Early Runs Help Clarkston Nip Lewiston 2-0

Wild pitching and errors gave Clarkston two early runs and with Tim Behler pitching masterfully and his teammates fielding flawlessly, that was enough.

The Bantams hold on to beat Lewiston 2-0 in the final game of the two rivals’ 1974 series before about 400 fans last night at Bengal Field.

The victory was Clarkston’s fourth in five games over Lewiston and sent the Big Stick trophy, symbolic of supremacy in the series, over the bridge into Washington.

Now Clarkston, 20-3 overall, will turn its attention back to the Frontier League as it heads to Medical Lake for a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader. One victory by the league-leading Bantams will capture the championship.

“This is a young team — we’ve got a lot of juniors out there — but they play good baseball.” said Clarkston Coach Gene Arnone after beating Lewiston. “I think we’re reaching our peak and just at the right time.

”We’re going up there (to Medical Lake) with one thing in mind, to cinch the championship.”

Last night’s game closed Lewiston’s regular season, leaving the Bengals with a 16-9 record as they prepare for the opening of the state baseball tournament Thursday at Bengal Field.

Clarkston scored its first run in the second inning after Bob Hallgren had walked and moved to second on an infield hit by Doug Poole. Hallgren headed to third on a passed ball and came home when the catcher’s throw went into left field.

The Bantams got their other run in the third when Jim O’Harra led off with a single, moved to second on a single by Hallgren and then came home when Lewiston’s third basemen fielded Jim Tank’s grounder and threw the ball past first base.

Lewiston pitcher Steve Forge stayed in hot water from the beginning of the second through the fourth by walking six Bantams. In each of these frames, Clarkston left three runners stranded.

Behler, meanwhile, had good control and never allowed a Bengal runner to get past second base. The Junior left-hander scattered five hits and walked just one, while striking out five.

“Tim has really developed into some pitcher,” Arnone said, “I have a lot of confidence now when he’s out there on the mound.”

Defense helped Behler keep the Bengals chained. In the third inning, the Clarkston infield erased one runner with a double play and second baseman Mike Trimmell killed another Lewiston rally with a good catch in the fifth.

The Bengals had a runner on first with two outs when Jim Phillips hit a blooper to shallow right field. Trimmell ran out to the grass, looked back, jumped and snared it to end the inning.

Arnone said his whole pitching staff, except for Behler, is rested for Medical Lake.

“I’ll throw whoever I think we need to cinch this thing. We’re not going to fool around. We’re going to win it and get ready for the playoffs,” he said.

Clarkston 011 000 0—2 5 0

Lewiston 000 000 0—0 5 4

This story was published in the May 14, 1974, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.