STATE HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL PREVIEW: Slight tweak ignites Viks' streak

5A

A nine-error day in a doubleheader loss at Lewiston on April 11 was the trigger that changes needed to be made.

“What do we have to lose,” fifth-year Coeur d’Alene coach Bobbi Darretta figured.

She changed the batting order, as well as some of the defensive positioning.

Among the changes — sophomore Chloe Burke moved from shortstop to second base, and freshman second baseman Abbie Linder switched to shortstop.

And junior center fielder Abby Moehring moved to right field — unless she slid back to center, depending on the batter.

Since then, the Vikings (20-4) have won 15 of 16 games — including their last 12 — heading into this weekend’s state 5A tournament in Idaho Falls. Coeur d’Alene, the No. 6 seed per the MaxPreps final regular-season rankings, opens vs. Kuna (18-5) on Friday at 10 a.m. PDT at Thunder Ridge High.

“After Lewiston, we realized we had to count on each other more,” Coeur d’Alene third baseman Catherine Bakken said. “After that, we made minimal errors, and we all united. After Lewiston we realized that … we’re better than this. We played Post Falls, and that was one of our best games (an 8-0, 10-0 sweep), and we realized we’re a pretty good team, and we can win this.”

Coeur d’Alene went 1-2 at state last year, edging Thunder Ridge in a thriller, before falling to Timberline of Boise and then to Eagle.

“I felt we were not as experienced (at that level),” Coeur d’Alene senior catcher Delaney Gosch said of last year. “We don't have many girls that pitch 63 (mph) in our league, so when we faced them we were all very shocked that they pitched the same as Kristine (Schmidt, the Vikings’ senior ace).”

Darretta said the Vikings need to do a better job of bouncing back from mistakes — last year, Coeur d’Alene couldn’t recover from a costly error in its loss to Timberline.

Also …

“I knew we needed to keep it at two games a day for Kristine,” Darretta said. “I think once they realized that third game was happening, they all just went down. Now, I’ve got a stronger Kristine this year, I’ve got an older catcher, I’ve got corners that have been hitting, and stepping up. I’m excited. Now we’re just going to try to go as far as we can, and see how far we make it.”

Skyview of Nampa, last year’s champion, dropped to 4A this year. Eagle, which finished fourth last year, is the No. 1 seed, and Owyhee, last year’s runner-up, is the No. 2 seed. Kuna won the District 3 tournament last week as the fifth seed.

3A

Timberlake (15-7), in its 23rd consecutive state tournament, is the No. 4 seed, and opens vs. fifth seed South Fremont (18-5) on Friday at 8 a.m. PDT at Blackfoot Fields.

Of Timberlake’s seven losses, two were to Lake City, with one loss each to Moscow, Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Lakeland and Freeman.

Timberlake went 1-2 at state last year.

Defending champion Homedale (21-5) is the No. 3 seed and opens vs. No. 6 Weiser (11-13), last year’s state runner-up. Kimberly (22-2) which didn’t make it to state last year, is the top seed.

"Kimberly seems like the team to beat," Timberlake coach Casi Lupinacci said. "But Homedale has played a pretty tough schedule and they're always tough. They're really well coached. Anything could happen."

2A

St. Maries has brought home a trophy from each of the past two state tournaments — a fourth in 2021, and a third last year.

This year, in the Lumberjacks’ final season with ace Taci Watkins in the circle, the Lumberjacks cruised into state, winning 2-0 over Orofino for the district title.

St. Maries (18-4), the No. 2 seed, opens vs. No. 7 Declo (11-7-1) on Friday at Capell Park in Chubbuck. Defending champion Malad (19-0) is the No. 1 seed, and runner-up West Jefferson (17-6) is the No. 6 seed.

St. Maries beat Declo and West Jefferson on the first day at state last year, then lost to Malad in the semifinals and was eliminated by West Jefferson.

4A

Moscow, which beat Lakeland to qualify for state for the first time since 2014, is the No. 5 seed and opens vs. No. 4 Hillcrest (16-8) of Ammon on Friday at 8 a.m. PDT at Twin Falls High.

Skyview of Nampa, last year’s state 5A champ, dropped to 4A this year and is the No. 2 seed. Pocatello (26-0) is the No. 1 seed.