Timberlake repeats as district champs; Priest River earns first state berth

SPIRIT LAKE - Sydnie Malloy had three hits for Timberlake on Saturday, and nearly hit for the cycle.

But it was the one ball she struck that didn't count as a hit that put the Tigers ahead to stay.

Malloy's smash through the shortstop's legs in the sixth inning drove in Kodi Kuykendall with the go-ahead run, and Timberlake went on to beat Priest River 7-6 in the championship game of the 3A District 1 softball tournament at Timberlake High.

Timberlake (14-6), which won its eighth district title in 10 years, advances to state for the 13th straight year. The Tigers will open vs. Buhl (17-8) on Friday at noon at Ramsey Park in Coeur d'Alene.

Priest River came back to beat Kellogg 12-2 for the district's second berth to state - and the Spartans' first state berth in program history. Priest River (14-7) will open state vs. Fruitland on Friday at 10 a.m.

Earlier, Kellogg eliminated St. Maries with a 6-5 victory.

Timberlake 7, Priest River 6: Kuykendall singled with one out in the sixth, and advanced all the way to third on Lexi Posch's sacrifice bunt. After Kuykendall scored, Malloy scored on Nicole Cameron's single to make it 7-5.

Priest River pulled within a run in the seventh, and had runners at first and second with one out. But Cameron got a strikeout and a groundout to first base to end the game.

"They kept battling and we kept battling - it was a good game," Timberlake coach Mike Menti said. "Priest River did a fantastic job competing at the plate; they put the ball in play and we played good defense behind (Cameron)."

Priest River took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning on a two-run double by Kelsey Fink and a two-run triple by Ayonna Lentz. Timberlake tied it in the bottom half on two-run triples by Jenna Hoffman and Malloy.

Priest River 004 010 1 - 6 6 1

Timberlake 004 102 x - 7 12 2

Brittany Krampert and Ayonna Lentz; Cameron and Jerome. W - Cameron (14-6). L - Krampert (9-6).

HITS: PR - Reed, Krampert 2, Fink 2, Lentz. TL - Kuykendall 2, Posch, S. Malloy 3, Cameron, Hoffman 2, Owen 2, Kalar. 2B - Reed, Fink, Malloy. 3B - Lentz, S. Malloy, Hoffman. HR - S. Malloy (4).

Kellogg 6, St. Maries 5: Aleasha Barr hit a two-run home run in the first inning as the Wildcats defeated the Lumberjacks in a loser-out game.

Raine Yergler went 4 for 4 and struck out five for Kellogg.

Marlee Masterson hit a three-run home run in the first inning for St. Maries, which finishes 6-14.

Kellogg 321 000 0 - 6 16 1

St. Maries 302 000 0 - 5 7 1

Raine Yergler and Arica Specht; Chelsea Grosvenor, Dusti Huddleston (4) and Taylor Cook. W - Yergler (5-8). L - Grosvenor (3-6).

HITS: Kell - Bublitz 4, Barr 3, Durick, Yergler 4, Dulaney, Specht, Cornmen. SM - Huddleston 2, Sines 2, Masterson 2, Grosvenor. 2B - Bublitz, Grosvenor.

Priest River 12, Kellogg 2: Ayonna Lentz hit two home runs for Priest River, including a two-run shot in the sixth inning that ended the game and sent the Spartans to state.

"It's pretty exciting," said second-year Priest River coach Brandi Johnson, the former Lake City High softball star. "At the beginning of the season that was our goal - to make history."

Allysa Deal went 3 for 4 with four RBIs for Priest River, including a two-run double in the second inning.

Yergler had six strikeouts for Kellogg, which finishes 6-12.

"Our kids played their hearts out," Kellogg coach Craig Turbak said. "We played a good game to beat St. Maries, but against Priest River, we just ran out of gas. They're a good hitting team and had some key hits."

Kellogg 000 020 - 2 3 3

Priest River 050 016 - 12 10 3

Game called in 6th inning due to 10-run rule.

Raine Yergler and Arica Specht; Kelsey Bradbury and Ayonna Lentz. W - Bradbury (5-1). L - Yergler (5-9).

HITS: Kell - Bublitz, Durick, Dulaney. PR - Reed 2, Deal 3, Krampert, Fink, Lentz 2, Douglas. 2B - Deal. HR - Lentz 2 (4).