Loggers sweep Rangers

by The Daily Inter Lake
| June 6, 2010 2:00 AM

LIBBY — Joe Coker hit two home runs, a double and batted in seven runs to help the Libby Loggers pick up two American Legion baseball victories over visiting Kootenai Valley on Saturday.

Scores were 9-0 and 9-2.

“We played some of the best ball we’ve played all year long. So that’s encouraging, especially in our conference opener. This is a good start for us,” said Libby coach Kelly Morford.

“The last five games we’ve been hitting the ball a lot better. We combined that with some good pitching today,” he added.

The second game ended on a bit of a sour note. Kootenai Valley’s Bryton Guckenberg hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning, but the lead runner missed third base and was called out on appeal. That ended the game.

The Loggers (12-11 and 2-0) play host at 6:05 p.m. Monday to Sandpoint, Idaho, for one 9-inning game.

Game 1

Kootenai Valley 000 000 0 — 0 5 1

Libby 210 123 x — 9 9 2

Josh Soderling, Andrew Derby (5) and Colin Gillard. Dustin Morningstar and Micah Germany. W — Morningstar (5-1). L — Soderling.

KOOTENAI VALLEY — Alex Lesowski 0-4, Cade Davis 1-3, Colin Gillard 0-3, Ryan Holder 1-2, Bryton Guckenberg 2-3, Curtis McDuffie 0-3, Caleb Curtiss 0-2, Jake Grove 0-2, Andrew Derby 0-0, Josh Soderling 1-3.

2B — Soderling.

Libby — Morningstar 1-2, Adam Stapley 0-3, Chris Herbig 0-1, Joe Coker 2-4, Germany 2-4, Justin Wicka 1-3, Eric Grotjohn 1-2, Tate Wilson 2-3, Eric Riddle 0-2.

HR — Coker. 2B — Morningstar, Coker, Germany, Wicka, Wilson.

RBI: Coker 4, Germany 2, Grotjohn 1, Wilson 1.

Game 2

Kootenai Valley 000 002 0 — 241

Libby 223 200 x — 973

Ryan Holder, Alex Lesowski (3) and Cade Davis, Caleb Curtiss (3). Chris Herbig and Micha Germany. W — Herbig (3-3). L — Holder.

KOOTENAI VALLEY — Guckenberg 1-4, Lesowski 0-3, Davis 1-2, Holder 1-3, Colin Gillard 0-3, Curtiss 0-3, Grove 0-3, Soderling 0-3, Derby 0-2, McDuffie 1-1.

Libby — Morningstar 0-1, Clay Smith 0-4, Chris Herbig 0-2, Coker 1-4, Germany 2-3, Wicka 1-2, Grotjohn 0-1, Zach Watson 0-3, Riddle 2-2, Byron Benefield 0-1.

HR — Coker. 2B— Germany. RBI: Coker 3, Germany 1, Riddle 2.