4A REGION 1 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Hawk this way
RATHDRUM - No way.
No how.
No hits.
A year after his team was upset in the 4A Region 1 tournament, Lakeland senior Kris Jackson struck out seven - four in the first two innings - and pitched a no-hitter as the top-seeded Hawks beat the second-seeded Moscow Bears 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at Gorton Field to advance to the state tournament next week.
Lakeland (14-7) will face Jerome, the runner-up from District 4, in the opening round at state Thursday at 3 p.m. PDT at Rodeo Park in Nampa.
"We're excited," Lakeland coach Jason Bradbury said. "We've had an up-and-down season with these guys and it's a brand new club from last year. I've only got four seniors on varsity this year. It's been a learning experience, but we've been gelling the last three weeks. I'm proud of the way they responded in the last three weeks and came into the game focused and ready to go."
Jackson also singled in the fifth inning for Lakeland, which advances to its fourth state tournament in five years.
"I was just excited to get the ball in a championship game," Jackson said. "As a senior, that's what you want. Just to throw and pump the ball to the plate and try and get your team to state. I'm so speechless right now, it's crazy."
Jackson hit the second batter of the game, then allowed a two-out walk, but battled out of danger in the first inning. Moscow didn't get another runner on base until an error in the fifth allowed Chad Robertson to get to second base. Robertson scored on a groundout for Moscow's lone run.
"I knew right away with the way Kris was throwing the ball that he was on his game," Bradbury said. "He was keeping the ball down and he's at his best when he's throwing strikes at the knees and that's where he was at. He wasn't keeping anything up and after the first inning, he made some adjustments with his off-speed pitches."
Lakeland scored an unearned run in the second inning on an error to take a 1-0 lead. The Hawks picked up a pair of runs in the fourth on a two-run double to left-center field by Brian Howell.
"The Moscow coach came out and talked to the pitcher," Bradbury said. "I talked to Brian and told him, 'they're probably thinking we're going to bunt, but I've got a feeling that you're swinging a hot bat, let's go for the big inning.'"
On Saturday, it was as big as it got.
"He said he was feeling it and made his coach look good," Bradbury said. "Which I appreciated that. It was a big moment because that was our offense today and such a big hit. He was struggling a little bit early in the season, but is just now finding his swing."
"Coach wanted me to bunt, but once I saw a first pitch strike, and with the way I've been swinging the bat, I just went with it," Howell said. "He said I could swing away if I saw a good pitch."
Last spring, Moscow stole the No. 1 seed from Lakeland by winning at regionals, then beat them in the if-necessary championship game to advance to state.
"Last year, we got burned a little bit," Bradbury said. "I think overall, that was probably the best team I've coached and to lose to Moscow in the district tournament was really tough. These guys knew it could happen again and they just got it in their minds that it wasn't going to happen."
Moscow finishes 7-13.
"It was a great game and highly competitive," fourth-year Moscow coach Evan Hecker said. "It was just an outstanding game. You've got to tip your cap to Jackson for the way he pitched and Howell for getting that big hit. Both teams executed well, pitched well, but they just had those timely hits."
Moscow 000 010 0 - 1 0 1
Lakeland 010 200 x - 3 6 1
TJ Lewis, Jake Randall (4) and Alec Martin; Kris Jackson and Logan Bruner. W - Jackson (6-4). L - Lewis.
HITS: Mos - none. LL - Bruner 2, Howell 2, Jackson, Cooper. 2B - Howell.