Badgers clinch first ever league title
—Photo by ELAINE SANDMAN<br>Badger pitcher Ross Patterson sizzles a throw to first baseman Josh Gatchell for a sure out during the first game of a double header with St. Maries.
By TOM TURPIN
Badger Coach
For the Herald
The Bonners Ferry Badger baseball team needed to win just one of the two games last Friday against the St. Maries Lumberjacks. The Badgers let the first game slip away, but came back and won the second game of the doubleheader in dramatic fashion. After dropping the opener of the doubleheader 8-3, the Badgers put senior Chris James on the mound. The Lumberjacks came out early scoring 2 runs in the top of the first inning when Dalton Baker hit a two-run homer over the centerfield fence. Bonners Ferry came right back in their half of the first and scored 2 runs to tie the game. AJ Bennett walked and Chris James hit his first triple of the season scoring Bennett. James later scored on an error from the pitcher. St. Maries retook the lead in the top of the second they scored two runs on an error by the second baseman. The Badgers scored single runs in the 3rd & 4th innings to knot the game 4-4 when Chad Nordhagen drew a walk and later scored on a ground out to the shortstop. Kenny Swift got on base in the fourth and scored on Chad Nordhagen's double to centerfield.
In the top of the sixth, the Lumberjacks went ahead again when their hitter reached on an error from the Badger third baseman and scored when Dalton Baker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. With the Badgers down 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth, Senior Josh Gatchell hit a double to left center and later scored when Matt Pluid hit a sacrifice fly to deep center. Kenny Swift reached base on an error from the Jacks' second baseman and scored his second run of the game when Chad Nordhagen hit a RBI triple to put the Badgers up 6-5 going into the final inning. Chris James ended the game striking out the last two batters of the game to secure the Badgers first ever league title. Chad Nordhagen was the hero of the game going 2 for 2 with a double, triple and 2 RBI. Kenny Swift scored two runs for the Badgers and Chris ames had 8 strikeouts and only one walk. The Badgers will be the #1 seed going into the District Tournament on Friday. They will play the winner of the Timberlake/Kellogg game played on Tuesday, May 8.