Pirates win 1 of 3
The Prairie Pirates baseball team started the season with a non-league win then lost a pair of league games. On Tuesday, March 17, they traveled to Pomeroy and won 6-3 in 8 innings. On Thursday, March 19, they traveled to Kooskia and lost 3-5 to C.V. in a game rescheduled from Monday, March 16. They also lost a JV game at C.V. 5-12. Finally on Friday, March 20, they hosted Kendrick and lost 5-17.
Prairie opened their season with a non-league game at Pomeroy. The Pirates went into the game with a plan to have a different pitcher each inning.
Neither team was able to get any offense going in the first inning. Prairie went down in order on strikeouts. In the bottom of the inning Kade Quintal struck out the leadoff hitter then caught a popped up bunt attempt. The inning ended on a foul out to catcher John Seubert.
In the second inning Quintal and Austin Labrum each walked to open the inning. The next 3 hitters then struck out to end the inning. Chris Schumacher took over on the mound and got two quick strikeouts. He then ran into trouble giving up a single and 2 walks to load the bases. He then got out of the inning with a strikeout.
In the third inning Levi McElroy reached on a 1-out walk. He stole second and then stole third. After a second out, Devon Poxleitner doubled to right center scoring McElroy with the first run of the game.
Poxleitner pitched the third inning and got two quick outs on a fly-out and a strikeout. The next batter reached after swinging at a 2-strike pitch in the dirt. A walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases. Poxleitner then got out of the inning with a strikeout to keep the score at 1-0.
In the fourth Labrum faced a new Pomeroy pitcher and was hit by a pitch. He stole second but was stranded as the next 3 hitters were put out.
Labrum, a lefty, pitched the bottom of the fourth and struck out the side in order.
Patrick Schlader reached on a walked to lead off the fifth. Chase VonBargen went in to run. He went to second on a passed ball. After an out, Schumacher reached on a single to third. A wild pitch moved both runners. Poxleitner reached on a passed ball on strike 3 but the runners were unable to advance, loading the bases. All 3 were stranded as the next two batters struck out.
McElroy pitch the bottom of the fifth and walked the first two batters. The next hitter grounded into a forceout but the tying run scored. A hit batsman and a strikeout followed. A walk loaded the bases but Prairie got out of the inning when the runner on third was picked off and put out in a rundown.
The Pirates were put out in order in the sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth Isaiah Warren gave up a leadoff walk then struck out the next two hitters. The third out was called when the hitter interfered with the Prairie catcher trying to get the baserunner out at third on a steal attempt.
In the seventh, Prairie put together a 2-out rally. Schumacher walked with 2 outs and stole second. Poxleitner was also walked. After a double steal, Quintal was walked to load the bases. Labrum hit a hard grounder toward the second baseman that went through the fielders legs for an error. Both Schumacher and Poxleitner scored to give Prairie a 3-1 lead.
John Seubert, a freshman from St. John Bosco, went to the mound and gave up a leadoff single that was misplayed in the outfield advancing the runner to second. After a strikeout came a walk. Both runners advanced on stolen bases. Seubert was then called for a balk that scored the runner from third and put the other runner on third with just 1 out. A single up the middle tied the game. After a pop fly behind first that fell for a hit, Seubert was able to get out of the inning with 2 strikeouts.
Seubert led off the top of the 8^th with a walk and stole second. Max Rehder also walked. A balk advanced both runners. After an out, McElroy singled, scoring Seubert. Schumacher walked to load the bases. After a second out, Quintal was hit by a pitch to force home Rehder. McElroy then scored on a wild pitch. Labrum was walked. With it getting dark, Schumacher intentionally tried to get put out by stealing home. If the game had been called for darkness before Pomeroy got to the plate, the game would’ve reverted to the end of the seventh inning and a 3-3 tie.
With a 6-3 lead, Seubert became the only Pirate to pitch more than 1 inning. The leadoff hitter reached on a bunt single. Seubert then got the next 3 batters on a strikeout, groundout to the pitcher and groundout to second.
Prairie had just 3 hits. Poxleitner had an RBI double. McElroy had an RBI single and Schumacher had a single.
Prairie pitchers gave up 5 hits and had 17 strikeouts, 7 walks and 2 hit batsmen.
Prairie     0 0 1 0 0 0 2 3—6 3 1
Pomeroy 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0—3 5 1
Prairie led 2-0 and 3-1 at C.V. but wound up on the short end of a 3-5 score.
The game started well for the Pirates as McElroy was walked, Chris Schumacher was hit by a pitch and Poxleitner was walked to load the bases. Quintal then reached on an error as McElroy scored. Quintal got picked off at first but Labrum was walked to reload the bases. Cooper Riener drew a walk that scored Schumacher for a 2-0 Prairie lead.
Quintal started on the mound and gave up a 1-out single in the bottom of the first but a strikeout and 2 ground outs left that runner stranded.
In the second inning, McElroy was walked with 1 and went to second on a passed ball. He was then put out trying to steal third and a strikeout ended the inning.
Quintal got 2 quick outs on strikeouts in the bottom of the second but then gave up a walk and a single. An error brought home the Rams first run before Quintal got out of the inning with another strikeout.
Poxleitner led off the third by reaching on an error. After a strikeout, Labrum drew a walk. Riener singled to right to score Poxleitner but Labrum was thrown out also trying to score. Warren reached on an error but a strikeout ended the inning with Prairie up 3-1.
C.V. tied it with 2 runs in the bottom of the third. A leadoff double was followed by a groundout to the pitcher that allowed the runner to advance to third. A single scored the runner. An error allowed the runner to advance to second. A groundout to third allowed the baserunner to advance to third after the throw to first. Another error allowed C.V. to tie the game.
Prairie went down in order in the fourth. Quintal gave up a walk in the bottom of the fourth but that was all.
Poxleitner led off the fifth with a double but was stranded there after 2 strikeouts and a groundout.
In the bottom of the fourth Quintal gave up a leadoff single. After a strikeout ,he gave up a 2-run homer that turned out to be the difference in the game. After a walk and a fly-out, Labrum was brought in to pitch. He gave up a walk then got out of the inning with a fly ball to center.
Prairie went down in order in the sixth on 3 ground ball outs.
Labrum set the side down in order in the bottom of the 6^th on a strikeout and 2 line-outs to shortstop Schumacher.
Prairie again went down in order in the seventh as C.V. held on for the win.
Prairie had just 2 hits. Poxleitner had a double and an RBI and Riener had a single and 2 RBI.
Quintal pitched 4 2/3 innings allowing 5 runs, 3 of them earned, on 6 hits with 5 strikeouts and 3 walks. Labrum pitched an inning and a third and allowed no runs and no hits with 1 strikeout and 1 walk.
Prairie 2 0 1 0 0 0 0—3 2 3
C.V.   0 1 2 0 2 0 x—5 6 4
In the JV game at C.V., Chase VonBargen led off with a single. After a groundout, Ray Terhaar single with VonBargen going to third. However 2 strikeouts ended the inning.
In the bottom of the first Warren started on the mourn and gave up a leadoff single and then a walk. After a lineout, a single scored 2 runs. 2 walks and a hit batsman led to another run. A passed ball scored another run and then a sacrifice fly made it 0-5.
Schlader led off the second inning with a single. After an out, Warren walked. Schlader advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a delayed steal of home as Warren stole second and drew a throw. A double play then ended the inning.
In the second Warren struck out the leadoff hitter then gave up 2 singles and a run to make it 1-6. 2 more strikeouts ended the inning.
In the third VonBargen reached on an error and Oliver VanHouten drew a walk. A strikeout and 2 outs on the base paths ended the inning.
In the bottom of the third an error, a double and a single led to 2 more runs. John Seubert went in to pitch after a the 2 runs had scored and got the final 2 outs of the inning.
In the fourth, Max Rehder drew a 1 out walk. Schlader followed with a single. After a second out, Warren doubled to score Rehder with Schlader held up at third. Labrum singled to right to score Schlader. VonBargen then singled to center to score Labrum. That made it 5-8.
Terhaar went in to pitch in the bottom of the inning and gave up 2 singles, a hit batsman and a walk to score a run before he got an out on a strikeout. After another strikeout, C.V. scored 2 more runs on a double. After another walk, a run scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-12. Terhaar then ended the inning with another strikeout.
In the top of the fifth Rehder was hit by a pitch with 1 out then was forced at second by Schlader. A strikeout ended the game.
Prairie had 7 hits with VonBargen having a 2 singles and an RBI. Schlader also had a pair of singles. Warren had a double and an RBI. Labrum had a single and 2 RBI and Terhaar had a single.
Warren gave up 8 runs on 6 hits with 5 strikeouts, 4 walks and a hit batsman in 2 1/3 innings. Seubert gave up no runs and no hits with 1 strikeout in 2/3 of an inning. Terhaar gave up 4 runs on 3 hits with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks in 1 inning.
Prairie JV 0 1 0 4 0—  5 7 1
C.V. JV    5 1 2 4 x—12 9 1
In a rare home game in March due to Kendrick’s field being flooded, the Pirates couldn’t hold back the defending state champions.
McElroy started on the mound for the Pirates and gave up 4 runs in the first inning. Kendrick started the game with 3 straight singles to load the bases. After a strikeout, Kendrick drew 2 straight walks to force home their first 2 runs. A passed ball allowed a run to score and Prairie then got a double play that allowed another run to score. A strikeout ended the inning.
Prairie responded with 3 runs in the bottom of the inning. McElroy, Schumacher and Poxleitner all walked to load the bases with no outs. Quintal walked to score McElroy. Labrum then grounded to short for a forceout with Labrum and Poxleitner both scoring to make it 3-4. 2 more groundouts ended the inning,
Schumacher went in to pitch the second inning. He gave up a walk and then hit the next batter. A balk moved the runners and then a groundout to short scored a run. Another balk scored another run. After an out, another run scored on a passed ball. After 2 more walks, Schumacher got out of the inning when catcher Poxleitner picked off the runner at third.
The Pirates went down in order in the second.
Schumacher walked the first 2 batters of the third inning and then Labrum came in to pitch. He walked a batter to load the bases then recorded a strikeout. A single and an error followed allowing all 3 baserunners to score. After a walk, a passed ball wound up letting 2 runs score to make it 3-11.
In the bottom of the third Schumacher led off with a single but the next 3 hitters were put out.
Labrum put a zero up in the fourth although he allowed 2 baserunners on a hit batsman and a walk.
Riener led off the bottom of the inning with a single to left. He advanced to second on a passed ball. After 2 outs, Schlader singled with Riener scoring to make it 4-11.
In the fifth an error, a walk, a balk and a single led to 2 more Kendrick runs. A double plated 2 more. Riener then went in to pitch and got a strikeout then walked the next two batters. A wild pitch scored a run. He then got a strikeout. 2 more walks scored another run before a fly ball to McElroy in center ended the inning.
Down 4-17, Prairie needed 4 runs to extend the game. After 2 strikeouts, Quintal singled then Labrum singled and an error allowed Quintal to score. The game ended with the next batter.
Prairie had 6 hits in the game. Labrum had 2 singles and 2 RBI. Schumacher, Poxleitner, and Schlader each had a single and an RBI and Riener had a single.
McElroy pitched 1 inning and gave up 4 runs on 3 hits with 2 strikeouts and 2 walks in 1 inning. Schumacher gave up 4 runs on no hits with 5 walks and a hit batsman in 1 plus innings. Labrum gave up 7 runs on 3 hits with 4 walks, 1 hit batsman and 4 strikeouts in 2 innings. Riener gave up 2 runs on no hits with 2 strikeouts and 4 walks.
Prairie is now 1-2 on the season and 0-2 in league play.
Kendrick 4 2 5 0 6—17 6 1
Prairie      3 0 0 1 1—  5 6 5

16-C.V., there, 4:30 p.m. postponed
17-Pomeroy, there, 4 p.m., won 6-3 in 8 innings,
19-C.V., there, 4:30 p.m., rescheduled from 3/16, lost 3-5
20-Kendrick, here, 4:30 p.m., lost 5-17
24-Genesee, there, 4:30 p.m., won 13-7, details next week
26-Lapwai at Clearwater Park, 4:30 p.m.

  7-Nezperce, there, 4:30 p.m.
  8-Kendrick, here, 4:30 p.m.
10-11-Glenns Ferry Tournament-vs. North Fremont 10:45 a.m. Friday; vs. Lighthouse Christian at Wendell, 3:15 p.m, Friday.; vs. Notus at Wendell, 12:30 p.m., Saturday; vs. West Jefferson, 5 p.m., Saturday
13-Nezperce, here, 430 p.m.
16-Potlatch, there, V & JV, 4 p.m.
18-Troy (2) at Lewiston, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
24-Genesee, here, 4:30 p.m.
25-Potlatch, here, V & JV, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
27-Lapwai, here, 4:30 p.m.
28-C.V., here, 4:30 p.m.
30-District play-in, #6 at #3 and #5 at #4.

1-2-District at Orofino
8-9-State Play-Ins (best 2 of 3) at higher seed
14-16-State at Lewiston