Badgers start with three wins

By TOM TURPIN

The Bonners Ferry Badger baseball team got their first two wins of the season knocking off LV Rogers from Nelson, BC. 6-4 and 8–5 in a home doubleheader March 21.

In the first game, sophomore Dylan Unruh pitched four effective innings giving up only two earned runs while sophomore Vince Bennett (1-1) earned the win in relief. Freshman Jess Dunhman went three for three with a double and infield single. Caleb Blackmore and Bennett each got a hit in the game.

In the second game, sophomore Caleb Blackmore started on the mound and pitched three innings, giving up four runs on six hits. Dunham (1-1) pitched four strong innings to earn the 8–5 win in relief. The Badgers had a total of eight hits with Blackmore and Caleb Gering leading the way with two hits and two runs each. Dunhman, Vince Bennett, Triston Howell, and Kobe Norwood each got hits in the win.

The wins evened their record to 2–2 for the season.

The Badgers Baseball team traveled to Sandpoint on March 25 and split with the Bulldogs, losing the first contest 2–3 but coming back to win the second game 5-1 in a shortened four-inning game.

In the first game, Vince Bennett (1–2) pitched six strong effective innings giving up only four hits, striking out eight and walking only one batter in the 2–3 loss to the Bulldogs.

The Badgers scored in the top of the first inning after Dylan Unruh walked and later scored on Shay Garcia’s RBI single to right. The Bulldogs evened the score in the bottom of the first when Bennett was called for a balk with the runner at third. The Badgers scored another run in the top of the fourth after Kevin Gray was hit by a pitch and later scored. The Bulldogs came back in their half of the fourth to tie the game. In the bottom of the fifth, Sandpoint scored the go-ahead run after the hitter reached on an infield single and later scored on a fielder’s choice.

The Badgers were led at the plate by Shay Garcia, Kevin Gray, Caleb Gering and Vince Bennett each getting a hit. Bonners Ferry left nine runners stranded but committed no errors in the game.

In the second game, Bonners Ferry was up 5–1 after four innings and the game was called due to darkness. Sophomore Jess Dunham (2–1) got the win for the Badgers, giving up only one hit in the four innings.

The Badgers had six hits with a triple from Dylan Unruh and singles from Connor Bennett, Caleb Gering, Caleb Blackmore, Kevin Gray and Triston Howell.

The win evens their record to 3–3 going into this weekend’s BF Tournament featuring the IML teams Timberlake, Kellogg and Priest River. First game starts at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 28 with the Badgers playing at 4 p.m.