PREP SOFTBALL: Sandpoint captures first league title in softball

RATHDRUM — Sandpoint had a big reason to be excited Saturday.

The visiting Bulldogs swept Lakeland 14-11 and 13-9 in 4A Inland Empire League softball to capture their first softball league title in school history.

Senior Cody Baldree hit two home runs, including a grand slam, drove in six runs and scored four in the first game for Sandpoint (12-5, 7-1 4A IEL).

“She really showed up today. They were line drives over the fence,” described Bulldogs assistant coach Betsy Dalessio of the two blasts. “It was amazing to see from Cody. They were both huge, and one of them put us in the lead.”

Sophomore Bri Baldree stuck out 12 in the first game, the seventh time this season she’s reached double figures in strikeouts. Kaitlin Ward went the distance to earn the win in the second game for the Bulldogs, under the leadership of head coach Elizabeth Hawkins-Williams.

Katie Kastning went 4 for 4 and drove in five runs in the first game for Lakeland (6-13, 3-5), which committed 17 errors in the two games. She finished 6 for 8 on the day.

“They’ve made huge strides; it’s been impressive watching their girls play ball this year,” Lakeland coach Colleen Bevacqua said of Sandpoint. “I think they’ve had some really good coaching, their pitcher throws hard, they’ve got great defense and they got their bats going.”

Cheri-Lyn Darrah went 3 for 5 with a homer and four RBIs in the second game for Sandpoint, which swept Lakeland for the second time in five days.

“It was our hitting; 16 hits in the first game and 15 in the second, you can’t ask for more than that,” said Dalessio, also praising the defense, which committed just three errors on the day. “They just came ready to play; it was neat to see them play such good softball.”

Sandpoint earned the bye for the 4A Region 1 softball tournament. No. 2 seed Lakeland will play host to No. 3 Moscow on May 10 in a loser-out game. The winner will travel to No. 1 Sandpoint on May 12 for the regional title and a berth to state. The loser advances to a state play-in game in May 14.

Before that, Sandpoint travels to Post Falls on Thursday for a doubleheader, and Lakeland plays host to Lewiston on Saturday in a doubleheader.

FIRST GAME

Sandpoint 002 413 4 — 14 14 3

Lakeland 034 020 2 — 11 11 10

Bri Baldree and Sam Holland; Kari Prockish and MaRynda Pehrson.

HITS: Spt — Barlow 2, C. Baldree 3, B. Baldree 3, Nicholson 2, Calvert 3, Gunthrie. LL — Kastning 4, Leon, Litzko, Prockish 3, Pehrson, Schwalbach. 2B — B. Baldree, Kastning, Prockish 2. 3B — Kastning. HR — C. Baldree 2, Kastning.

SECOND GAME

Sandpoint 123 312 1 — 13 11 2

Lakeland 006 010 2 — 9 9 7

Kaitlan Ward and Cheri-Lyn Darrah; Brittany Charles, Kari Prockish (5) and Abbey Leon.

HITS: Spt — Barlow 2, C. Baldree, Holland 3, Calvert, Darrah 3, Ward. LL — Kastning 2, Prockish, Leon 2, Weilliams 2, Bodak, Pruitt. 2B — Calvert, Kastning, Pruitt, Bodak, Leon 2. HR — Holland, Darrah.

Lake City 6-10

Post Falls 5-0

POST FALLS — Kim Cook’s sacrifice fly scored Heather Hawkes with the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning of the first game, and the Timberwolves went on to sweep the Trojans in 5A Inland Empire League play at Post Falls High.

Reilley Champan drove in two runs in the opener for Lake City, and Bailey Cavanagh collected two hits with an RBI and run scored.

Allison Morris hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning for Post Falls.

In the second game, Emma Gray drove in three runs and scored three times and freshman Ashley Kaufman held the Trojans to one-hit to improve to 17-4, 8-2 in league.

Lake City plays at Coeur d’Alene (15-0, 8-0) on Tuesday.

Post Falls (9-9, 1-7) travels to Lewiston Tuesday. The Bengals are also 1-7 in league, with a doubleheader remaining against Coeur d’Alene in Lewiston on Friday.

FIRST GAME

Lake City 031 001 1 — 6 7 0

Post Falls 100 310 0 — 5 5 2

Ashley Kaufman and Reilly Williams; Amanda Rouse and Allison Morris. W — Kaufman. L — Rouse.

HITS: LC — Loffer, Williams, Cavanagh 2, Cook, Falciani, Chapman. PF — Gleaves 2, Bowers, Morris, Horn. 2B — Chapman, Gleaves. HR — Morris.

SECOND GAME

Lake City 303 022 — 10 13 0

Post Falls 000 000 — 0 1 2

Ashley Kaufman and Jalyssa Beamer; Amanda Rouse and Allison Morris. W — Kaufman. L — Rouse.

HITS: LC — Loffer, Hawkes, Williams 2, Cook 3, Gray 3, Beamer, Dement 2. PF — Bowers. 2B — Cook. HR — Gray.

Timberlake 14-20

Priest River 2-3

PRIEST RIVER — Hannah McGrath had three hits and drove in seven runs in the opener, and the visiting Tigers went on to sweep the Spartans in Intermountain League play.

Matraca Rocheleau also had three hits in the opener for Timberlake.

McGrath had three hits and four RBIs in the second game for Timberlake (10-5, 6-2 IML). Glori Cheevers had three hits and two RBIs, Emily Vanderhoof two hits and three RBIs for the Tigers.

Timberlake wraps up the regular season Tuesday at home vs. Bonners Ferry.

Full box scores unavailable

FIRST GAME

Timberlake 202 122 5 — 14 18 2

Priest River 000 002 0 — 2 7 2

SECOND GAME

Timberlake 436 07 — 20 15 2

Priest River 200 10 — 3 7 9

St. Maries 15-16

Grangeville 1-0

ST. MARIES — Paige Sines drove in three runs in the opener and Aubree Hall had four RBIs in the second game for the Lumberjacks in a sweep of the Bulldogs in Central Idaho League play at City Park.

Kaylene Peet and Kelsey Auer scored three runs each in the opener for St. Maries (7-7, 4-3 CIL), which hosts Kendrick in a doubleheader on Monday.

“Everyone had a pretty good day,” St. Maries coach Todd Bitterman said. “We had our senior night tonight, so we had a few distractions, but the girls played just fine.”

Grangeville is 0-7 in league.

FIRST GAME

Grangeville 100 0 — 1 2 0

St. Maries 537 x — 15 15 1

Game called in fourth inning due to 10-run rule.

Deford and Chaplin; Kyrra Powell and Shelby Holder. W — Powell. L — Deford.

HITS: Grang — Chaplin. SM — Peet 3, Auer 2, Wilson, Sines 2, Scott 2, Hall 2, Cordell 2, Holder. 2B — Cordell, Hall. 3B — Peet, Sines.

SECOND GAME

Grangeville 000 — 0 2 1

St. Maries (11)5x — 16 14 0

Game called in third inning due to 15-run rule.

Deford and Chaplin; CJ Scott and Aubree Hall. W — Scott. L — Deford.

HITS: Grang — Daniels, Chaplin. SM — Hall 2, Ghramm 3, Scott 2, Borgman 3, Cobb, Peet 2, Wilson. 2B — Ghramm 2, Hall 2. 3B — Wilson.