Bulldogs sweep Badgers in season's first two home games

SANDPOINT — Sandpoint shut out Bonners Ferry in their first two home games of the season at War Memorial Field on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs won the first game 15-0, and the second game, 10-0.

In the bottom of the first inning, Cody Newhart broke the ice with a triple that scored three runs. The Bulldogs then went on to score 10 more unanswered runs over the next three innings to secure their first victory of the season, 15-0. Jack Zimmerman, Cody Newhart, and Finn Mellander combined for 11 of the Bulldogs' 14 RBIs.

“I had a rough outing in Lewiston, so it feels good to be back on track with three hits tonight. Last year, I had a good year, and I’m hoping to keep the same pace going into this one,” first baseman Finn Melander said.

Melander led the team with two hits, four RBIs, and a run scored in Game 1.

On the defensive side of things, the Bulldogs bullpen no-hit the Badgers in five innings of work, giving Austin Dillon his first win on the mound with three innings pitched, four strikeouts, and two walks.

In Game 2, it was Jack Zimmerman who batted in the first two runs with a single to centerfield in the bottom of the third. Drew Lehman batted in two more runs in the sixth with an inside-the-park home run to put the Bulldogs up, 7-0. After a long series of walks in the sixth, Sandpoint ended up trotting in three more runs, which ended the game in a 10-0 victory.

“The theme of the day was to just do what we do best — play great defense and attack fastballs — and I think that is exactly what we did, Coach Scott Fitchett said. “Our pitchers were phenomenal; we gave up minimal walks. I could not be happier with our pitching and defense. On offense, we took great approaches at the plate as well.”

The Bulldogs only gave up two hits in Game 2. Turner, Williams, Medeiros, and A. Leverich combined for six innings pitched while only allowing two hits, one walk, and recording three strikeouts.

The Bulldogs (2-2) will head to West Valley on Thursday, March 23 seeking their first win away from home.

FIRST GAME

Bonners Ferry 000 00 — 0 0 4

Sandpoint 534 3X — 15 9 0

HITS: BF — None. SHS — Mellander 2, MacDonald, B. Newhart, C. Newhart, Lehman, Zimmerman, Turner, Dillon.

2B — MacDonald, Mellander. 3B — C. Newhart. HR — Zimmerman

RBI’s: BF — None. SHS — Mellander 4, C. Newhart 4, Zimmerman 3, Dillon 2, Turner.

SECOND GAME

Bonners Ferry 000 000 — 0 2 5

Sandpoint 013 105 — 10 6 1

HITS: BF — Rice, Hammons. SHS — MacDonald 2, Lehman, Barlow, Zimmerman, Mellander.

HR — Lehman

RBI’s: BF — None. SHS — Lehman 3, Zimmerman 2, Dillon, B. Newhart.