PREP BASEBALL: Badgers extend win streak at home opener

Lincoln County 8, 

Bonners Ferry 10 

BONNERS FERRY — The Bonners Ferry Badgers baseball team (3-1) rallied late with four runs in the sixth inning to take down the Lincoln County Lions (1-2) in the Badgers’ home opener March 29.

“We kind of exploded in the bottom of the sixth with a four-run comeback, and I’m super proud of our guys for responding,” said head coach Tom Turpin. 

Badger senior Brody Rice got the start on the mound, retiring the first five Tiger batters. But with two outs in the top of the second, Lincoln County strung together a few baserunners, and Colin Hickman drove two runs home on a single to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. 

But the advantage was short-lived. The Badgers responded with four runs in the bottom of the second and held onto a 5-2 lead for multiple innings. 

“The one thing I've been impressed with early in the season is we only struck out looking once,” Turpin said. “We’re swinging the bat, putting the ball in play and making things happen.” 

One Badger who swung the bat well was junior catcher Keenan Maas, who set the tone early with a double off the wall in the first inning. In his next plate appearance, he singled on a line drive to right field to drive in a run as part of the four-run second inning. 

The Tigers were held scoreless on three hits in the third and fourth innings by junior Jack Woods, who pitched in relief for Rice. But in the top of the fifth, Lincoln County broke out with four runs to take a 6-5 advantage. 

Badger Ronin Hanson drove in a run to tie the game at 6-6 with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.  

In the next inning, the Tigers tacked on two insurance runs to take their largest lead of the game. 

But the lead was handed over quickly, as the Badgers responded in the bottom of the sixth with four runs of their own, scoring in every which way. Senior Thomas Bateman drove a run in on a base hit, Rice scored from third on a wild pitch, and Maas drove in two runs by reaching base on an error. 

Gavin Rider closed the game and secured the save for the Badgers with no runs allowed in the top of the seventh. 

“Gavin Rider coming in to pitch the last two innings was huge,” Turpin said. “He got the last guy out on a foul ball. Gavin struck out five and walked one in the last two innings.” 

The Badgers’ next series will be at Orofino on April 4 and 5.  

“That will be a good test for us because Orofino won the state championship in their class last season,” Turpin said. 

The Badgers will continue playing road games until April 17, when Bonners Ferry hosts Kellogg in a doubleheader. 

Lincoln County 0 2 0 0 4 2 0 – 8 11 4 

Bonners Ferry 1 4 0 0 1 4 X – 10 10 1 

PITCHING 

BF – Rice: 2IP, 2H, 2R, 1BB, 3K. Woods: 3IP, 6H, 2R, 3BB, 5K. Rider: 2IP, 3H, 2R, 1BB, 5K. LC – Lytle: 5IP, 8H, 6R, 1BB, 4K. McKim: 1IP, 2H, 4R, 1BB. 

BATTING 

HITS: BF – Liermann 3, Maas 3, Rice 2, Bateman 1, Woods 1. LC – Cuffe 3, Libby 2, Van Orden 2, Grieve 1, Lytle 1, VanGlider 1, Hickman 1.
2B: BF – Maas. LC – Cuffe, Van Orden, Libby.
RBI: BF – Maas 3, Rice 1, Woods 1, Bateman 1, Hanson 1. LC – Cuffe 2, Hickman 2, Van Orden 1, Libby 1.