Sandpoint baseball takes care of Bonners Ferry

BONNERS FERRY — Sandpoint baseball picked up a doubleheader sweep of Bonners Ferry on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs sailed to a 20-2 victory in the first game and were ahead 15-6 in the second game when it was called after the fourth inning due to darkness.

Despite the two wins, head coach Chase Tigert said he thought his team didn't play their brand of baseball and there are several things they need to work on moving forward.

"In all honestly, it wasn't great," he said. "Obviously, we got two wins, which is always good ... but I don't think we played anywhere near our capability."

Sandpoint scored 11 runs in the fourth inning of the first game to 10-run rule the Badgers. Avery Bocksch and Max Thielbahr each drove in three runs, and Ethan Butler and Zeke Roop had two RBIs.

Bocksch started on the mound, striking out three while allowing five hits and two runs across three innings.

"He did great," Tigert said about Bocksch. "Avery goes up there and he pounds the zone and he competes."

Blake Sherrill closed out the game for the Bulldogs on the bump, striking out two and allowing no hits in two innings of work. It was his first appearance on the mound this season and Tigert said he really attacked the strike zone.

Butler made his season debut on the bump in the series finale. It was his first start for Sandpoint since his freshman year when he earned all-league honors. Last January, Butler had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing arm.

He allowed five runs and four hits across two innings to grab the win. He also recorded five strikeouts.

Tigert said it was awesome to see Butler back on the mound.

"I thought today was a great day opportunity for him to get back into the swing of things and it was just really exciting," he said. "He's an amazing kid and a fantastic player and teammate, and just to be able to see him get back onto the bump doing something he loves was really great."

Cody Newhart and Mike Riley each drove in two runs for the Bulldogs.

Tigert said the Bulldogs were able to put together quality at-bats and worked the count well, but they need to do a better job of taking advantage of runners in scoring position.

Sandpoint (6-1) hosts Priest River for a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Thursday at War Memorial Field.

FIRST GAME

SHS 222 (11)3 — 20 7 3

BF 020 00 — 2 5 2

Game called after 5 innings due to 10-run rule

Bocksch, Sherrill (4), Mike Riley and Trevor Brackett. Teigan Banning, Elijah Dahl (3), David Hammons (4) and Bo Bateman. W — Bocksch. L — Banning.

HITS: SHS — Roop 2, Newhart, MacDonald, Thielbahr, Williams, Bocksch. BF — Bateman, Newell, Hammons, Willis, Dahl. 2B — MacDonald.

SECOND GAME

SHS (11)04 0X — 15 8 1

BF 321 0X — 6 4 4

Game called due to darkness

Ethan Butler, Jack Zimmerman (3) and Brackett. Spencer Eby, Porter Schulte (1), Blake Rice (1), Wilson Newell (3) and Bateman.

HITS: SHS — Newhart, MacDonald, Riley, Sherrill, Zimmerman, Butler, Garcia, Bocksch. BF — Newell 2, Bateman, Hammons. 2B: Zimmerman, Newhart, Newell, Hammons. 3B — Bateman.