PREP SOFTBALL: Vikings still perfect

COEUR d’ALENE — In a game of inches, the second game had everything you’d want.

Trailing 4-3 with the tying run on third and one out, Lake City couldn’t push the tying run across as a suicide squeeze was popped up and a runner doubled off third base to help the Coeur d’Alene Vikings remain unbeaten with a 5A Inland Empire League sweep over the Timberwolves on Tuesday at Lake City High.

“That’s the game of softball sometimes,” Lake City coach Jesse Lenz said. “It’s such an awesome game, and such a quick game. I had a feeling in that position and we went with it. And I take full responsibility for it. That was my fault. Right, wrong or indifferent, these girls have my back. We’ll come back from this. If it drops, we’re playing extra innings. I’m very happy with how we played in the second game.”

Coeur d’Alene third baseman Mariah Montee caught the suicide squeeze bunt attempt, and threw to shortstop Kylie Smith, who was covering third, to end the game.

Coeur d’Alene (15-0, 8-0 5A IEL) beat Lake City 10-4 in the opening game. The teams entered the game tied for first in the 5A IEL.

Lake City is 13-4, 6-2.

“We’ve had some close games with Battle Ground, Shadle Park and Big Sky, so we’ve been tested to that,” Coeur d’Alene coach Darren Taylor said. “We’re used to those kinds of games, but I thought they punched us a little in the second game and we were on our heels a little bit. We’ll have to adjust to that in practice.”

Breana Burke and Halle Kane had two RBIs each for Coeur d’Alene in the opener.

“We hit the ball well in the first game, but there were too many runners left on base,” Taylor said. “We need to be more opportunistic with our hits. I thought that we could have won that game in five (innings). And in the second game, we were playing not to lose. And when you’ve got a streak going, you’ll do that sometimes.”

Coeur d’Alene took a 3-1 in the second game on a two-run single by Bailee Taylor in the third inning. Miranda Amos hit an RBI single in the fourth to push the Coeur d’Alene lead to 4-1. Both hits came with two out.

“What a clutch hit by Bailee in the third,” Taylor said. “Both her and Amos seem to get big hits when we need them for the two-out hits. Miranda definitely leads us in two-out RBIs. Some players get nervous, but she seems to cherish the moment.”

Lake City senior Michaela Flerchinger struck out five in six innings in the second game, and freshman Ashley Kaufman struck out the side in the seventh.

“Michaela threw the ball so well in the second game, and I couldn’t be more proud of the way she handled herself and the way she fought,” Lenz said. “I’m more than proud of my senior pitcher right there. Ashley, with the way she pitched ... I couldn’t be more proud of the way these kids fought and how they’re coming together right now as a team.”

Haley Loffer hit two home runs and drove in three runs in the opener for Lake City.

Coeur d’Alene plays at Lewiston on Friday.

Lake City hosts Moscow in a doubleheader today.

FIRST GAME

Coeur d’Alene 312 220 0 — 10 14 3

Lake City 101 000 2 — 4 7 5

Breana Burke and Miranda Amos; Michaela Flerchinger, Ashley Kaufman (5) and Reilly Williams. W — Burke. L — Flerchinger.

HITS: Cd’A — Montee 2, Donovan 3, Smith 2, Burke 2, Wilkey, Amos, Kane, Sell, Taylor. LC — Loffer 2, Hawkes, Williams 3, Cavanagh. HR — Kane, Loffer 2.

SECOND GAME

Coeur d’Alene 031 000 0 — 4 9 2

Lake City 100 001 1 — 3 6 0

Breana Burke and Miranda Amos; Michaela Flerchinger, Ashley Kaufman (7) and Reilly Williams. W — Burke. L — Flerchinger.

HITS: Cd’A — Donovan, Smith 2, Burke, Wilkey, Amos 2, Kane, Taylor. LC — Williams, Cook, Falciani, Gray 2. 2B — Smith, Gray 2. 3B — Falciani. HR — Williams.

Lewiston 6-8

Post Falls 3-13

POST FALLS — Kelsey Horn’s two-run double highlighted an eight-run fifth inning in the second game as the host Trojans rallied from a 6-4 deficit to earn a split with the Bengals in 5A IEL play.

Horn finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs for Post Falls (7-7, 1-7 5A IEL). Brooke Bowers also drove in a pair of runs for the Trojans. Casey Goleeke went 4 for 9 with two runs and two RBIs on the day and Amanda Rouse struck out nine in the second game (16 on the day) for Post Falls, which plays a doubleheader Thursday at Lakeland.

Lewiston is 7-9, 1-7.

FIRST GAME

Lewiston 003 020 1— 6 7 1

Post Falls 000 011 1 — 3 7 2

Cheyenne Rose and Lexi Vaughans; Amanda Rouse and Allison Morris. W — Rose. L — Rouse.

HITS: Lew — Carpenter, Benden, M. Atwood 2, A. Schmecker 2, Burke. PF — Goleeke 2, Gleaves, Bowers 2, Melton, Horn. 2B — A. Schmecker, Benden. 3B — Goleeke.

SECOND GAME

Lewiston 001 140 2 — 8 8 4

Post Falls 211 081 x — 13 12 3

Atwood, Rose (5) and Lawrence; Amanda Rouse and Allison Morris. W — Rouse. L — Atwood.

HITS: Lew — Vaughans, M. Skinner 2, Carpenter, Benden 2, Schmecker, Burke. PF — Goleeke 2, Demute 3, Bowers, Melton, Ekness, Morris 2, Horn 2. 2B — Schmecker, Benden 2, Horn, Melton, Demute 2, Ekness.

Sandpoint 12-13

Lakeland 3-11

SANDPOINT — A pitching gem paved the way in the first game, then a huge comeback helped seal the nightcap, as the Bulldogs swept the Hawks in a pivotal 4A Inland Empire League doubleheader at Sandpoint Middle School.

Bri Baldree struck out 13 in the opener for the Bulldogs (10-5, 5-1 4A IEL), who plated seven runs in the sixth inning to put a close game away.

Led by the hot bat of Katie Kastning, who had six hits in the doubleheader, the Hawks (6-9, 3-3) jumped out to an early 9-4 lead in the second game, finally able to score some runs against Baldree, and looked to be in control.

But Sandpoint scored nine runs in the last three innings to earn an early leg up in the race to host regionals and earn a first round bye.

Despite the tough loss, Hawks coach Colleen Bevacqua said nothing has been decided yet, tipping her hat to the Bulldogs.

“They’re playing great ball this year,” said Bevacqua. “It will come down to the end.”

The two teams will do it again in another big doubleheader on Saturday in Rathdrum. But first, Lakeland plays host to Post Falls for a pair on Thursday.

FIRST GAME

Lakeland 001 002 0 — 3 7 4

Sandpoint 220 017 x — 12 12 2

Kari Prockish and Abbey Leon; Bri Baldree and Sam Holland. W — Baldree. L — Prockish.

HITS: LL — Kastning 3, Litzko, Leon 2, Bodak. Spt — Barlow, C. Baldree, B. Baldree 2, Holland, Nicholson 2, Calvert 2, Moore, Darrah, Ward. 3B — B. Baldree.

SECOND GAME

Lakeland 231 311 0 — 11 8 2

Sandpoint 013 243 x — 13 10 2

Brittany Charles, Prockish (5) and MaRynda Pehrson; B. Baldree, Kaitlan Ward (4) and Holland. W — Ward. L — Charles.

HITS: LL — Kastning 3, Leon 2, Prockish 2, Charles. Spt — Barlow 2, C. Baldree, B. Baldree, Holland 2, Calvert 2, Crabb 2. 2B — Crabb, Holland, C. Baldree, Prockish. 3B — Calvert, Leon.

Timberlake 14

Kellogg 5

KELLOGG — Shelby Starr blasted a three-run home run over the fence in the fourth inning, Glori Cheevers added a solo shot and the Tigers beat the Wildcats in Intermountain League play.

Timberlake (8-4, 4-2 IML) put up five runs in both the third and sixth innings.

“It was kind of a slow start,” Tigers coach Casi Reisenauer said. “But the girls looked the best out there. We started hitting the ball starting in the third inning.”

Cheevers 3 for 5 with three RBIs, while Shelby Salois went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and she earned the win after three innings of work on the mound.

Timberlake plays at Lakeside of Nine Mile Falls, Wash., on Thursday.

Timberlake 005 305 1 — 14 17 3

Kellogg 202 010 0 — 5 7 2

Shelby Salois, Brittany Hibdon (4) and Matraca Rocheleau; Riley Riekena and Elyssa Bradley. W — Salois. L — Riekena.

HITS: TL — Mallet, Vanderhoof 2, Starr 2, Cheevers 3, McGrath, Salois 3, Rocheleau 2, Hibdon 2, Kelley. Kel — Job, Riekena 4, Wadsworth, Carlisle. 2B — Cheevers 2, Salois, Rocheleau, Hibdon, Riekena. HR — Starr (3), Cheevers (1).