Emmett captures state title at Ramsey

COEUR d'ALENE - Senior Katie Carter pitched a three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts as the Emmett Huskies beat the Columbia Wildcats 2-0 in the championship game of the state 4A softball tournament Saturday at Ramsey Park.

Emmett (17-7) won its first state title since 2002. The Huskies have been to state four of the last five years, all under fifth-year coach Melissa Proctor. Emmett finished second two years ago.

"This is tremendous for our school. We've had a long year athletically," Proctor said. "We just haven't been very successful athletically, so this is huge for our town. We just wanted to do it for our community."

Carter's ground-rule double in the first inning scored Lindsey Stover, who led off with a single. In the top of the sixth, Lynnsey Yates' infield single to shortstop scored Katie Griffitth.

Yates, the center fielder, made the defensive play of the game in the bottom of the sixth. With runners at first and second and two out, Columbia's Alyssa Dickinson grounded a single to center field, but Yates gunned down the runner at the plate to end the inning.

"It means a lot to me," Carter said of the state title. "We were just so close as a team, and as friends, and we just worked our butts off."

Freshman Mallory Dardis struck out six and scattered seven hits for Columbia (18-12), which was seeking its first state softball title since the school opened in fall 2006.

Jerome defeated District IV rival Twin Falls 5-3 in the third-place game. Skyview of Nampa beat Hillcrest of Idaho Falls 7-5 for the consolation title.