THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Uneventful weather for state softball for a change; and Jake’s back

No field burner was necessary this year.

Which, while it likely would have created a similar spectacle as it did three years ago, was a good thing.

The weather problems that often plague state softball tournaments when they come to North Idaho largely did not surface this past weekend.

At least in Kootenai County.

True, the St. Maries Lumberjacks ran into rain and lightning issues in the sixth inning of the third-place game in Orofino, and had to shelter in place on their bus for an hour and a half or so. Finally, officials moved the rest of the tournament some 45 miles north, to Lewiston, where St. Maries and West Jefferson, more than two hours after play was suspended, completed the final four outs of their game in a matter of minutes.

IT RAINED here, too — just not at the sites hosting the state 5A and 4A tournaments.

There were a few sprinkles Friday afternoon at Post Falls, site of the 4A tourney.

And while it poured in downtown Coeur d’Alene in mid-to-late Saturday afternoon, it only sprinkled a bit at Coeur d’Alene High, site of the final games of the 5A tourney.

Which was a good thing, since an extra game was needed to decide the 5A champion. Defending champion Skyview of Nampa, which lost in the second round on Friday, had to win four games on Saturday to capture the title. And the Hawks did just that, beating Owyhee of Meridian, the team it lost to on Friday, twice in the championship round Saturday, wrapping it up just before it began to get dark.

Three years ago, with the 3A, 4A and 5A tourneys all in this area, rain postponed much of Friday’s play, and shortened Saturday’s play to five-inning games and no losers’ bracket.

I’ll never forget the site of dozens of fans at Post Falls High, during a rain delay on Saturday afternoon in 2019, whipping out their cell phones as a large tractor — commonly used years ago for field burning during late summer — rolled across the infield on Post Falls’ junior varsity softball field, flames shooting into the ground behind it, turning mud and muck into some semblance of dirt so workers could get the field ready for a game.

Rain also pushed the 2017 5A tourney in Coeur d’Alene to a Sunday finish, and rain also shortened/or affected state tournaments in eastern Idaho in 2016 and 2018.

This year?

Other than some really good softball, it was uneventful — weather wise, anyway.

Just the way we like it.

If you like what you saw this past weekend, state softball is scheduled to return to our area in 2024, with the 5A tournament at Post Falls, and the 4A and 3A tourneys in Coeur d'Alene.

Weather permitting.

AFTER MISSING a month and a half with a back injury, Jake Pfennigs is back.

And the 6-foot-7 junior right-hander from Post Falls High figures to get a start for the Oregon State Beavers in the inaugural Pac-12 baseball tournament in Scottsdale, Ariz., which began Wednesday with OSU beating Washington 13-8.

Pfennigs, a 2018 Post Falls grad, pitched seven innings in two outings in February before being shut down. One of those starts was against Gonzaga on Feb. 19 where he pitched five shutout innings, allowing six hits, striking out five and walking two.

Pfennigs returned in mid-April, and the Beavers have been bringing him along carefully.

He went 1 2/3 innings in each of his first two starts upon his return, then 3 1/3 innings, 5 innings (vs. Oregon) and 2 2/3 innings.

Last Saturday, Pfennigs worked a season-high 6 1/3 innings against UCLA, allowing five hits and three runs (all earned), striking out five, walking three and earning the win.

For the season, he is 3-0 with a 1.63 ERA in 27 2/3 innings.

“I’ve just got to continue getting stronger,” Pfennigs said after the UCLA game, in an interview posted to 247sports.com. “Our staff’s doing really well right now; we’re strong; so try to stay healthy and keep the course.”

“Tremendous job by Pfennigs today,” OSU coach Mitch Canham said after the UCLA game, per 247sports.com. “He’s getting better and better; it was a great rebound from last week (allowing five hits and a run in 2 2/3 innings vs. Arizona, striking out two and walking five), and the guys all knew that he was going to be highly capable and ready to rock and roll today.”

Pfennigs was drafted in the 35th round out of high school by the San Diego Padres, but did not sign.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @CdAPressSports.