Riley Creek slides to .500

SANDPOINT — Strong hitting against depleted pitching combined to give the Prairie Patriots of Post Falls a pair of American Legion baseball victories over the Riley Creek Lakers Monday.

With homers by Tim Carlson and Andy Kifer in the seventh inning, the Patriots punctuated the 8-3 opener.

"It was a little frustrating, because defensively we just aren't there," said Riley Creek head coach Rick Klontz. "I don't understand it. We've got the capability. We're just not doing it."

In game two, David Carlile hit a triple in the third as the Prairie Patriots rallied seven runs to overpower Riley Creek, which ended with Post Falls on top, 11-6.

"We just came back from Libby where we played five games in three days and won the (A) tournament and that gives us eight straight wins," said Prairie coach Bob Stamsos. "Today, the kids all have mud on their pants from diving and sliding and I think that they're playing pretty aggressive. And that's the way we like it."

Klontz said his pitching heading into Monday's game was a bit thin after being edged by Lewiston 6-5, 9-8 during a tough league doubleheader Sunday in Lewiston.

"Our pitching just didn't hold up and we had a few errors that cost us the ball game," he said. "And we're not in a situation where we can afford to give up that many unearned runs."

Riley Creek (5-5, 5-5) will play in the Father's Day Tournament in Coeur d'Alene, which starts on Thursday and concludes with the championship on Sunday.

Prairie (3-1, 9-2) plays their first home game of the season today against Lewiston.

Game One

Post Falls 130 100 3 — 8 12 3

Sandpoint 010 002 0 — 3 5 2

Cody Brubaker and Kim Kreider; Chris Karle, Zack Manor (5), Noah Hawkins (7) and Alex Wolfe, Chris Karle (5).

HITS: PF — Gosney 2, Brubaker, Carlson 2, Kifer, Huffman 2, Carlile 2, Korey Kreider 2. Spt — Walkington, Watson 2, Klontz, Karle 2. 2B — Hoffman 2, Carlile, Kreider, Watson, Karle. HR — Carlson, Kifer.

Game Two

Post Falls 007 121 1 — 11 10 0

Sandpoint 002 002 2 — 6 7 3

Josh Landers, Ryan Stewart (6), Kim Kreider (7), Andy Kifer (7) and Kelly Hall; Adam Hodges, Noah Hawkins (3) and Chris Karle.

HITS: PF — Gosney, Korey Kreider, Brubaker, Carlson 3, Kifer 3, Carlile. Spt — Walkington, Hodges 3, Karle, Manor, Hawkins. 2B — Brubaker, Kifer, Walkington, Karle 2. 3B — Carlile.