| Pirates
win State Baseball title
They had to do it the hard way but the Prairie baseball team came away with the State Championship Trophy from the 1-A State Baseball Tournament held at Lewiston’s Church Field Friday and Saturday, May 16-17. 
Prairie beat Horseshoe Bend 10-5 then lost to Genesee 8-9 in Friday’s action. The loss to Genesee put them in the position of having to win 3 games on Saturday. They opened with a 16-5 mercy rule win over Wilder that saved them a couple of innings of pitching. They then beat Genesee 10-4 to force a second, winner take all championship game in which they beat Genesee by a touchdown and a field goal, 24-14. A wild pitch, error and sacrifice fly led to both of those runners scoring. Mager got out of the inning with a groundout to short and a strikeout. Prairie got those runs right back in the bottom of the first. Terran Peery hit a 1-out single to right, went to second and then third on pitches that got past the catcher. He then scored on Clark Bruno’s grounder to third. Bruno reached when the third baseman’s throw went wide. Calvin Hinkelman then hit a line drive to first that went off the first baseman’s neck for a single. Fortunately the first baseman, sophomore Ammon Cazier, was able to stay in the game. Bruno eventually scored the tying run when  Brandon
Anderson reached on another error by the third baseman.
Mager settled down some on the mound and got through the next two innings with just 1 baserunner, a 2-out walk in the second. Prairie took the lead in the second when John Mager looped a high fly toward the left field line that fell for a double. He scored on Bruno’s 2-out single to right. The Mustangs changed pitchers in the third inning and Anderson greeted the new pitcher with a single to left. Rhett Schlader went into the game as a courtesy runner and stole second. He went to third on a deep fly to center by Jake Bruner and scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2. In the fourth inning Mager gave up a leadoff single then promptly picked the runner off first base. He then got wild again as he walked two batters and hit a third to load the bases. Tyler Hankerson was brought in to pitch and he walked the first batter he faced on 4 pitches to force in a run then got a pair of strikeouts to end the inning. With the lead down to 1, Prairie broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. Devin Bruegeman led off with a single, Peery walked and Bruno beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Hinkelman walked to force in a run. Hankerson then reached on the third baseman’s third error of the game with Peery scoring. Anderson hit a grounder to third that wound up as a forceout at the plate. With the bases still loaded, Casey Danly then had the big hit of the game as he crushed a double to left that scored all three baserunners. Danly wound up being put out at third as he tried to take third on the throw home. Bruner followed with a single up the middle, stole second and then John Mager walked. A pickoff throw went away with Bruner scoring to make it 10-3. Horseshoe Bend got to Hankerson for a leadoff walk followed by a single with groundouts scoring both runners to cut the margin to 10-5. Hankerson was able to get through the final 2 innings without any more runs scoring for the win. Daniel Mager gave up 3 runs on just 1 hit with 2 strikeouts, 5 walks and 1 hit batter in 3 1/3 innings. Hankerson pitched 3 2/3 innings giving up 2 runs on 1 hit with 3 walks and 2 hit batters. Prairie had 9 hits with Danly having a double and 3 RBI. John Mager had a double while Bruegeman, Peery, Bruno, Hinkelman, Andeson and Bruner each had a single. Bruno had 2 RBI with Hinkelman and Hankerson each having an RBI. H.B. 2 0 0 1 2 0 0— 5 2 6 Prairie 2 1 1 6 0 0 x—10 9 2 
As it turned out, a game that was supposed to take place during daylight hours wound up being mostly played under the lights. In a rematch of the second game of the regular season doubleheader, Bruno matched up against Brett Becker of Genesee. The previous game wound up 2-3 in Genesee’s favor. The only similarities this time were the final margin of 1 run with Genesee winning. Bruno wasn’t near as sharp with his command as he was in the district title game against C.V. a week earlier when he had no walks. This time he gave up just 7 hits but 6 walks, a hit batsman, 4 errors and a whole bunch of pitches that got past catcher Anderson, either as wild pitches or passed balls, allowed Genesee to make up for the fact that Prairie pounded out 16 hits. Genesee scored 2 first inning runs, after 2 outs, on 3 walks and an error. Prairie answered with a run as Schlader reached when the first baseman dropped the throw. Bruno followed with a single and Schlader scored on Hankerson’s 2-out single. Genesee put together a pair of hits that led to a run in the second. Prairie again answered with a run as Peery led off with a single up the middle and Bruner followed with an infield hit. Peery scored on Schlader’s sacrifice fly to center to make it 2-3. Neither team scored in the third. Genesee added 2 more in the fourth on a 1-out single and a walk with both runners eventually scoring on passed balls. Prairie cut the lead to 5-3 with a 2-out run in the fourth. Peery singled with 1 out but was forced at second by Bruner. Bruegeman singled to right and Bruner came around to score as the rightfielder picked up an error misplaying the ball. Genesee made it a 3-7 lead in the fifth with 2 more runs that came without benefit of a hit as a hit batsman and a walk turned into 2 runs despite Bruno striking out the other 3 hitters in the inning. Stolen bases and passed balls led to the runs scoring. Prairie cut the margin with 2 runs in the sixth to 5-7. Bruner beat out an infield hit and Bruegeman walked. Bruno reached on an error as Bruner scored. Hinkelman singled to left but Bruegeman was cut down trying to score on a great throw to the plate by the Genesee left fielder. Bruno scored with 2 outs when Hankerson reached on an error. Anderson walked to load the bases but the inning ended when Danly was called out on a close play at first on a grounder to short. In the top of the seventh Genesee picked up a couple of big insurance runs on a double to right, their only extrabase hit of the game and 2 singles. That left Prairie down 5-9 going into the bottom of the seventh. Prairie almost pulled off the rally as they had the winning run on base. Peery beat out an infield hit and Bruner reached on an error. Bruegeman tried to bunt his way on but was thrown out with the runners holding at 2nd and 3rd. Schlader scored Peery with a groundout to short. Bruno then singled home Bruner. Hinkelman singled up the middle and Bruno scored on Hankerson’s singled to left. With Hankerson being the winning run, Anderson hit a grounder to short and it appeared the first baseman may have been pulled off the bag by the throw but Anderson was called out to end the game. Bruno went the distance on the mound and had 2 strikeouts to go with the stats mentioned earlier. At this point Bruno was out of innings for the rest of the tournament as was Genesee’s Austin Jones and Becker. As mentioned Prairie had 16 hits with Hinkelman and Peery having 3 singles each. Bruno and Hankerson each had 2 singles and 2 RBI. Bruner had 2 singles and an RBI. Anderson had 2 singles. Schlader had a single and an RBI. Bruegeman had a single. Genesee 2 1 0 2 2 0 2—9 7 6 Prairie 1 1 0 1 0 2 3—8 16 4 There was no scoring for the first two innings although Prairie threatened in the first with a pair of singles but a couple of fly ball outs to left ended the threat. In the bottom of the first Hankerson got 2 quick outs then gave up a single and a hit batsman but got out of the inning with a rundown between third and home. Another hit batsman in the second was the only threat.  Prairie
got to the Wilder pitcher in the third inning with Schlader collecting
a 1-out single to right. A throwing error by the shortstop allowed Bruno
to reach base and Hinkelman scored both runners with a double over the
left fielder’s head. A passed ball moved Hinkelman to third and he scored
when the catcher’s throw to third went wild.
Wilder answered back with a pair of runs on 2 walks, a single and an error in Hankerson’s final inning of availability. Prairie broke the game open in the fourth as Wilder’s starter had exhausted his innings as well. The shortstop’s third error of the game allowed Danly to reach base to open the inning. Peery was hit by a pitch. Bruegeman then scored Danly with a double to left center. Schlader walked to load the bases and Bruno doubled down the line in left to score 2 more runs. Hinkelman singled home Schlader and Hankerson reached first on a throwing error by the pitcher with Bruno scoring. Hankerson and Hinkelman pulled off a delayed double steal with Hinkelman racing home once the pitcher threw to second where he failed to get Hankerson. Hankerson later scored to make it 10-2. Daniel Mager took over on the mound in the fourth and sailed through the inning, getting Wilder in order. Prairie added another 6 runs against Wilder’s third pitcher of the game in the fifth. Bruegeman had a 1-out single to start things. Schlader reached when a pop-up bunt fell and the fielder attempted to get Bruegeman at second. Bruno walked to load the bases and Hinkelman walked to score Bruegeman. Hankerson scored Schlader with a groundout to the first baseman. The Wilder shortstop committed yet another error on Anderson’s grounder that allowed Bruno and Hinkelman to score. Danly was hit by a pitch and Peery walked to load the bases. A passed ball allowed Anderson to score and an error by the third baseman in an attempt to catch Danly at third on the play, allowed Danly to score and give Prairie a 16-2 lead. They needed most of those extra runs as Mager struggled to find the plate much as he did in Friday’s game. He walked 3 straight batters and all three eventually score before he got the final out on a strikeout. Hankerson allowed 2 runs on 2 hits with 2 walks, 2 hit batsman and 2 strikeouts in 3 innings. Mager allowed 3 runs on 1 hit with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts in 2 innings. He had 1 inning of availability left, if needed, thanks to the mercy rule win in 5 innings. Prairie had 9 hits with Bruegeman having a double and 2 singles. Hinkelman had a double and a single and 4 RBI. Bruno had a double and a single and 2 RBI. Anderson and Schlader each had a single. Schlader, Bruno and Hinkelman each scored 3 runs in the game. Prairie 0 0 3 7 6—16 9 2 Wilder 0 0 2 0 3— 5 3 8 Bruegeman, who had a full 7 innings available, got the call on the mound for Prairie while Genesee went with freshman lefthander Garrett Borth. Borth had 5 innings available after using 2 against Wilder. 
Genesee took the early lead on a 2-out single followed by a triple. Bruegeman struck out the next hitter looking on 3 pitches to end the inning. He gave up a leadoff single and a walk in the second but then got out of the inning with no runs scored. Prairie took their first lead in the bottom of the second. Hankerson had a 1-out single to left and Anderson followed with a single to left. Danly walked to load the bases. Peery hit what should have been a single to left as the ball dropped just in front of the left fielder and behind the shortstop. Hankerson scored but Daniel Mager, courtesy running for Anderson, the catcher, went back to second thinking the ball was going to be caught and wound up getting forced out at third. An infield single by Bruner reloaded the bases and Danly scored when Bruegeman reached on an error by the second baseman. Genesee tied it in the third on a leadoff walk and stolen base followed by a single to left. A forceout at second followed by a pickoff at first helped get Bruegeman out of the inning. Prairie took the lead for good in the bottom of the third when they put up 4 runs. Bruno led off with a double to left. After two pop-ups for outs, Anderson doubled down the left field line to score Bruno. Danly and Peery walked to load the bases and Bruner walked to force home Daniel Mager, who was again running for Anderson. A walk to Bruegeman forced in Danly and Schlader was hit by a pitch to force in Peery and give Prairie a 6-2 lead. Genesee cut the lead to 6-3 in the fifth with an error followed by an infield single and a walk that loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly to center scored the run. A pop-up and a fly ball out to right ended the threat. Prairie got some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth against new pitcher Ben Druffel, whose only outing on the mound previously had been Genesee’s senior night. 2 walks, 2 errors and 2 hits lead to Prairie’s 4 runs with a botched pickoff throw allowing one of the runs to score. That gave Prairie a 10-3 lead going into the top of the seventh. A leadoff error led to a run but Bruegeman struck out the final 2 batters he faced to end the game and send Prairie to a winner-take-all championship game. Bruegeman allowed 4 runs on 6 hits with 3 walks and 8 strikeouts, Prairie’s best pitched game of the tournament. The Pirates tallied 12 hits led by Anderson who had 2 singles and a double and an RBI. Bruner had 3 singles and an RBI. Peery had a double and a single and an RBI. Hankerson had 2 singles. Bruno had a double. Schlader had a single and an RBI. Genesee 1 0 1 0 1 0 1— 4 6 3 Prairie 0 2 4 0 0 4 x—10 12 2  It
did not look good for the Pirates in the top of the first inning as the
Bulldogs got to Schlader for 8 singles and a double with an error on the
first pitch of the game thrown in. They put up 8 runs on the board and
it looked like Prairie might have to settle for second.
Souders though struggled against the Pirates in the bottom of the inning though, giving up 9 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks. Bruegeman grounded out to short to start the game but then the merry-go-round started. Schlader walked. Bruno singled to right. Hinkelman doubled home Schlader. A balk scored Bruno and moved Hinkelman to third. Another balk scored Hinkelman. Hankerson then walked and Anderson singled to left. Danly singled to left to score Hankerson. Peery singled up the middle to load the bases. Bruner walked to force in Daniel Mager, who was again running for Anderson. Bruegeman singled up the middle to score both Danly and Peery. A delayed double steal executed by Bruegeman and Bruner scored Bruner and with Bruegeman going to third after the throw home. Schlader walked and he and Bruegeman executed another double steal but Schlader wound up getting put out in a rundown. Bruegeman scored though to give Prairie the lead. After that rocky first inning Schlader settled down and pitched very well the rest of the game. The run in the second inning for Genesee came as a result of an error with stolen bases moving the runner to second and then to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly. Two groundouts got Schlader out of the inning with the score tied at 9-9. Prairie took the lead for good in the bottom of the second. With 2 runs scoring after there were 2 outs. Hankerson walked with 1 out but was forced at second by Anderson. Daniel Mager again went in to run. Danly walked and a passed ball moved up both runners. Mager scored on a wild pitch and Danly scored when the catcher tried to get him going to third on the play. Peery, Bruner and Bruegeman walked to load the bases before a forceout ended the inning. Genesee changed pitchers after Bruner walked The Pirates broke the game open in the third as they got to Stout for 7 runs. Bruno led off with a single up the middle. Hinkelman and Hankerson both walked to load the bases. After a strikeout and a short fly to short, Peery singled to left to score 2 runs. Bruner singled in Hankerson and Bruegeman singled to score both Peery and Bruner. Schlader singled and Bruno waled to load the bases. Hinkelman walked to force in another run. Schlader scored to make it 18-9 and Prairie started thinking 10-run rule. 
Genesee scored a pair in the top of the fourth to pull within 18-11 on an error and 2 singles. Two popups and a strikeout got Schlader out of the inning. First baseman Brady Bennett went to the mound for the bottom of the fourth and Prairie had their only scoreless inning of the game. Genesee got to a tiring Schlader for 3 more runs in the fifth on an error, 2 singles and a walk. Schlader got out of the inning with a flyball out to center. Genesee was now back in the game at 18-14. Bennett struggled to get any outs though as Prairie got things rolling offensively. Bruegeman led off with a single to right. Schlader singled up the middle and Bruno doubled home Bruegeman. Hinkelman was walked intentionally to load the bases and Hankerson followed with a sacrifice fly to center. Anderson walked to reload the bases. Danly walked to force in Bruno. Peery then walked to force in Hinkelman. That put the game-ending run on second base. Bruner came up and singled down the left field line to score both Anderson and Danly and end the ballgame on the 10-run mercy rule. Schlader would have given way to Daniel Mager if it had gone to the sixth inning but he wound up with the win while giving up 14 runs on 13 hits with only 1 walk and 1 strikeout. Prairie meanwhile pounded out 15 hits and took advantage of 17 walks and a hit batsman. Bruegeman had 3 singles and 4 RBI. Bruno had a double and 2 singles and an RBI. Bruner had 2 singles and 3 RBI. Peery had 2 singles and 2 RBI. Schlader had 2 singles. Hinkelman had a double and 2 RBI. Danly had a single and 2 RBI. Anderson had a single. Hankerson had an RBI. Prairie ends their season with a 17-9 record. Each of the last 3 times Prairie has made it to State in baseball they have won the championship. Genesee 8 1 0 2 3—14 13 2 Prairie 9 2 7 0 6—24 15 5 Prairie Baseball 2014 March 20—Kamiah, there, 4:00, won 16-4 21—McCall, here, (2), 4:00, lost 3-8, led 2nd game 5-2 in third when called due to darkness 22—Genesee (2) @LCSC, 11:00, lost 3-8 and 2-3 28—Troy (2) @Clearwater Park-Lewiston 4:00, trail 13-16 in bottom of 7th, game suspended due to rain - to be made up 29—Potlatch, here (2), 11:00, postponed due to rain 11 & 12—Glenn’s Ferry Tournament, Friday: lost to Wells 1-12; lost to Malad 6-10, lost to Soda Springs 4-9 Saturday: Soda Springs, 11:30 15—C.V., here, 4:30, won 18-5 17—vs. Highland (@Culdesac), 4:30 Postponed to April 28 due to rain 18--vs. Potlatch (2), here 3:00 p.m., lost 6-14, won 17-9 19—Timberline, there, (2) 11:00, won 21-1, won 26-3 24—Kendrick, there, 4:30, cancelled due to rain 25--at Troy, 4 p.m., complete suspended game then play second game.--POSTPONED TO MAY 3 28—Highland, here, (2), 3:30, postponed due to field conditions 2—Kendrick, here, 4:30, cancelled 2—Highland here, (2), 3 p.m., rescheduled from April 28, won 23-4 and 11-0 3—at Troy, rescheduled from April 25 due to wet field., lost makeup 14-16, won 24-2 5 – 10—Districts- Lewiston, beat Troy 3-1, beat C.V. 11-1, District Champions 16 & 17—State at Lewiston, beat Horseshoe Bend 10-5, lost to Genesee 8-9, Beat Wilder 16-5, Beat Genesee 10-4, Beat Genesee 24-14--State champions!! |
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