All-Stars head to state championships

For the Bee

The Panhandle Babe Ruth All-Stars head to the state championships this week. These boys have been practicing and playing together six days a week since June 14, and have honed their skills for this competition. Many of the players started their baseball seasons in February, playing for the Sandpoint High School JV team. All of them have been playing and practicing several days per week since the Babe Ruth regular season began on April 12 - a long, dusty road to where they stand today. We thought it appropriate to tell you a little about the line-up:

n Michael Lorden - Batting lead-off and starting at 2nd base or outfield. Lorden is batting .333 with a .577 on base percentage. He has great speed and is an aggressive base runner - capable of getting into the opposition's head early. Michael is also a hard-throwing righty pitcher.

n Sam Nitcy - Batting second and starting in the outfield or at 1st base depending on pitching assignments. Nitcy is batting .333 with a .543 on base percentage. He is a great clutch hitter and has delivered RBIs at key points all season. Nitcy is also the only southpaw on the staff, sporting a 2.25 ERA.

n Scott Snow - Batting third and starting at catcher. Snow is batting .400 and has a .667 on base percentage. He leads the team in RBIs and slugging percentage.

n Tyler Gordon - Batting clean-up and starting at 1st base. Gordon is batting .208 and has a .667 on base percentage. Although slumping a bit right now, he continues to put the ball in play as evidenced by his OBP and being second in RBIs. A strong right handed pitcher, he can bring the heat when needed.

n Nick Halpin - Batting fifth and starting at 3rd base. Halpin leads the team in batting with a .435 average and has a .600 on base percentage. He gets the RBIs the #3 and #4 hitters leave behind. Halpin has grown into his role at the hot corner and plays great defense.

n Luther Morgan - Batting sixth and starting in centerfield. Morgan is batting .250 and has a .607 on base percentage. He has great speed in the field and on the base paths and a strong arm to bring the ball home. He also pulls some middle relief duty on the mound.

n Tevin Hamilton - Batting seventh and playing shortstop. Hamilton is batting .286 and has a .485 on base percentage. Hustle and glovework are his hallmarks and he pulls several stellar plays per game. He is also one of the better pitchers on the team with a wicked curveball.

n Kyle Bradbury - Batting eighth and playing right field. Bradbury is batting .250 with a .542 on base percentage. He has a cannon of an arm in the outfield, which he also harnesses and brings to the mound, yielding a team leading 1.29 ERA. Kyle is the only non-Sandpoint player, commuting from Priest Lake daily for practices.

The team has several “ninth men” based upon who is pitching. Each of these guys is essential to the team's success and has played a key role in the games thus far.

n Sherman Ewing - Batting .200 with a .364 on base percentage. Ewing has held down 2nd base for most of the season. Known for exceptional glove work and smart base running, he can be played anywhere needed on the field.

n Tucker Davis - Batting .250 with a .368 on base percentage. Davis is a good clutch hitter and plays outfield on defense. He's given the team a number of key RBIs.

n Matt Kingsley - Batting .273 with a .417 on base percentage. Kingsley is a strong outfielder and has exceptional speed on the base paths.

n Marcus Davis - Batting .272 with a .364 on base percentage. Davis has also seen time on the mound where he has a strong fastball.

n Jacob Clad - Batting .167 with a .583 on base percentage. Clad can play outfield and infield equally well - a true utility guy. He also is a strong right handed pitcher in the bullpen.

Together these boys have progressed from individually talented players into a cohesive and competitive team. In addition to their hard work, credit is due to the coaching staff of Mike Givens, Rick Klontz and Bill Weiden, who have devoted countless volunteer hours per week to the team even though none of them has a son on the team.