Lemburg shows off her power in Lake City softball sweep
COEUR d’ALENE — Lacey Lemburg helped the Lake City High softball team mostly with her glove the past two seasons, with limited chances at the plate.
On Friday, given a regular spot in the batting order, she showed she can give the Timberwolves a boost this year with her bat as well.
Lemburg, a junior left fielder, homered twice in the second game and drove in six runs, and her grand slam in the sixth inning was the final blow as Lake City swept Coeur d’Alene 11-0 and 15-2 in the 5A Inland Empire League softball opener for both teams.
“I definitely wasn’t expecting it, but when you put your head on the ball and swing, it just goes,” Lemburg said. “It feels real good, like you’re doing something good for the team,” Lemburg said. “It definitely boosted it (my confidence) a lot.”
Lemburg said she approached head coach Jesse Lenz recently to discuss the possibility of hitting more.
“Her defense is amazing,” Lenz said. “Some opportunities presented themselves this year (with seniors graduating), and we’ve been putting her in the lineup a lot more, and she’s been performing. She did a heck of job today.”
All told, Lake City (8-0, 2-0 5A IEL) blasted six homers. Junior Ashlyn Allen also homered twice, including a three-run shot to end the first game in the fifth inning on the 10-run rule. Seniors Jalyssa Beamer and Emma Gray also went yard for the T-Wolves.
In the first game, senior Ashley Kaufman struck out 10, walked none and scattered three hits over five innings for Lake City. Senior second-baseman Reilley Chapman went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs in the opener, including a two-run single to cap a three-run second inning that opened the scoring. In the second game, she singled and doubled, and also ranged into short right field for a diving catch of a pop fly.
In the second game, Lemburg hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to hike Lake City’s lead to 7-2. Junior Amanda Curry struck out six in three innings in the second game, sophomore Phoebe Shultze struck out two in two scoreless innings of relief, and Kaufman came in and pitched a scoreless sixth.
“It was a great team win,” Lenz said. “Our pitching staff did a nice job, the catchers called great games, and we hit the ball pretty well.”
Skylar Burke had two hits in the first game for Coeur d’Alene (2-2, 0-2), and Hailey Lyons had two in the second. The Vikings led 1-0 early in the second game, but a combination of errors and Lake City hitting led to a couple of run-rule-shortened games.
“They are phenomenal hitters, and they have great pitching,” said first-year Coeur d’Alene coach Bobbi Darretta, who pitched Lake City to a state title in 2001. “I just want my girls to know that we’ve got what it takes, even with a young team (only two seniors). We’ve just got to play our ‘A’ game, and come after them.”
Coeur d’Alene is scheduled to play host to Asotin (Wash.) in a makeup game Monday.
Lake City returns to action Tuesday with a 5A IEL doubleheader at Post Falls.
FIRST GAME
Coeur d’Alene 000 00 — 0 3 3
Lake City 032 24 — 11 10 1
Game called in 5th inning due to 10-run rule.
Natalie Sell and Hayley Lyons; Ashley Kaufman and Jalyssa Beamer.
HITS: Cd’A — Comack, Burke 2. LC — Chapman 3, Beamer, Jankay, Lemburg, Allen 2, Taylor, E. Gray. 2B ‚ Burke, E. Gray. HR — Beamer, Allen.
SECOND GAME
Coeur d’Alene 101 000 — 2 5 2
Lake City 124 206 — 15 14 1
Game called in 6th inning due to 10-run rule.
Natalie Sell and Hailey Lyons; Amanda Curry, Phoebe Shultze (4), Ashley Kaufman (6) and Olivia Zufelt.
HITS: Cd’A — Lyons 2, Sell, Kane, Comack. LC — Taylor, Kaufman 2, Chapman, Lemburg 3, E. Gray 2, Zufelt 2, Garza, Allen, Beamer. 2B — Lyons, Taylor, Kaufman, Zufelt. 3B — Sell. HR — Lemburg 2, E. Gray, Allen.