LEGION BASEBALL: 19U Lakers pull off big comeback to take down Mission Valley
LIBBY, Mont. — After falling to the Bitterroot Bucs 5-2 to start off the Libby Big Bucks Tournament on Friday, the 19U North Idaho Lakers, thanks to a 3-for-4, four RBI effort from Jacob Hansen, erased a late four-run deficit to take down the Mission Valley Mariners 12-8 at Lee Gehring Field.
It was a tough start to the tournament with the Lakers being held to just three hits against the Bucs — a single and a double from Mason Little and a single from Jorden Tyler. Despite receiving the loss on the bump, Dallen Williams pitched well, giving up three hits, two earned runs and three walks while striking out seven batters over four innings of work.
North Idaho turned things around later in the day.
In their second matchup against Mission Valley, the Lakers got on the board first when Sage Medeiros hit an RBI double to left field in the top of the first inning. Down 4-1 heading into the top of the fourth, Hansen and Little hit RBI doubles, Soren Caprio an RBI single within the span of four at-bats to tie the game at four all. North Idaho would give up four runs in the bottom of half the inning, but responded with eight unanswered runs in the fifth and the sixth to capture the victory. Leading the rally was Hansen, who knocked in two more RBI singles.
Parker Reichart was credited with the win after he was called from the bullpen to start the fifth inning. The Sandpoint High rising junior threw a perfect 1 ⅓ innings and struck out three of the four batters he faced. Chase Sanroman recorded the final two outs on the mound, striking out one batter.
North Idaho (8-4) will resume tournament play Saturday against the Central Alberta Wolves and the Lewis-Clark Cubs.
GAME ONE
Bitterroot 200 021 0 — 5 7 1
North Idaho 000 020 0 — 2 3 1
W — Oster: 6.2 IP, 3H, 0ER, 3BB, 7K. L — Williams: 4IP, 3H, 2 ER, 3BB, 7K. SV — Wagner: 0.1 IP, 0H, 0ER, 0BB, 0K.
HITS: NI — Little 2, Tyler 1. BR — D. Wagner 2, Winters 1, Potter 1, C. Wagner 1, Wheeler 1, Roth 1.
2B — Little.
RBI: NI — Little 1. BR — Potter 3, C. Wagner 1, Bahm 1.
SB: NI — Hansen 1, Little 1, Reichart 1. BR — D. Wagner 1, Wheeler 1.
GAME TWO
North Idaho 100 335 X — 12 12 0
Mission Valley 220 400 X — 8 9 3
W — Reichart: 1.1IP, 0H, 0ER, 0BB, 3K. L — Pablo: 1.1 IP, 5H, 4ER, 1BB, 0K.
HITS: NI — Hansen 3, Mellander 2, Little 2, Medeiros 1, Ch. Sanroman 1, Caprio 1, Reichart 1, Z. Leverich 1. MV — Gfroerer 2, DuMont 2, Muzquiz 1, Haggard 1, W. Wadsworth 1, C. Wadsworth 1, Emerson 1.
2B — Hansen, Little, Medeiros Gfroerer, Haggard, DuMont, Emerson. 3B — DuMont.
RBI: NI — Hansen 4, Little 2, Co. Sanroman 1, Day 1, Medeiros 1, Caprio 1. MV — DuMont 3, Emerson 2, Haggard 2, W. Wadsworth 1.
SB: NI — None. MV — Haggard 1, C. Wadsworth 1, Shoemake 1.