Fast start doesn't last for Lakeland

SANDPOINT — Lakeland came out and delivered a punch to the stomach of Sandpoint in the form of a nine-run first inning on Wednesday in the championship game of the 4A Region 1 softball tournament at sunny Sandpoint Middle School.

But the Bulldogs (11-3) showed why they were the No. 1 seed, methodically chipping away and eventually grinding out a hard-fought, come-from-behind 14-11 win over No. 2 seed Lakeland (7-10), and earning their second straight trip to the 4A softball tournament after a long drought.

A lot of teams would have pressed, panicked and possibly dug an even deeper hole, but Bulldog head coach Elizabeth Hawkins-Williams says that’s not how her team operates.

“The personality of this team is they are upbeat. That’s who they are, they don’t stay down,” she said. “That’s a huge part of being able to come back and win.”

The Bulldogs and their ace Bri Baldree were both a bit shaky early, and Lakeland was able to capitalize in a big way. Brittany Charles started the scoring with a two-run single, Erin Schwalbach added a two-run single and Katie Kastning a two-run double to end the uprising. Schwalbach finished with a team-high three hits and also scored three times.

Tanis Davis relieved Baldree late in the first inning and proceeded to put up three important scoreless frames, as the Bulldogs began their comeback with five runs in the bottom of the second, helped by RBI singles by Sam Holland and Kaitlan Ward.

The Hawks, who banged out 14 hits on the day, threatened in several innings, but were unable to cash in and build on the lead and could never seem to regain the early momentum. They loaded the bases in the third, but Ward, the Bulldog second baseman, speared a ball that appeared to be a base hit to end the inning.

The Hawks ripped three straight singles to start the fourth inning, before Baldree returned to the mound and induced a double play line drive to first and got a strikeout to quell the rally. Both moments were big in the final outcome.

“We started out strong, then just didn’t finish it. Sandpoint did their job and stayed in the game until the very end,” claimed Hawks coach Colleen Bevacqua. “I’m proud of my team for coming out strong, they just couldn’t finish it.”

After Bri Barlow, who had three hits and scored three times, and Zoe Speelmon each had RBI singles to cut the lead to 9-7, a nice defensive play at third base by Schwalbach helped end the fifth inning with the Hawks keeping a 9-8 lead. They added a run in the top of the sixth to lead 10-8.

That’s when the Bulldogs broke the game open, led by a bases-clearing triple from Kenzie Crabb that seemed to energize the whole team and give the Bulldogs their first lead. Barlow and Baldree added RBI singles to grab a 14-10 lead.

Sandpoint will face the No. 2 team from District 5-6 in the 4A state tourney opener on Friday, May 19 in Post Falls.

Lakeland 900 001 1 — 11 14 2

Sandpoint 051 116 x — 14 10 2

Alicia Edelblute, Brittany Charles (2), Taylor Woolley (6) and Abbey Leon; Bri Baldree, Tanis Davis (1), Baldree (4) and Sam Holland. W — Baldree (8-1). L — Charles.

HITS: LL — Woolley, Schwalbach 3, Kastning 2, Charles 2, Pehrson, O’Hara 2, Rivera 2, Leon. Spt — Barlow 3, Nicholson, Baldree, Ward, Holland, Speelmon, Bradley, Crabb. 2B — Woolley, Rivera. 3B — Crabb.