PREP ROUNDUP: Vikings suffer first loss
SOFTBALL
RICHLAND, Wash. - After losing its first game of the season 5-4 on a close call, the Coeur d'Alene Vikings bounced back to beat the Richland Bombers 15-3 in the second game of a nonleague doubleheader on Saturday.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Richland drew a bases loaded walk on a 3-2 count to allow the winning run to score.
"They're a good ballclub," Coeur d'Alene coach Larry Bieber said. "They hit the ball pretty good today."
Coeur d'Alene took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single by Breana Burke, who also struck out six in the opener.
Brandi Andrews had two RBIs in the first game for Richland.
In the second game, Abby Howard hit a two-run home run and Mariah Montee went 4 for 5 with two runs scored as the Vikings beat the Bombers.
Burke, Kylie Rasmussen, Howard and Jadyn Behm had three hits each in the second game for Coeur d'Alene (21-1), which hosts Post Falls at 2 p.m. on Tuesday in the opening round of the 5A Region 1 tournament.
"It always seems to work for us that if one person gets it started, they just follow along," Bieber said. "In that first game, we gave up two unearned runs and that put us on our heels. We got back into the game, but didn't make the plays when we needed to. The kids fought hard and battled back."
Richland is 15-2.
FIRST GAME
Coeur d'Alene 000 220 0 - 4 6 2
Richland 200 020 1 - 5 10 3
Two out when winning run scored.
Breana Burke and Abby Howard; Brandi Andrews and Paige Lilkala. W - Andrews. L - Burke (18-1).
HITS: Cd'A - Burke 2, Rasmussen, Raynor, Wilkey, Montee. Rich - Merwin 3, Utechet 2, Maul 2, Lilkala, Andrews, Camacho. 2B - Merwin, Lilkala, Andrews, Maul. 3B - Merwin, Raynor.
SECOND GAME
Coeur d'Alene 210 350 4 - 15 23 0
Richland 300 000 0 - 3 8 3
Breana Burke and Abby Howard; Brandi Andrews (5), Bailie Singleton (6) and Paige Lilkala. W - Burke (19-1). L - Andrews.
HITS: Cd'A - Montee 4, Burke 3, Rasmussen 3, Howard 3, Behm 3, Raynor 2, Catt 2, Wilkey 2, Smith. Rich - Utecht 2, Andrews 2, DuBois 2, Likala, Maul. 2B - Maul, DuBois, Burke 2, Rasmussen, Wilkey, Montee. 3B - Montee. HR - Utecht, Howard (4).
Sandpoint 11-4
Post Falls 8-9
SANDPOINT - Spurred on by seeing injured senior Lucinda Calvert pitch two innings in her first and only action of the season, the Bulldogs got the bats going late in the game to win the opener of a nonleague doubleheader split with the Trojans at Sandpoint Middle School.
Bri Baldree relieved Calvert in the third inning, and proceeded to strike out 13 batters in the final five innings to earn the win. Lily Martin had four of her six hits on the day in the opener, Topi Elsfelder scored three times and the Bulldogs (9-12) banged out 14 hits, erasing a 5-0 deficit with a pair of big innings.
"We hit very well and the defense was solid and consistent after we settled in," said Sandpoint coach Elizabeth Hawkins-Williams, who was thrilled to see Calvert see the field at least once this year after injuring her knee in basketball. "It was extremely important to me for her to get game time. No one worked as hard as she did in the offseason. She's been the heart and soul of this program and it was exciting to give her that opportunity today."
Brook Bowers featured a filthy changeup in the second game, and the Trojans erupted for six runs in the first inning before cruising to a 9-4 win. Alexis Murray hit a two-run double to provide the run support, finishing with four RBIs on the day for the Trojans (5-18).
"After the loss in the first game we showed a ton of heart," said Post Falls coach Brian Stranger said, praising Bowers's ability to bounce back. "They (Sandpoint) scored a lot of runs in the first game and we came out and shut them down."
Sandpoint faces Moscow on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Lakeland, with the winner advancing to face Lakeland at 4:30 in the opening day of the 4A Region 1 tournament.
Post Falls travels to Coeur d'Alene in the opening round of the 5A Region 1 tournament at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
FIRST GAME
Post Falls 401 011 1 - 8 7 2
Sandpoint 000 250 4 - 11 14 4
Brook Bowers and Allie Morris; Lucinda Calvert, Bri Baldree and Sam Holland. W - Baldree. L - Bowers.
HITS: PF - Goleeke 2, Bowers, Eckness, Murray, Morris, Melton, Ackerman, Gomer. Spt - A. Calvert, Bluemer, B. Baldree 2, Ledford 2, Elsfelder 2, Merritt, Martin 4. 2B - Eckness, Murray, Morris.
SECOND GAME
Post Falls 610 000 2 - 9 8 1
Sandpoint 301 000 0 - 4 8 1
Bowers and Morris; Danika Moore, B. Baldree (3) and Holland. W - Bowers. L - Moore.
HITS: PF - Goleeke 2, Bowers 2, Eckness, Murray, Morris, Melton. Spt - A. Calvert, B. Baldree, Martin 2, Elsfelder, Ledford. 2B - Bowers, Murray, Baldree, Martin, Elsfelder.
TRACK AND FIELD
Viking girls take third at Strandberg Invitational
SPOKANE VALLEY - Coeur d'Alene senior Victoria Goetz won the girls 400 meter dash in 59.96 seconds, helping the Vikings to a third-place finish in the Strandberg Invitational on Saturday at Central Valley High.
Goetz was also part of winning 4x400 relay along with Carmen Duffy, Emily Callahan and Kaitlyn Gunnerson, who won in the 100 meter hurdles in 14.67. Gunnerson was second in the 300 hurdles in 44.05.
Katlyn Conery was second in the shot put with a throw of 36 feet, 9.5 inches and Amber Mallet was second in the pole vault at 10 feet, 6 inches. Coeur d'Alene's 4x100 relay team of Taryn Horvath, Callahan, Gunnerson and Goetz was second in 50.02.
Kara Story was third in the 800 in 2:19.73.
Kamiakin won the girls meet with 175 points.
Coeur d'Alene sophomore Zac Magee was third in the 800 in 2:00.05 as the Vikings finished 15th.
Central Valley won the boys meet with 120 points.
TENNIS
Hill, Barlow/Hall finish sixth at Inland Empire
SPOKANE - Post Falls senior Lincoln Hill finished sixth in boys singles at the Inland Empire Tournament on Saturday, losing to Kyle Smith-Dall of University High 6-4, 7-5 in the fifth/sixth place match.
Trevor Barlow and Logan Hall also finished sixth in boys No. 2 doubles, losing to a team from East Valley High of Yakima 6-7, 7-6, 10-8.
Maraya Deuser and Lucas Bolster won in their final match to finish seventh in mixed doubles.
"The kids played hard," Post Falls assistant coach Brady Tommerup said. "I thought we competed well and we're looking forward to next weekend (5A Region 1 tournament in Lewiston)."