An opening to remember: Sandpoint edges Lake City in first baseball game on new turf at Memorial Field

By DYLAN GREENE

Sports writer

SANDPOINT — On Saturday, Sandpoint and Lake City couldn't have asked for a better day to open the 2021 baseball season in the Inland Empire League.

On top of the picture-perfect weather, it was the first baseball game on the new artificial turf at War Memorial Field and both teams made sure to give the hundreds of fans in the bleachers and camped out in lawn chairs around the field one to remember.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Bulldogs scored seven runs to take an 8-5 lead over the Timberwolves and they never relinquished it.

Senior pitcher Avery Bocksch was able to fend off Lake City in the final inning to secure the save and a 9-8 season-opening IEL victory for the Bulldogs.

It was the first meeting between the two schools since 2017 and the first official game for both squads in nearly two years thanks to COVID-19 canceling the spring 2020 season, and the rust showed.

Sandpoint coach Chase Tigert said it took the whole team to get the job done and it feels great to open with a victory against such a quality opponent.

"It's just a testament to these kids, that's really what it comes down to," he said. "We've just been focused so much over the past couple years on just being prepared and having purposeful movements, and ... these kids came out today and they had incredible attitudes and they put forth 100-percent effort in everything that they did, so it's incredible. It's exciting to see them do what they are capable of doing."

Entering the bottom of the fourth inning, Sandpoint trailed 5-1 and desperately needed a spark. With one out, Bocksch stepped to the plate and provided it.

Bocksch hit a ball in the infield down the first-base line that just stayed fair and Lake City threw the ball over the first baseman's head. The ball soared all the way down to the corner of the outfield, which allowed Bocksch to hit the jets, round the bases and score on the error to make it 5-2 in favor of Lake City.

After Lake City walked four batters that resulted in a run scored by sophomore Jack Zimmerman, senior Max Thielbahr stepped to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded.

Thielbahr hit a double to clear the bases and give SHS a 6-5 lead.

Then the Timberwolves committed back-to-back balks and the Bulldogs took a three-run advantage into the fifth.

Tigert said that fourth inning had everything in it and it showed just how much preparation pays off.

"That was a wild one," he said. "A lot of the game had to do with free bags and it came down to the point where we were able to make the most out of the free bags and those balks were big, and that comes too with the guys being able to put pressure on the defense. Lake City knew we were going to run on the bases and that put a lot of pressure on their pitchers ... and we got a couple runs out of it."

At times, both teams struggled maintaining their command on the mound. The Timberwolves walked nine batters in the game, while Sandpoint walked 10 and hit six batters.

Lake City coach Paul Manzardo said the youth and inexperience of his pitchers showed in that fourth inning.

"We were moving kids in and out just trying to figure out who can do what on the mound," he said. "... We were a little nervous and hopefully as they're put in those situations more and more, they will get more comfortable.

"They'll learn from it and bounce back and we'll get better from it."

Bocksch entered the game in the fifth inning. Lake City tallied a pair of runs in the frame and Sandpoint carried a slim 8-7 advantage into the sixth inning.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Bulldogs added an insurance run when senior Cameron Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to score Thielbahr.

Sandpoint needed that extra run because in the seventh, Lake City's Marcus Manzardo hit a single to score Quinn Conces and narrow the deficit to one run.

But with two runners on base and no outs, Bocksch was able to get out of a jam with a pair of popouts and a flyout to close out the game.

Sophomore Cody Newhart made his first career start for the Bulldogs on the bump, throwing the first pitch on the new field.

He retired all three batters he faced in the first inning, but in the second the adrenaline wore off a bit and Lake City was able to muster some hits off of him, Tigert said.

Newhart pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowed one earned run and four hits and recorded two strikeouts.

"I thought he did amazing," Tigert said of Newhart. "I'm really proud of that kid. You could put Cody Newhart anywhere and he will execute and he will get the job done ... It's going to be fun to work with that kid for the next couple years."

At the plate, Newhart had one hit and an RBI. He was also walked three times. Thielbahr went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and junior Ethan Butler also drove in a run.

Marcus Manzardo had two RBIs for Lake City.

Between the two teams, only nine hits were recorded.

Tigert said it was a great start to a new era with the artificial turf.

"It's March and we're on a field," he said. "We had a lot of fans out here today and I think the atmosphere is amazing."

Paul Manzardo was equally impressed with the new surface.

"I think many of the kids through summer ball they've played on turf, but this is awesome," he said. "I mean I wish all the high school fields up here had this; it just makes the game clean."

Manzardo said moving forward his team needs to get better at executing the little things.

"All in all it's one game, it's a long season and I'm happy that we get to play," he said. "I tip my hat to Sandpoint, they played a great game."

On Tuesday, Lake City travels to Lewiston for a doubleheader, and Sandpoint visits Post Falls.

Lake City 013 120 1 — 8 4 1

Sandpoint 100 701 x — 9 5 3

Camdyn Martindale, Aiden LaPonsey (4), Ryan Burnside (4), Dylan Hess (5) and Calvin Carrol; Cody Newhart, Max Thielbahr (3), Avery Bocksch (5) and Trevor Brackett.

HITS: LC — Manzardo 2, Garza, Copposs. Spt — Thielbahr 2, Newhart, MacDonald, Brackett. 2B — Manzardo, Thielbahr. 3B — Newhart.