St. Maries survives in wild district opener
- SOFTBALL
OROFINO — Through the first three innings, St. Maries was cruising to an opening win over Orofino in the 2A District 1-2 championship series at Orofino High on Wednesday.
Now, they’re just one win from a state tournament appearance.
Devyn Wilson hit a two-run walkoff double to send the Lumberjacks past the Maniacs 18-17, giving top-seeded St. Maries a 1-0 lead in the series.
“It was a grinder for sure,” St. Maries coach Todd Bitterman said. “It was kind of a slobberknocker. We were cruising for the first three innings (St. Maries led 11-0), then we had 10 walks and struggled to make some outs.”
Orofino took the lead late before Wilson’s double ended the game.
Wilson finished with five RBIs and Paige Sines four hits for St. Maries (14-0).
Game 2 is today at 4 p.m. at Orofino, with an if-necessary game at 6.
Orofino 000 863 0 — 17 12 6
St. Maries 227 410 2 — 18 16 4
Two outs when winning run scored.
Erbst, Melton (6), Erbst (7) and Raines; Devyn Wilson, Paige Sines (5), Wilson (6) and Madison Cordell. W — Wilson. L — Melton.
HITS: Oro — Schwartz, Lilly 2, Sparano 2, Erbst 2, Johnson, Raines, Ledheiser, Melton 2. SM — Walrud, Sines 4, Wilson 2, Auer 2, Hill 2, Ragan, Borgman 2, Masterson, Cordell. 2B — Sines, Wilson 2, Masterson, Erbst. 3B — Wilson.
Bonners Ferry 15
Timberlake 1
BONNERS FERRY — Kassy Skeen had three hits and six RBIs for the Badgers in a win over the Tigers in the 3A District 1 championship game, advancing to the state tournament starting next Friday at Bonneville High in Idaho Falls.
Bonners Ferry, the defending 3A champions, beat Timberlake in the 2017 state title game.
Timberlake’s Shelby Starr had two hits, including a triple and run scored.
Timberlake will host Priest River today at 4 p.m. in the district’s second-place game. The Spartans topped Kellogg in Wednesday’s loser-out game. The winner of today’s second-place game advances to a state play-in game against the runner-up from District 4 on Saturday at Lewiston.
Timberlake 100 00 — 1 4 3
Bonners Ferry 105 9x — 15 14 0
Becca Malloy, Bernie Carhart (4) and Maddy Salois; Kadi Bateman and Jorryn Bennett. W — Bateman. L — Malloy.
HITS: TL — Starr 2, Malloy, Jessen. BF — Bateman 3, Bennett 2, Bennett, Skeen 3, Watt, Liermann, English 2, Villelli. 2B — Bateman, Bennett. 3B — Starr.
- BASEBALL
BONNERS FERRY — An afternoon downpour which began just after the conclusion of the loser-out game forced the postponement of the 3A district championship game between Timberlake and host Bonners Ferry on Wednesday afternoon.
Bonners Ferry athletic director Conrad Garner said the Badgers and Timberlake will square off at 4 p.m. today for the district title, with the winner earning a berth in the state 3A baseball tournament starting next Thursday at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Ore.
The loser of today’s game faces Priest River, which defeated Kellogg 20-4 in Wednesday’s loser-out game, on Friday at a time to be determined.