Whitman Cougars wrap nine-game J-Legion run

Whitman Cougars rolled all the way to Lakeland High in Idaho Tuesday to play the Bayview Whitecaps, a team in the Spokane Legion organization that would have to follow the playoffs trail in Idaho. The two games at Lakeland wrapped up a nine-game run for Cougars over a five-day span.

The hosts took the first game 11-1 with Zac Druffel throwing a six hitter. The game was a close 3-1 until the Whitecaps scored seven runs in the fifth. Steve McAleer relieved Druffel.

Will Dedic drew a walk in the fourth inning, stole second and scored on a fielder’s choice off a rap by Patrick Jacobs.

The Idaho hosts won the second game 4-3. Jamie Bledsoe started for the Cougars and allowed three runs into the fourth while giving up 10 walks. Tyler Nestegard relieved Bledsoe in the fourth and pitched out of a bases-loaded situation.

Druffel and Dedic each doubled in the sixth inning and Bledsoe tagged an RBI single to make it a one run ball game, but the Cougars went down in order in the last inning.

John Buscher had two singles and a double in the second game.

Over the weekend the Cougars booked five games at the Asotin tournament.

They played the Spokane Crew three times with Dedic pitching a 5-3 win in the third matchup Sunday. The Crew defeated the Cougs 7-3 with Nestegard throwing Friday and 8-2 on Saturday with Jacobs throwing.

In another tourney matchup, the Cougars were hammered 21-11 by Mt. Spokane. The winners scored nine runs with two out in the top of the sixth inning after the game had simmered at 9-8 over five innings.

The Cougars also sustained a 10-5 loss to Asotin in a game which saw Asotin stretch out a 6-5 lead.

Jacobs had three hits in that game.

The Cougars last Thursday at McDonald Park took two losses from Freeman, a foe in the South Division of the Spokane Junior Legion League. Freeman scored eight runs in the first inning when Ryan Bumstead had a rough start. McAleer relieved Bumstead and had a solid performance while the Cougars battled back. It finished with a 12-8 Freeman win.

Freeman took the second game 6-3 with Druffel on the mound for the Cougars. The guests scored four runs in the first inning to take the lead and that proved enough for a sweep in the South Division matchup.

After this week’s hectic schedule, the Cougars will have the weekend off and then play at Asotin in a south division game Wednesday.