Spartan baseball swept in first two league doubleheaders

PRIEST RIVER — Darkness may have prevented Priest River baseball from picking up its first victory of the season on Tuesday.

During the second game of a home doubleheader with Kellogg, the Spartans trailed 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth with one out and the bases loaded. Then Priest River grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Fortunately, the Spartans had the momentum and one more inning to mount a comeback and capture their first win this spring. Except they didn't — the game was called before the top of the seventh due to darkness.

However, head coach Mark Schultz isn't counting the game as a loss quite yet.

"I talked to the [Kellogg] coach and I'd like to finish that game out," he said. "I don't know if we can or can't ... but who knows what can happen in the final inning of a high school baseball game."

Only time will tell if that happens, but for now the Spartans remain winless.

Despite the two losses to Intermountain League foe Kellogg, Schultz said he saw a lot of great things from his squad.

"I'm very proud of the guys," he said. "They work hard, that's all you can ask, and we're getting better."

Priest River lost the first game 9-3 and a six-run second inning by the Wildcats allowed them to break away from the Spartans.

Konner Johnson started on the mound and only allowed three hits and one earned run across four innings while striking out five. Tyson Brooks came on in relief and threw five strikeouts in three innings of work.

Everett Hannah started the second game and struck out six over four innings.

"Our pitchers threw awesome tonight," Schultz said.

In a home doubleheader last Friday against Timberlake, the Spartans dropped both games.

In the opener, Hannah started on the mound and lasted five innings. He struck out three while allowing five hits and two earned runs.

Hannah's command on the bump allowed Priest River to stay with the Tigers. After five innings, Timberlake led 6-3.

But in the top of the sixth, things got out of hand as the Tigers scored seven unearned runs on a mix of errors and walks by the Spartans.

Priest River was unable to put any runs on the board in the bottom of the inning and the game was called due to the 10-run rule.

Brendan Reeves went 3 for 4 at the plate and drove in a run. PR outhit Timberlake 8-7.

In the series finale, the Tigers carried a 7-1 advantage into the sixth and scored six runs in the top of the inning to take a commanding 13-1 lead.

But the Spartans didn't give up. In the bottom of the sixth, Nadin Thompson, Tyson Troudt and Shayd Wong-Yuen each recorded an RBI to put three runs on the board for Priest River.

The game was called after the sixth due to darkness.

"We would have liked to play the last inning as we were getting some momentum," Schultz said. "I'm very proud of how our guys are just fighting until the end. We will get back to work and get better."

Coby Rogers went 3 for 3 in the second game. Johnson started on the mound and allowed five hits and three earned runs across four innings while striking out four.

Across the Spartans first four league games, it seemed like Priest River always had one inning that spoiled their chances of capturing a victory, Schultz said. The Spartans can almost taste a win, they are just waiting for a game where they put it all together, Schultz said.

"It's getting closer," he said. "If we can play a complete game, it could be a little bit scary."

Priest River (0-10, 0-4 IML) heads to Bonners Ferry for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. Friday.

FIRST GAME

Kellogg 160 011 0 — 9 5 4

Priest River 000 120 0 — 3 4 7

Hoffman, Eixenberger (7) and Frohlich; Konner Johnson, T. Brooks (5) and B. Reeves.

HITS: K — Luna, Hoffman 2, Frohlich, Groves. PR — Hannah, B. Reeves, Rogers, C. Brooks. 2B — Reeves, Hoffman.

SECOND GAME

Kellogg 111 011 — 5 4 5

Priest River 300 001 — 4 7 4

Game called after 6 innings due to darkness.

Jermome, Hoffman (4), Goodner (6) and Frohlich; Everett Hannah, Coby Rogers (5) and Brendan Reeves.

HITS — K — Rainio 2, Jerome, Frohlich. PR — K. Reeves 2, Hannah, Rogers, Johnson, T. Brooks, Thompson. 2B — Hannah, Johnson.

FIRST GAME

Timberlake 102 118 — 13 7 0

Priest River 101 010 — 3 8 8

Game called after 6 innings due to 10-run rule.

Alex Drake, Caden Robinett (6) and Caleb Knight; Everett Hannah, Coby Rogers (6), Nadin Thompson (6) and Brendan Reeves.

HITS: TL — Drake, Hessing 2, Robinett, Wells 2, Lenz. PR — Hannah, B. Reeves 3, Rogers, Brooks, Johnson 2. 2B — Drake, Wells 2, Hannah, Reeves. 3B — Johnson.

SECOND GAME

Timberlake 101 236 — 13 13 3

Priest River 000 103 — 4 6 6

Game called after 6 innings due to darkness.

Jacob Hessing and Caleb Knight; Konner Johnson, Nadin Thompson (5) and Brendan Reeves.

HITS: TL — Knight, Hessing 3, Robinett 3, Borges, Kitchin 2, Horn 2, Wells. PR — Rogers 3, T. Brooks, Thompson 2. 2B — Horn, Rogers.