Lakers down Libby 10-9 in Legion opener

SANDPOINT — Quinn Pearlstein and Paul Sundquist each tallied three hits, and Bear Youngdahl was solid on the mound, leading the Peak Sand and Gravel Lakers to a come-from-behind 10-9 win over Libby in the American Legion baseball opener Tuesday at War Memorial Field.  

Youngdahl put up zeroes in five of the first six innings, before Libby broke open a 3-2 lead by plating five runs in the top of the seventh to lead 8-2. The Lakers (1-0) responded by scoring five runs in the eighth, and then scored two more in the ninth to erase a 9-8 deficit and win their opener.

“Overall it was a great effort. We showed resilience, poise and played a solid baseball game,” said head coach Scott Fitchett. “This was the next step in developing our baseball program and I think this will propel us to have a great season of baseball.”

Malaki Smith relieved Youngdahl in the seventh inning and picked up the win. Fitchett was impressed with the work of Youngdahl.

“Bear threw extremely well, he kept the ball down and his changeup was very effective,” described Fitchett. “Tremendous first outing of the summer. He threw strikes and worked fast.”

Nine different Lakers picked up base hits in the balanced offensive effort. Trailing by one in the final inning John Humrich got things started with a line drive to center. Caiden Oliver followed by lacing a double to move Humrich to third. Tyler Newton hit a ground ball up the middle to score pinch runner Jason Roop, and Oliver eventually scored on a wild pitch for the winning run.

Alex Feyen added a double, as the Lakers produced throughout the order, Talon Dewey, Kyle Perry and Nate Stangel also picking up hits.  

“We pitched well, we played great defense,” said Fitchett, lauding the play of Sundquist behind the plate. “Talon (Dewey) threw a runner out at the plate and Tyler Newton made a diving catch on a line drive for a double play. We are getting better everyday and this was a good representation of where we are headed.”