Lakeland caps improbable run

SANDPOINT - Completing a grueling stretch of five games in five days, three of those on the road, the Lakeland Hawks earned a trip to state with a 17-13 victory over the Sandpoint Bulldogs in the championship game of the 4A Region 1 baseball tournament Friday at War Memorial Field.

No. 2 seed Lakeland (13-11) took the lead for good with a 12-run fourth inning, which included seven bases-loaded walks and a hit batter. Top-seeded Sandpoint (13-9) issued 12 walks in the game. Lakeland won six of its last seven games in a seven-day span.

"Our team learned to play baseball this week," said Lakeland coach Jason Bradbury, whose team had to beat Sandpoint twice in the championship round. "After losing on Tuesday we were still pretty confident. My message was if we can keep that same mental approach the games will take care of themselves."

Lakeland will open state vs. Minico (21-11) on Thursday at 9 a.m. PDT at Rodeo Park in Nampa.

Daniel Mobeck had two doubles, and Tyler Ogden and Caleb Guerber each added two hits for the Hawks, who return to state after a fourth-place finish in 2008.

"I told my guys we're going down to state to win games, not just being happy to get there," Bradbury said. "The way we're attacking the baseball both offensively and defensively, we'll play well."

Lakeland 210 (12)20 0 - 17 9 2

Sandpoint 330 320 2 - 13 13 5

Daniel Whitesitt, Gaige Gray (2), Kostas Garcia (5) and Luke Howell; Eric Nikssarian, Tevin Hamilton (2), Tyler Gordon (4), Joel Cramer (4), Ben Fisher (5) and Cory Neer, Nikssarian (2). W - Gray. L - Hamilton (3-3).

HITS: LL - Mobeck 2, Ogden 2, Guerber 2, Cooper, South, Vandever. Spt - Halpin, Fisher 3, Cramer 3, Charvoz 3, Jacobs, Neer, Anthony. 2B - Mobeck 2, Cramer, Jacobs, Fisher. HR - Cramer.