| Pirates
suffer first loss
The Prairie baseball team suffered their first loss of the season as they were shutout by Kendrick 0-9 at Juliaetta Thursday, March 26. Prairie’s David Sigler and Kendrick’s Julian Madrid, a transfer from Lewiston High School, were locked in a scoreless duel until the bottom of the fourth inning. Two singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases with 1 out for Kendrick. Sigler then induced a pop-up for the second out on the infield fly rule. It then appeared he would get out of the inning unscathed as the next hitter hit a dribbler in front of the plate that catcher Conner Rieman pounced on. It appeared Rieman got back to the plate in time for a forceout but the umpire ruled the runner coming in from third was safe. The play seemed to rattle Sigler who walked the next two hitters to force in 2 more runs then gave up a single followed by a dropped fly ball in the outfield that led to a total of 8 runs scoring in the inning, all unearned. Kendrick added another run in the fifth on a hit batsman, single and groundout. In all Sigler gave up 4 hits with 3 walks and 3 hit betters and 7 strikeouts in 4 plus innings. Kyle Holthaus came on in the fifth and gave up just 1 hit with 2 strikeouts. Prairie meanwhile managed 5 hits against Madrid but couldn’t get the big hit when they needed it. They also had 4 players thrown out on the bases. The closest they came to scoring was in the top of the seventh when Joe Schumacher led off with a single. Kyle Daly reached on a passed ball on strike three and Seth Guyer followed with a single. Schumacher was thrown out at the plate trying to score on Guyer’s single. Guyer had a double to go with his single while Sigler, Schumacher and Tyler Rogers each had a single. Prairie 0 0 0 0 0 0 0—0 5 2 Kendrick 0 0 0 8 1 0 x—8 5 1 Pirates score big in late innings to beat Troy The Prairie Pirates fell behind 0-3 early but rallied late with 3 runs in the fifth and 12 in the 6th to beat Troy 16-3 in a White Pine League game at Clearwater Field in Lewiston Friday, March 27. 
Ronnie Chandler started on the mound for the Pirates and struggled with command. He had suffered a thumb injury skiing and although mostly healed, still bothers him pitching. The first three Troy hitters all reached base on a single, walk and 2-run double. Chandler then recorded a pair of strikeouts before a hit batsman and walk loaded the bases. He got out of the inning though with a fly ball to center. In the second inning a walk and a run scoring double started the inning to make it 0-3 but Chandler then induced 2 popups and a groundout to leave a runner stranded at third. In the fourth he hit the first batter, gave up a single then got an out on a grounder to short but then hit the next batter to load the bases. At that point Kyle Holthaus was called to the mound and he got out of the jam with a strikeout and a pop-up to short. Holthaus allowed just 1 hit and no runs the rest of the way. Prairie got on the scoreboard in the top of the third as David Sigler walked, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Chandler’s single up the middle. In the fifth Holthaus led off the inning with a single to left and Conner Rieman and Sigler followed with a triple each to tie the game. Coach Pat Holthaus tried to hold up both Rieman and Sigler at second but both felt they could make it on to third. Sigler just barely beat the throw. Sigler then scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. In the sixth things really fell apart for Troy’s pitcher. Silas Whitley led off the inning with a single and Holthaus then beat out an infield hit. Rieman walked to load the bases. Whitley then scored on a wild pitch and Sigler then connected for his second straight triple to bring in 2 more runs. Chandler singled in Sigler. Joe Schumacher beat out an infield hit to deep short and Seth Guyer walked to load the bases. Kyle Daly was hit by a pitch to force in Chandler and Tyler Rogers scored Schumacher on a groundout to second. Whitley walked to reload the bases and Holthaus was hit by a pitch to force in Guyer. At that point Troy changed pitchers and Rieman greeted the new pitcher with a 2-run double over the centerfielder’s head that hit the fence on the fly. Sigler followed with a 2-run double down the left field line and after an out, Schumacher doubled down the left field line to bring in Sigler. The game was called after the 6th inning on the 10-run mercy rule. Prairie pounded out 15 hits in the game led by Sigler who had 2 triples and a double and 5 RBI. Holthaus had 3 singles while Rieman had a double and a triple and 3 RBI. Schumacher and Guyer each had a double and single with Schumacher collecting an RBI. Chandler had 2 singles and 2 RBI and Whitley had a single. Also collecting an RBI each were Kyle Daly and Rogers.  Chandler
gave up 3 runs on 4 hits with 2 stirkeouts, 3 walks and 3 hit batsmen in
2 1/3 innings. Holthaus allowed no runs and just 1 hit with 5 strikeouts,
2 walks and 1 hit batsman while picking up the win.
With the win Prairie improves to 4-1 on the season and 2-1 in league play. They are off this week during Spring Break and their next game will be Monday, April 6 at home against Troy. It will be their first home game of the season. With the lights available at Clearwater Field Prairie also played a 5-inning JV game with the Pirates holding off Troy 5-4 for the win. Prairie put together a 2-out rally in the first inning to take the lead. Troy Lorentz reached on an error after 2 were out and Kyle Marker followed with a double to left center. Lorentz had to hold up as there was a possibility of the ball being caught. Both runners then scored on Whitley’s pop fly single to right field that dropped just behind the second baseman and just in front of the right fielder. Seth Guyer started on the mound for the JV’s and gave up 2 singles in the first inning with an error helping Troy to score 2 runs. Guyer gave up the tying run in the bottom of the third as another error and a single led to a run. Prairie took back the lead in the top of the fourth with another 2-out rally. Shawn Seubert walked with 2 outs, stole second and then advanced to home on a pair of wild pitches. Prairie added another run in the fifth when Whitley hit a leadoff single to left, stole second, then third and then scored on a wild pitch. Whitley had taken over on the mound in the fourth inning and allowed a run in the bottom of the fifth on a walk and a single and a wild pitch but a strikeout and a groundout to second got him out of the inning and the JV’s had a win. Guyer gave up 3 runs on 3 hits with 7 strikeouts and 2 walks in 3 innings. Whitley allowed 1 run on 1 hit with 3 walks and 1 strikeout in 2 innings pitched. The JV’s collected 6 hits with Whitley having half of them as he had 3 singles and 2 RBI. Marker had a double and a single and Robert Nau had a single. Prairie 0 0 1 0 3 12—16 15 1 Troy 2 1 0 0 0 0— 3 5 0 
Prairie Baseball 2009 March 19th Away Culdesac 4:00, Won 11-1 March 20th Away Kamiah 4:30, Won 14-1 March 21st Away Grangeville (2) 11:00, Won 10-1 March 24th Away C.V. (2) 4:00, postponed due to weather March 26th Away Kendrick 4:30, lost 0-9 March 27th Away Troy-Lewiston 4:30, won 16-3 April 6th Home Troy 4:30 April 7th Home Genesee 4:30 April 9th Home Lewis Co. 4:30 April 11th Away Timberline 4:30 rescheduling of March 17 postponement April 14th Home Kamiah 4:30 April 16th Home Grangeville 4:30 April 17th Home Culdesac 4:30 April 20th Away Lewis Co. 4:00 April 21st Home Kendrick 4:30 April 25th Away Genesee. 11:00 April 27th Away St. Maries-LCSC 4:30 April 28th Home Timberline 4:30 May 1, 2, 8, & 9 Dist. Tour. Genesee & Kendrick TBA May 15th & 16th State Tour. Caldwell TBA |
 |