STATE 5A SOFTBALL: Vikings battle, settle for second

NAMPA - So close.

After losing in the second round of the state 5A softball tournament, the Coeur d'Alene Vikings had to run the gauntlet of winning five straight games - four of them on Saturday - to bring back a second state title in three years.

Coeur d'Alene won three games on Saturday at the Skyview Softball Complex to force a second title game, but after playing those three games back-to-back-to-back, the Vikings (25-5) ran out of gas, falling to the Mountain View Mavericks of Meridian 7-4 in the if-necessary title game early Saturday evening.

It is the first title for Mountain View (26-4) and the first time in the last four years that the state title hasn't been won by an Inland Empire League team - Post Falls won in 2010, Lake City in 2011 and 2013, Coeur d'Alene in 2012).

"It's a tough way to go to have to beat someone twice," Coeur d'Alene coach Larry Bieber said. "We had several chances where we had running mistakes that caused our demise. We've been really aggressive all year, but it didn't pay off late in the game. We forced them to make plays and ran ourselves out of a couple innings."

In addition to winning in 2012, Coeur d'Alene finished third in 2013 and fourth in 2011. In addition to their five state titles in fastpitch, the Vikings have now finished as state runner-up five times.

Senior Kayla Albertson hit a state 5A tourney record four home runs in the tournament, and she finished with eight homers on the season.

"I was a little surprised," Albertson said. "I didn't think I was even close to it, but I was pretty happy to know I did it."

Coeur d'Alene sophomore Breana Burke pitched all 47 innings in the tournament for the Vikings, breaking the previous state record of 46 2/3 innings pitched by former Viking Blake Hoorelbeke in 1998. Burke tied Hoorelbeke's state record of seven appearances, also set in 1998.

"It was a very tough weekend," Kayla Albertson said. "It definitely wasn't what we were hoping for. We battled and did really well and Breana pitched awesome the entire tournament. If we would have had some more energy, it might have been a little different. We definitely battled and did pretty good."

"I'm proud of the team and their efforts throughout the state tournament," Bieber said. "Playing seven games, in the heat, they toughed it out. Even though they're No. 2 in the state, they're No. 1 in my heart."

Mountain View 7, Coeur d'Alene 4: Abby Howard hit a two-run double in the top of the fifth inning for the Vikings against the Grizzlies.

Kayla Albertson hit a solo home run in the second and Burke struck out seven for Coeur d'Alene.

"I'm so proud of these kids," Bieber said. "I've never seen such a group of determined kids. They really gave everything they had and left it on the field. It was just a great, great team effort. I'm really proud of these kids, even though they finished second."

Coeur d'Alene 010 020 1 - 4 9 2

Mountain View 140 002 x - 7 10 0

Burke and Howard; Lee, Moore (6) and Orr. W - Lee. L - Burke (17-5).

HITS: Cd'A - Smith 3, K. Albertson 2, Parker, Howard, Clark, Montee. MV - Pogue 2, Hawk 2, Lee 2, Orr, Chase, Moore, Allen. 2B - Pogue, Orr, Hawk, Lee, Howard. 3B - Smith. HR - K. Albertson (8).

Coeur d'Alene 8, Mountain View 2: Brooke Albertson hit a three-run home run in the third inning and finished with four RBIs as the Vikings beat the Mavericks in the first championship game.

Kayla Albertson hit a two-run home run in the fifth and Burke struck out 10 for Coeur d'Alene.

Coeur d'Alene 003 020 2 - 8 12 0

Mountain View 100 000 1 - 2 6 0

Breana Burke and Abby Howard; Moore and Orr. W - Burke (17-4). L - Moore.

HITS: Cd'A - B. Albertson 3, K. Albertson 2, Clark 2, Parker, Smith, Howard, Rasmussen, Raynor. MV - Orr 2, Hawk, Lee, Reynolds, Pogue. 2B - B. Albertson, Clark, Raynor. HR - B. Albertson, K. Albertson, Orr.

Coeur d'Alene 11, Rocky Mountain 5: Abby Howard and Kayla Albertson each hit two-run home runs to spark the Vikings past the Grizzlies (16-13), who finished third with the loss.

Rocky Mountain 010 013 0 - 5 9 0

Coeur d'Alene 300 224 x - 11 15 1

Hayden McKenney and Maddy Smith; Breana Burke and Abby Howard. W - Burke (16-4). L - McKenney.

HITS: RM - Pestka 4, Smith, Miller, Bruce, Graham, Warr. Cd'A - Howard 3, B. Albertson 3, K. Albertson 3, Raynor 3, Smith, Rasmussen, Behm. 2B - Howard, Rasmussen, Raynor. HR - Bruce, Warr, Howard, K. Albertson.

Coeur d'Alene 7, Boise 2: Burke struck out nine as the Vikings eliminated the Braves (14-14), who finished fourth.

Coeur d'Alene 201 004 0 - 7 13 1

Boise 000 001 1 - 2 4 1

Breana Burke and Abby Howard; Elena Cook and Mallory Barber. W - Burke (15-4). L - Cook.

HITS: Cd'A - Howard 2, Rasmussen 2, Raynor 2, Parker, K. Albertson 2, Clark, Smith, Burke, B. Albertson. Boi - Carson 2, E. Cook, C. Cook. 2B - Rasmussen, Clark, E. Cook. 3B - Carson, K. Albertson. HR - C. Cook.