Twins topped twice in tourney

An initial eruption and subsequent smoldering from the Bears of Walla Walla proved too much to overcome for the Twins of Lewis-Clark in an 8-4 defeat. A short while later, a five-spot fourth inning was barely insufficient for the Twins to notch their second win of the year during the Dwight Church Tournament at Harris Field.

The Northstars of Spokane answered right back with a two-run fifth and held Lewis-Clark scoreless over the final two frames to snatch away a 7-6 victory and send Lewis-Clark home empty-handed after a full-day's slate of Legion baseball.

"It's just having an understanding of being in the moment, being present in the moment," Twins skipper Kevin Maurer said. "It's having the every-day mindset. We're just trying to get to that."

Maurer did compliment his team's five-run fourth inning in the loss to Spokane as "one of our best responses of the year."

In the bottom of the seventh in the nightcap, the Twins (1-8) had two on and none out. Two had been hit by pitches, but none would score.

It was a near-replica calamity compared to the first game - where a whiff in the outfield cost Lewis-Clark two runs - but Maurer said improvement is in the foreseeable future.

"We'll start to break through," he said. "First we got beat by 15, then by four. We're limiting mistakes and giving ourselves opportunities."

"The first couple of innings we were having trouble finding the strike zone, but we figured it out through the next couple," Maurer said. "We definitely caught on and got more engaged later ... We had some opportunities in that game, we just weren't able to fully put it together."

Although Lewis-Clark's Coy Stout was able to belt three hits in the first game, including a double and two RBI, the Twins failed to be touched by the same offensive aptitude that struck the Bears. It was the Walla Walla offensive distribution that made the difference - six batters reached and three of them notched two hits a piece.

The Twins' Hayden Woods matched Stout's performance in the second game. With Stout on the mound, holding the Northstars scoreless through two innings, Woods' bat caught ablaze. Like Stout, he went 3-for-4, hit a double and drove in a run to provide life for Lewis-Clark.

Stout went five innings, struck out three and allowed seven hits and five runs.

The Twins' Terin Judy started on the mound against Walla Walla, and although he lasted 51/3, he also allowed nine hits and walked five. Stout was 3-for-4, including a double and two RBI.

In the nightcap, Stout took the loss after allowing seven runs (five earned) in five innings of work. He struck out three, but allowed seven hits.

Walla Walla 122 003 0-8 9 1

Lewis-Clark 101 200 0-4 6 4

Ortiz, Golden (4), Norris (6) and Gritz. Judy, Lopez (6) and Woods.

Walla Walla hits - Morris, Knowles 2, K. Morris 2, Gradwohler 2 (2B), Zehner, Golden (2B).

Lewis-Clark hits - Stout 3 (2B), Lopez, Bonfield, Miller.

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Spokane 003 220 0-7 7 1

Lewis-Clark 100 500 0-6 7 1

Tayeb Wilson, Elan Kransz (5), Dominic Coleman (6) and Lucas Miracle. Coy Stout, Jaden Phillips (6) and Nate Savolainen.

Spokane hits - Jager Adams 2 (2B), Lucas Miracle, Zarren Nelson, Zak Kubik, Elan Kransz, Dominic Coleman.

Lewis-Clark hits - Hayden Woods 3 (2B), Jaden Phillips (2B), Nate Savolainen, Dawson Bonfield, Mitch Miller.