PREP BASEBALL: Badgers look to bounce back after losses to reigning state champs

OROFINO – The Bonners Ferry Badgers varsity baseball team (3-6) had a rocky week, dropping five straight against elite competition, including last year’s Idaho Class 2A state champion Orofino Maniacs. 

The Badgers played three times over the weekend against Orofino. They struggled to put up runs in the first two games, taking losses in the April 4 double header. 

On April 5, the Badgers were able to string together runs, including an early lead, but ultimately fell short 8-4. 

Head coach Tom Turpin said the team knew going into the matchup that it would be difficult to play against the defending champion Orofino, but it would be a good test. 

The Badgers then played North Central on the road in a double header on April 8, losing both games by a combined total of three runs.  

In a close 15-14 loss in the second game, Keenan Maas hit a three-run home run as part of a 9-run fourth inning that pushed the Badgers ahead by seven runs, 14-7.  

Bonners Ferry was able to do most of its damage offensively against North Central pitcher Nesbiat, who gave up six runs in the fourth inning while retiring only one Badger hitter before his night of pitching ended. 

Following that, Redding came in to pitch in relief for North Central, and Bonners Ferry was unable to put any runs on the board for the remainder of the game. 

North Central put up eight runs in the second half of the game to mount a comeback and hold on to win 15-14. 

The Badgers play next at Kellogg on April 10, and then a double header at Coeur d'Alene on April 12 at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. They will play at Sandpoint on April 15 at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

OROFINO GAME THREE 

Bonners Ferry 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 – 4 5 2 

Orofino 2 5 0 1 0 0 X – 8 9 4 

PITCHING 

BF – Rice: 3IP, 8H, 8R, 2BB, 0K. Liermann: 3IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 0K. OR – Zumpe: 6.2IP, 5H, 4R, 6BB, 9K. Olive: 0.1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 0K. 

BATTING 

HITS: BF – Liermann 3, Bateman 1, Woods 1. OR – Barlow 2, Tondevold 2, Naranjo 1, Gilmore 1, Merry 1, Runia 1, Gamble 1. 

3B: OR – Tondevold. 

2B: OR – Barlow. 

RBI: BF – Liermann, Bateman, Hanson. OR – Gilmore 2, Olive 1, Naranjo 1, Tondevold 1. 

NORTH CENTRAL GAME TWO 

Bonners Ferry – 1 4 0 9 0 0 0 – 14 11 1 

North Central – 2 5 0 2 3 3 X – 15 11 5 

PITCHING 

BF – Woods: 3IP, 4H, 7R, 7BB, 5K. Bateman: 1IP, 5H, 5R, 4BB, 1K. Liermann: 2IP, 2H, 3R, 1BB, 0K. NC – Carruther: 3IP, 5H, 8R, 2BB, 5K. Nesbiat: 0.1IP, 4H, 6R, 2BB, 1K. Redding: 3.2IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 1K. 

BATTING 

HITS: BF – Bateman 2, Maas 2, Hanson 2, Pluid 2, Woods 1, Rice 1, Burt 1. NC – Carruthers 3, Madson 2, Elliot 2, Bergason 1, Hansen 1, Nesbiat 1, Redding 1. 

HR: BF – Maas. 

3B: BF – Bateman. NC – Elliot. 

2B: NC – Carruthers, Madson. 

RBI: BF – Maas 5, Hanson 3, Liermann 2, Bateman 1. NC – Carruthers 5, Lentes 2, Bergason 1, Elliot 1.