BF Yankees poised for perfection
July 3, 2013
After a perfect 19-0 season, the Bonners Ferry Yankees U-13 Little League baseball team has continued their streak in tournament play, and if they pull off another win today against the Hayden All Stars, they'll be the undisputed champs in a tough new league.

That game takes place at 3 p.m. today at Croffoot Park in Hayden; if the Yankees win, they'll be going to the state tournament in Boise; if they suffer their first loss of the season, a rematch against the Angels will take place at about 6 p.m.

The Yankees opened tournament play against the All Stars June 28, taking a close 8-7 win.

The teams were tied seven-all going into the seventh and final inning, and Bonners Ferry led the inning off with a line-drive single into right field by Kendall Stone. Pacen Pluid stepped in and pinch ran for Stone, Anthony Bennett walked.

Seth Bateman popped a fly to third, taking the first out and letting Pluid steal third.

Brady Bateman smashed a game-winning double down the right field line, scoring Pluid.

Bateman went 3-5, with four RBIs, including a walk-off double, Bennett went 2-2, with two walks and two runs scored, Pluid went 1-1 and scored, Raul Rodriguez went 2-2 with two RBIs and two walks and Stone went 1-2 with a walk and two runs scored.

On the mound, Jesse Dunham pitched four complete innings, giving up five hits, four runs with three earned, and three strikeouts. Tyrone Larson pitched 1.2 innings in relief, giving up one hit and striking out two for the win.

On Monday, the Yankees returned to Hayden to face the Post Falls Orange in the semi finals, where Tyrone Larson had two hits, including the game winner with two outs, driving in two runners in the bottom of the seventh for the 5-4 victory.

The league, formed just this year in Hayden Lake, is comprised of nine teams, including three Hayden teams, two from Coeur d'Alene, two from Post Falls and one from Newport.

In their tournament games, the Yankees faced All Star Teams, comprised of the best players from each city's teams.

Yankees coach Cal Bateman said he doesn't really like to talk the team up as he feels it's boastful, but he admitted that this team is special and each player; Brady Bateman, Seth Bateman, Jesse Dunham, Trey Flint, Tyrone Larson, Raul Rodriguez, Kendall Stone, Anthony Bennett, Pacen Pluid and Kobe Norwood, all 13 except for Seth Bateman, who is 12, deserve a ton of credit for their hard work and determination.

If they win tonight, be it one one game or two, they'll play in Boise for the state title; a win there will send them to Irvine, California, to compete in the Western Regionals July 19. A win there would send them to the Intermediate 50-70 World Series July 30 in Livermore, California.

Of course, the Yankees didn't do everything by themselves, they had a lot of help from the community, and they all send out thanks to their fans and those who helped with donations to enable them to compete; Riverside Auto, Huckleberry Variety, Pace-Kerby, Sam and Marla Carey, JB's Tire, AJ's Lanes, Panhandle State Bank, Baby-Go-Round, Stove Corral, the Kootenai River Inn, the Boundary County Baseball Association,, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Boundary Tractor, Huckleberry Variety, North Side Bed and Breakfast, Northern Treasures, Janice Snider and a friendly Canadian stranger on the street.