven innings. He closed out CdA’s regional opener on Monday, collecting the save in the final inning of a 7-6 win over Lake City.
The rule states that a pitcher shall not be permitted to pitch more than seven innings in a) one game; b) a total of seven innings in two games on the same day; or c) in two games on consecutive games.
CdA appealed the forfeit Wednesday afternoon to the District II Board of Control, where the violation occurred. But the appeal was denied.
That means Lake City (16-10), which topped Post Falls 4-3 in an elimination game Tuesday, visits CdA (17-8) this afternoon at 4 in a loser-out game. The winner advances to a play-in game for a state berth on Saturday against the District III fifth-place team.
“We violated the rule,” CdA athletic director Todd Gilkey said. “We didn’t follow the rule the way it’s written. I feel bad for our boys. We screwed up and we’ve got to own it.”
Coeur d’Alene coach Nick Rook said he was aware of the rule.
“It was a misunderstanding of the rule,” Rook said. “It was my fault, it was done unintentionally.”
Instead of looking toward state, the Vikings practiced Wednesday.
“We probably had our best practice of the year (Wednesday),” Rook said. “It is disappointing to the kids, we’re getting ready to play Lake City and we’re excited for the opportunity.”
4A Region I
Kenny Cooper allowed five hits over five shutout innings as host Lakeland defeated Sandpoint 11-0 in a loser-out game at Rathdrum.
Cooper struck out four, walked one and threw strikes on 50 of his 71 pitches.
Jared McDaniel and Dalton Strong had two hits and two runs batted in apiece and Ryan Pote scored three runs for the Hawks.
Lakeland plays at Moscow on Saturday in the championship round. The Hawks must defeat Moscow twice to advance to the state tournament.