Local teams eliminated
<p>Kellogg's Kirsten Viche tags out Destiny Moffit, of Timberlake, during the third inning of 3A state softball play on Friday in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Timberlake's Sydnie Malloy fields the ball in the sixth inning against Kellogg Friday during the 3S state softball tournament in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
COEUR d’ALENE — After saving their season in the first game of the day, the Kellogg Wildcats could not avoid elimination in the second, losing to the Kimberly Bulldogs and falling out of the state 3A softball tournament at Ramsey Park.
After eliminating Timberlake (15-12) with a 12-7 victory Friday morning, the Wildcats came up with just one hit against 26-1 Kimberly in a 12-0 loss, sending the Wildcats (12-10) home for the season.
Fruitland (25-2) will play in the championship game today at noon. Buhl (24-8) and Kimberly (28-1) play at 10 a.m., with the winner needing to beat Fruitland twice for the title.
Kimberly 12, Kellogg 0: Kimberly, which suffered its first loss of the season earlier Friday to Buhl 4-0, came out swinging against the Wildcats, winning in five innings.
Kimberly pitcher Nellie Makings hit a three-run home run in the first inning and added a three-run double in the second to go along with seven strikeouts.
Kellogg freshman Tarrah Ivie had the team’s lone hit in the first inning.
“I think we got a little shell-shocked after the first inning,” Kellogg coach Alan Williams said. “Kimberly has some good bats. We hadn’t gotten a chance to play against a team like that all season.”
Kirsten Viche, the team’s only senior, added that the trip to state was a long time coming.
“It felt great to get here,” Viche said. “The team played really well the last few weeks. We had our differences at the start of the year, but we came together as a team and started to win some games.”
Michaela Stewart had five strikeouts for the Wildcats.
KIMBERLY 12, KELLOGG 0
Kellogg 000 00 — 0 1 3
Kimberly 371 0x — 12 10 1
Game called in fifth inning due to 10-run rule.
Michaela Stewart and Taylor Stewart; Nellie Makings and Averie Schroeder. W — Makings (18-1). L — Stewart (12-7).
HITS: Kell — Ivie. Kim — Schroeder 3, Makings 2, Corder, Allsop, Carlton, Funk, Hatch. 2B — Schroeder, Makings. HR — Makings.
Kellogg 12, Timberlake 7: Stewart had 11 strikeouts as Kellogg eliminated the Tigers.
“We started playing our worst ball of the season at the wrong time,” Timberlake coach Mike Menti said. “Take nothing from Kellogg, but we had runners on base, but just couldn’t bring them home. We just couldn’t get those hits today. It’s a game, but we’ll be back again next year.”
Kellogg junior Carli Durick hit a three-run double in the bottom of the second to put the Wildcats on top 9-3. Shayna Waechter added a solo home run in the third inning for Kellogg.
Timberlake senior Megan Hill hit a three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 12-6.
“After facing Kellogg five times this year, they started to get my timing down,” Timberlake pitcher Nicole Cameron said. “We’ll come back next year hoping to do the same thing and get to the state tournament.”
KELLOGG 12, TIMBERLAKE 7
Timberlake 210 030 1 — 7 9 1
Kellogg 543 000 x — 12 12 3
Nicole Cameron, Sydnie Malloy (6) and Ashlei Jerome; Michaela Stewart and Taylor Samuelson. W — Stewart (12-6). L — Cameron (12-9).
HITS: TL — Bitner 2, Cameron 2, Hoffman, Jerome 2, Hill, Neal. Kell — Viche 2, Waechter 2, Stewart 2, Layton, Squires, Huber 2, Durick, Barr. 2B — Cameron, Durick, Stewart. HR — Waechter, Hill.
In earlier action, Buhl advanced past Kimberly 4-0, handing the Bulldogs their first loss of the season.
Sugar-Salem eliminated Marsh Valley 8-2 in an early game Friday, and held off Teton in another loser out game 3-2.
Kimber Choffin had eight strikeouts in the Diggers’ win over Teton, and had seven strikeouts and went 3 for 3 with three RBIs vs. Marsh Valley.
Mercades Pearson hit a solo home run to lift Buhl past Kimberly. Tegan Montgomery had two doubles for Buhl.
Cheyenne Barger was 4 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs to lead Fruitland past Teton 15-3 to advance to a semifinal Friday night.
Jarica Marinto had four RBIs as Fruitland advanced to the title game with a 18-2 win over Buhl in a semifinal game.
Kimberly eliminated Sugar-Salem with a 7-0 win, giving the Diggers (20-6) fourth place with the loss. Schroeder was 3 for 4 for the Bulldogs.