Teigan Banning pitches no hitter, Badgers dominate Kellogg
KELLOGG — The Bonners Ferry baseball team's first Intermountain League game of 2021 was almost perfect.
Sophomore pitcher Teigan Banning pitched a no-hitter against Kellogg in the opener of an April 14 doubleheader, and the visiting Badgers went on to sweep the Wildcats 12-0 and 15-13.
The Badgers continued their hot hitting on Tuesday, April 20, sweeping another IML doubleheader at Timberlake to improve to 4-0 in league play.
At Kellogg, the Badgers dominated the opener, scoring 12 runs as Banning nearly threw a perfect game.
According to head coach Tom Turpin, Banning gave a rare performance not seen before by sophomore pitchers, stating that Banning dominated from the beginning.
Bo Bateman managed to collect four hits in four at-bats to help with the dominant victory, while Trey Bateman singled on the first pitch he saw to knock in two runs.
Banning allowed only one walk in the five-inning victory, striking out nine en route to the shutout and no-hitter.
Kellogg’s Logan Jerome went five innings, allowing 12 runs on 13 hits and striking out four. Badgers Bateman, Banning, Wilson Newell and David Hammons all had multiple hits for the team, with Batemen leading with four hits in four at-bats.
Two players stole more than one base, with Bateman leading the steals and adding to a total of eight stolen bases for the first matchup.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Badgers scored seven runs in the first inning and held off Kellogg 15-13.
Logan Jerome, Kolby Luna, Brody Hoffman, Ramsey Ranio and Reed Whatcott picked up RBIs to lead Kellogg's rally.
Bo Bateman and Blake Rice both were able to get multiple hits; Rice managed to go 3-for-5 at the plate to lead the Badgers in hits.
Turpin stated that the team overall hit the ball well and showed eagerness in the matchup because the season was lost last year because of COVID disruptions.
Moving forward, Turpin plans to focus on improving base running but feels good about the current team’s performance.
Bonners Ferry 5-27, Timberlake 2-7
SPIRIT LAKE — The Badgers swept the Intermountain League doubleheader, handing the Tigers their first two losses in league play this season.
Elijah Dahl earned a complete-game victory in the opener, holding Timberlake to two runs and four hits.
Rice had a double among his two hits, as the Badgers took control of the game with a four-run fourth inning.
The second game was an offensive bonanza for Bonners Ferry, as the Badgers bashed out 32 hits, including six from Wilson Newell and five from Rice.
Bonners Ferry hosts IML foe Priest River on Friday.
FIRST GAME
Bonners Ferry 010 400 0 — 5 8 1
Timberlake 100 010 0 — 2 4 5
Elijah Dahl and Bo Bateman; Caden Robinett, Alex Drake (4) and Caleb Knight. W — Dahl. L — Robinett.
HITS: BF — B. Bateman 2, Rice 2, T. Bateman, Schultz, Hammons, Eby. TL — Knight 2, Horn, Lenz. 2B — Rice, T. Bateman.
SECOND GAME
Bonners Ferry 668 34 — 27 32 1
Timberlake 022 03 — 7 3 2
Teigan Banning, Blake Rice (3) and Bo Bateman; Jacob Hessing, Kenny Wells (2), Andrew Horn (4) and Caleb Knight. W — Banning. L — Hessing.
HITS: BF — B. Bateman, Banning 3, Rice 5, Newell 6, T. Bateman 4, Schultz 4, Dahl 2, Peterson, Hammons 4, Eby 2. TL — Borges 2, Logue. 2B — Newell 2, Schultz, Borges 2. 3B — Bateman.