Loggers sweep Friday evening double-header
On a beautiful Friday night at Lee Gehring Field the Libby Loggers swept a double-header against the Kootenai Valley Rangers.
In the first game the Loggers defeated the Rangers 7-2 behind Dylon Lane’s strong start. Lane pitched three scoreless innings and struck out five batters.
The Loggers backed Lane’s strong outing by scoring four runs in the first two innings. The Loggers plated two runs in the first by taking advantage of some Ranger miscues.
In the second inning, the Loggers needed little help from the Rangers. As Loggers catcher, Oliver Grupenhoff, hit a two-run single to give them a 4-0 lead.
That’s all the run support Lane and fellow pitcher, Braydan Thom would need to pick up the Loggers fourth win of the season.
A play that won’t show up in the box score is the brilliant leaping grab Loggers first baseman, Erik Lauer made in the sixth inning. What will show up in the box score is Lauer’s performance at the plate, as he went 2-2 with an RBI.
Lauer got the start for the Loggers in the second game of the evening. He pitched a solid four innings, giving up one run on four hits and striking out five batters.
Lauer looked unhittable in the first inning recording two strikeouts. He then tiptoed out of danger during the second inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, Lauer recorded back-to-back strikeouts. He then received help from his shortstop, Jared Winslow. On a line drive that looked to be trouble, Winslow made a beautiful leaping grab to keep the Rangers from scoring.
With the game tied at one in the bottom of the fourth inning, Grupenhoff broke the tie with an RBI double that scored Winslow. Grupenhoff’s double was the only hit for the Loggers during the second game.
That’s the only hit they would need as they received strong pitching from Lauer and Collin Johnson as the Loggers won, 3-1. Johnson pitched three quality innings, giving up just two hits and recording two strikeouts.
The Loggers have now won four of their last five games and have a 5-10 record on the season.
Game 1:
Loggers 220 210 0 244
Rangers 000 110 0 791
Ranger Batting
2B: Colton Henrie, Garret McNeil
TB: Colton Henrie 2, Garret McNeil 2, Jacob Nowakowski, Dawson Henrie
RBI: Dawson Henrie
Logger Batting
TB: Luke Haggerty 2, Dylon Lane 2, Erik Lauer 2, Taylor Wisdom, Jared Winslow, Oliver Grupenhoff
RBI: Erik Lauer, Oliver Grupenhoff 2
Game 2
Loggers 010 101 0 311
Rangers 000 100 0 161
Ranger Batting
TB: Tim Carvey 2, Colton Henrie, James Dunn, Garret McNeil, Sam Hannay
RBI: Sam Hannay
Logger Batting
2B: Oliver Grupenhoff
TB: Oliver Grupenhoff 2
RBI: Oliver Grupenhoff