Sandpoint struggles at the plate against Post Falls
JASON ELLIOTT/Press Post Falls High junior outfielder Austin DeBoer is greeted at the plate by his teammates after hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning in the first game of an Inland Empire League doubleheader against Sandpoint at Post Falls High on Wednesday.
JASON ELLIOTT/Press Post Falls senior shortstop Langan Naylor puts down a successful bunt during the fifth inning of Wednesday's Inland Empire League game against Sandpoint at Post Falls High.
POST FALLS — After pitching last week during the Buck’s Bags Tournament, Post Falls junior Austin DeBoer, normally the team’s No. 2 pitcher, was scratched from his scheduled start due to a little soreness.
His bat wasn't affected.
DeBoer, also an outfielder, hit a grand slam in the first game to break the game open, then delivered five RBIs in the nightcap to finish with nine RBIs on the day as the Trojans swept the Sandpoint Bulldogs 7-0 and 10-6 in Inland Empire League play on Wednesday at Post Falls High.
“We’ve got a few guys that are starting to heat up at the plate and he’s one of the team,” said Post Falls coach Kurt Reese of DeBoer, who doubled twice and tripled in the second game. “Austin’s bat was red hot today. I don’t know where we’d be without him. He was just locked in and I think our guys are getting more used to live pitching and being outside after playing last weekend.”
Jayden Butler and Danny Devoren combined to strike out 13 in the opener for Post Falls, which opened the scoring in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Langan Naylor. After a walk loaded the bases, DeBoer homered over the right field fence to give the Trojans a 5-0 cushion.
Isaac Ziegler had two RBIs and pitched 4 ⅓ innings to earn the win in the second game for Post Falls. Naylor scored three runs in the second game for the Trojans.
Post Falls (4-3, 3-0 IEL) travels to Pasco on Saturday, facing the host Bulldogs at 11 a.m., before also facing Walla Walla at 1 p.m. at Pasco High.
Sandpoint (2-5, 0-4) travels to Kennewick for a nonleague doubleheader with Kamiakin on April 6.
FIRST GAME
Sandpoint 000 000 0 — 0 3 4
Post Falls 000 052 x — 7 4 0
Austin Dillon, Zach Leverich (5) and Kody MacDonald; Jayden Butler, Danny Devoren (6) and Gabe Cooley. W — Butler. L — Dillon.
HITS: Spt — Lehman, Zimmerman, MacDonald. PF — Naylor 2, DeBoer, Bustamante. 2B — Lehman, Naylor 2. HR — DeBoer.
SECOND GAME
Sandpoint 040 002 0 — 6 9 2
Post Falls 520 210 x — 10 12 5
Jack Zimmerman, Finn Mellander (3), Drew Lehman (5) and Jorden Tyler; Isaac Ziegler, Caleb Jimerson (5), Langan Naylor (7) and Isaac McKeown. W — Ziegler. L — Zimmerman.
HITS: Spt — Zimmerman 2, Newhart, Turner, Mellander, Barlow, Tyler, Hansen. PF — Naylor, Smith, DeBoer 4, Bustamante, Ziegler 2, Jimerson 2, McKeown. 2B — Hansen, DeBoer 2, Ziegler 2. 3B — DeBoer.
