Libby gets first win of season

The Loggers picked up their first win of the season in extra innings Tuesday, as Dylon Lane pitched 10 strikeouts over seven innings to power the Loggers over the visiting Kootenai Valley Rangers 7-6 at Lee Gehring Field.

In his seven innings on the mound, Lane allowed no earned runs and gave up just two hits and three walks. 

“Dylon has been pitching really well this season,” said manager Kelly Morford. “He had seven strong innings and kept them at bay and gave our offense a chance to get going. The real encouraging thing is that he really hasn’t even been at his best out there yet. Once he really gets in his groove, he will be even better.” 

The Rangers took advantage of Libby’s relief pitcher and scored five runs in the top of the eighth, after the teams battled back and forth for a slim one-run lead.

“We couldn’t get that big hit early to drive in some runs and give us some breathing room,” Morford said. “We let them hang around and they were able to get a few guys on in the 8th and take advantage with that big bases clearing double that put them in the lead.”

The Loggers bounced back in the bottom of the eighth, though, and brought four runners around the bases to push the game back into a tie and set up the extra innings.

“It was nice to see how the boys responded after giving up the lead late in the game like that,” Morford said. “When they came off the field, they were positive and ready to go get some of those runs back.”

The Loggers’ defense managed to hold the Rangers scoreless through the next three innings of play, and managed to take the game with a walk-off in the bottom of the 11th inning. 

“They walked Brady to get to Erik for the second time of the game in the bottom of the 11th,” Morford said. “I think Erik took it kind of personal and he responded with a great walk off swing. They had been eating him up with off speed pitches his last few at bats but he made a great adjustment and drove it right up the middle for the win.”

Morford said with the school year ending his team is finally able to practice and play together and starting to come together. He said he anticipates great play for the rest of the season.

“We are just now starting to get everyone together all at once for practice and games so I think we will start to see some real strides forward,” he said. “With everyone together we can start to find our personality as a team and hit the ground running.”

KTNV 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 6 8 3 

LGRS 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 1 7 13 1 

1B: Henrie, Hannay, Henderson, Anderson 2, Sherewood 1B: Carvey, Johnson 2, Bateman, Lauer 3, Johnson, 2B: Hannay, Henderson TB: Henrie, Hannay 3, Bateman 2 2B: Bateman, Thom 2 TB: Carvey, Johnson Henderson 3, Anderson 2, Sherewood SB: Henrie, 2, Bateman 3, Lauer 3, Thom 4, Johnson, Bateman 2 Sherewood Team LOB: 8 SAC: Lane SB: Johnson, Johnson, Bateman 2 CS: Lauer