Patriots Eye Tournament Opener
The Palouse Patriots A team have secured a spot in the Washington State American Legion baseball state tournament, a milestone that caps a season of steady improvement and sets the stage for a series of high‑stakes games.
Their opening contest against the Spokane Valley Bombers ended in an 11‑8 victory, with Carson Thomas delivering three hits and two RBI, Cooper Wells adding a double and two RBI, and Brody Pfaff chipping in three hits of his own.
The following game against the West Kootenay Aces proved more challenging, as the Patriots fell 24‑6; nonetheless Markus Hauck, Keegan Caessens, Aidan Owusu and Carson Thomas each recorded a hit and an RBI, showing resilience despite the scoreboard.
The tournament schedule now calls for the Patriots to meet Medical Lake at 4 p.m. Saturday, a matchup that will test their depth against a well‑balanced opponent and could determine their early standing in the bracket.
Other Local Baseball Highlights
Beyond the Patriots' run, the Orofino Merchants defeated the Idaho Falls Tigers in the Idaho B state semifinal; Tovin Lundgren paced the Merchants with three hits and one RBI, while Riggins Tondevold pitched five innings of shutout baseball, striking out five batters.
The Lewis‑Clark Twins also split a doubleheader with the Corvallis Marketmen, with Zavier McFee delivering a strong six‑inning start in Game 1 and Cody Ells driving in three runs in Game 2, underscoring the competitive depth of the region.
In college sports, the Idaho Vandals football program is currently listed No. 7 in the coaches poll and No. 6 in the media poll of the Big Sky Conference preseason rankings, reflecting optimism for the upcoming season.
Recruiting news brought Jaylen McLaughlin, a three‑star prospect and the second‑ranked player in Washington, to a commitment with Washington State men's basketball, while former player Ula Motuga returned to WSU as an assistant coach for the women's basketball team, adding experience to the program.