Boys win district baseball, move on to state competition

Badgers win IML and go to state

Bonners Ferry will play the defending state champion Buhl Indians at noon at the 3A State Tournament  today  in Ontario, Ore.

After a one year hiatus from the District 1-2 3A tournament, the Bonners Ferry Badgers brought back the IML District Championship trophy home winning a crazy 10 inning 10 – 1 game over league champion Timberlake Tigers.

Game 1 – Priest River  3,  Bonners Ferry  9

Senior Dan Mayzel pitched a complete game yielding only five hits, striking out nine and walking only three batters in route to a 9 – 3 victory over the Priest River Spartans. 

Mazyel held the Spartans scoreless through the first six innings until giving up three runs in the top of the seventh inning.

The Badgers started the scoring off in the first inning after Alek Lopez was hit by a pitch and Mayzel doubled to put Lopez at third. Brian Moore hit a two run double to score Lopez and Mayzel and Alex Awbrey hit a RBI single to score Moore. The Badgers added two runs in the third inning when Denny Neuman was hit by a pitch when bases were loaded scoring Moore and Josiah Owinyo walked scoring Awbrey.

In the bottom of the fourth, Mayzel hit his second double of the game and later scored on Moore’s RBI single. Bonners Ferry added three insurance runs in the sixth inning after Zach Williamson walked, Lopez singled and Mayzel walked to load the bases. Awbrey reached on an error and then Sean Conlin hit a two run triple to score Lopez and Mayzel.

District championship game – Bonners Ferry  10, Timberlake  1 (10 innings)

The Bonners Ferry Badger baseball team won its fourth district title and second in three years in a dramatic extra inning 10 – 1 victory over League Champion Timberlake Tigers.

League MVP JD Page from Timberlake stifled the bats of Bonners Ferry as long as he could pitch through the first nine innings.

Page struck out 12 batters but once Page was switched due to the high school rule limiting the starting pitcher to nine innings, the Badgers scored nine runs in the top of the 10th inning including four doubles and five walks to reclaim the District 1-2 3A title.

Timberlake scored its lone run in the bottom of the first inning when Page reached on an error and later scored. The Badgers tied the game up in the fourth inning when Brian Moore started the inning off with a single and later scored on a clutch hit from sophomore Jesse Woods. From there the game was knotted up through the ninth inning.

Badger starting pitcher Sean Conlin pitched six strong innings before being relieved by Moore in the seventh inning. 

“I’ll tell you, Sean came up big today on the mound. He pitched a great game and kept us close.  Best performance of the year for him,”  said coach Tom Turpin.

Moore proceeded to shut down the Tigers striking out seven batters in four innings of relief.

But in the bottom of the 9th inning, Timberlake threatened when Austin Allen walked and Page hit a single. The runners advanced to second and third with one out when Coach Turpin intentionally walked Tiger batter Tyler Shaffer to load the bases. Moore then struck out the next batter to end the inning.

In the top of the 10th inning, Lopez started the inning off with a leadoff double and later scored on a bases loaded walk to Mike Clarkson.  From there, the Tigers could not find the strike zone and proceeded to walk Woods, Lance Abeyta until Josiah Owinyo cleared the bases with a three run double.

Moore added a two run double in the inning and Awbrey knocked in a run with a RBI double. He then ended the game with striking out the next three batters.

Badgers get four on all league team

Seniors Alek Lopez, Dan Mayzel, Brian Moore and junior Alex Awbrey were selected as part of the Intermountain League All-League team for 2011.

Lopez batted .375 with two home runs. Lopez was consistent behind the plate all year and the team captain.

Mayzel batted .317 with five doubles and a 2-2 record in league.  He was especially strong at both shortstop and third base.

Moore led the team in batting with a .528 average with four doubles, one triple and home run.  He was one hit and RBI of leading the team in both categories.

Awbrey had a .455 batting average and led the team with 20 hits and 18 RBI. Awbrey was fantastic at first base this year.