PREP ROUNDUP: Lakeland bounces back for split in Bevacqua's debut at alma mater

• BASEBALL

NINE MILE FALLS, Wash. — Senior Kevin Slover had a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning as the visiting Lakeland Hawks beat the Lakeside Eagles 6-2 in the second game of a season-opening nonleague doubleheader on Thursday, the first win under new head coach Al Bevacqua.

“Our guys came out and competed,” said Bevacqua, who played on state championship teams at Lakeland in 1993 and 1996. “The guys really started seeing the ball and putting some stuff together in the second game.”

Cash Lund and Tadgh Ellwood also had RBIs in the second game for Lakeland, which fell 6-4 in the opener.

“We had some first-game and first-time-being-outside struggles,” Bevacqua said. “But there’s some stuff we can work on and get better headed into next week.”

Lakeland faces Bonners Ferry at Clearwater Park in Lewiston in a doubleheader on March 23.

FIRST GAME

Lakeland    100    110    1    —    4    13    2

Lakeside    112    011    x    —    6     8    0

Roan Reilly, Garrett Ferrell (4) and Jace Cooksey; Reeves, Starr (5) and Thomas.

HITS: LL — Taylor 2, Mason 3, Ferrell, R. Ellwood, T. Ellwood, Reilly, Cooksey, Killian, Shanley 2. LS — Almond 2, Patterson, Reeves 2, Kakuda, Bischel, Starr. 2B — Reeves.

SECOND GAME

Lakeland    001    102    2    —    6    9    1

Lakeside    002    000    0    —    2    5    0

Tadgh Ellwood, Jace Taylor (4) and Kevin Slover; Patterson, Fritz (7) and Reeves.

HITS: LL — Lund 2, Mason, R. Ellwood, T. Ellwood, Reilly 2, Slover 2. LS — Patterson, Kakuda, Bischel, Thomas, Pavlin. 2B — Lund, Slover, R. Ellwood, Kakuda.

St. Maries wins in first game under Lounsbury

SPANGLE, Wash. — Senior Trey Gibson went 2 for 2 with three RBIs and two runs scored for the Lumberjacks in a 15-5 win in the first game of a season-opening doubleheader against the Lancers.

Riley Abell went 3 for 4 with an RBI and Kody Tefft scored two runs in the first game for St. Maries.

It was the first win as Lumberjacks coach for Brian Lounsbury, who took over the program this spring.

The second game was called in the fourth inning due to darkness with the score tied 9-9.

St. Maries travels to Kendrick today at 4 p.m.

FIRST GAME

St. Maries    062    601    —    15    15    0

Liberty         000    104    —     1      3     0

Game called after 6 innings due to 10-run rule.

Anderson, Lingo (4), Stewart (4), Dolar (5) and Long, Stewart (4); Liberty names not available.

HITS: SM — Gibson 2, L. Holmes 2, W. Holmes 2, Abell 3, Dittman, Tefft, Nantell, Marsh, Long 2. LIB — names unavailable. 2B — W. Holmes, Gibson, Nantell. 3B — Long.

Timberlake 3

Malad 2

FRUITLAND — In a game with five combined hits, it was a groundout that sent the Tigers over the Dragons in the Bill Betts Tournament at Fruitland High.

Ethan Pecor grounded into a fielder’s choice to score James Moore with the go-ahead run in the sixth inning for the 3A Tigers, who battled past the defending 2A champions, despite two hits — both by Cooper Lenz.

“It was a rock fight,” Timberlake coach Bryce Johnson said. “It was two really good pitching staffs and just a gritty win for us. We tried to play a pitch-count game and save some guys, and were moving guys around. But credit to our guys for getting it done with what we had. It wasn’t pretty offensively for either team, but clean defensively for both sides. We just stuck with it and found a way to win.”

Caden Robinett struck out the side in the seventh to seal the win for Timberlake (1-2), which faces New Plymouth and Sugar-Salem today at Fruitland.

Timberlake    100     002    0    —    3    2    1

Malad            001    100    0    —    2    3    0

Grant Allaway, Ethan Pecor (4), Ryker Brennan (6), Caden Robinett (7) and Ethan Pecor, Nate Beardsall (4); 27, Holdyn Higley (6), Ryan Hubbard (7), Carter Blaisdell (7) and Carter Carey.

HITS: TL — Lenz 2. Malad — Blaisdell, Showell, Seamons. 

 • SOFTBALL

Timberlake 22

Sandpoint 3

SANDPOINT — Casey Whaley struck out seven in five innings, and Logan Walsh went 4 for 5 with six RBIs and four runs scored as the 3A Tigers walloped the 4A Bulldogs in nonleague play at Memorial Field.

Acacia Pecor went 3 for 5 with two doubles and four RBIs for Timberlake (2-2), and Jesi Kitchin had two hits and knocked in five runs.

“Casey was a force on the mound, and the whole team did their part at the plate,” Timberlake coach Casi Lupinacci said. “The girls made great contact all day, as our hitting really came alive. Defensively we made plays behind our pitcher and got the job done.”

It was the season opener for Sandpoint.

Timberlake returns to action Tuesday with a doubleheader at Lake City. The games were originally scheduled for Timberlake, but moved due to field conditions.

Timberlake    261    67    —    22    16    1

Sandpoint     200    10    —      3     6     5

Game called after 5 innings due to 10-run rule.

Casey Whaley and Logan Walsh; A. Hull, H. Smotherman (2) and B. Lancaster.

HITS: TL — Dykes 2, Kitchin 2, Walsh 4, Pecor 3, Needs, Whaley, Johnson, Allaway 2. Spt — McCown, Skibitsky 2, Cessna, Lancaster, Smotherman. 2B — Pecor 2, Johnson, Walsh, Allaway, Kitchin, Lancaster.

Liberty 14-21

St. Maries 2-5

SPANGLE, Wash. — The visiting Lumberjacks walked 25 and committed 10 errors in the sweep by the host Lancers in nonleague play.

Addy Stewart, who missed last year with a knee injury, drove in a run in both games for St. Maries, which is scheduled to travel to Kendrick today at 4.

FIRST GAME

St. Maries            101    0    —      2    1    6

Liberty            153    5    —    14    3    3

Game called after 4 innings due to 10-run rule.

Maddie Thomas and Brenna Elliott; J. Jeske and S. Stout.

HITS: SM — Thomas. Lib — Jeske, Strobel, Hofmann. 3B — Jeske.

SECOND GAME

St. Maries    300    2    —      5    3    4

Liberty     5(11)5    x    —    21    6    5

Lyssa Watkins, Maddie Thomas (2) and Brenna Elliott, T. Brebner (3); J. Brumley and S. Stout.

HITS: SM — Thomas, Nicholson, Stewart. Lib — Jeske, Hofmann, Vanwert, Stout, Brumley, Kelley. 2B — Nicholson, Thomas, Stewart, Hofmann.

• TENNIS

Coeur d’Alene 7

Sandpoint 5

COEUR d’ALENE — The Vikings swept in boys singles, all in straight sets, then swept in mixed doubles, to beat the Bulldogs at Coeur d’Alene High.

“I’m very proud of our team’s performance in our home opener,” Coeur d’Alene boys coach Corey DeLeonard said. “It was great getting outside and being able to play in the sunshine. Sandpoint always has a very good team and it came down to the very end. Our mixed doubles clinched the win for us.”

Coeur d’Alene hosts Lakeland on Tuesday.

BOYS SINGLES — No. 1, Connor Judson, Coeur d’Alene, d. Jacob Dawson, 6-0, 6-1. No. 2, Grant Johnson, Coeur d’Alene, d. Brennan Johnson, 6-1, 6-0. No. 3, Roberto Ledda, Coeur d’Alene, d. Fisher Dali, 6-1, 6-3.

GIRLS SINGLES — No. 1, Pepper Rickert, Sandpoint, d. Caitlin Combes, 6-0, 6-3. No. 2, Neva Reseska, Sandpoint, d. Maddie Hunt, 6-2, 6-0. No. 3, Eden Stephens, Coeur d’Alene, d. Bella Bailey, 6-3, 6-0. 

BOYS DOUBLES — No. 1, Nathan Duke/Ethan Ballard, Sandpoint, d. Aiden Antal/Luke May, 6-4, 5-7, 12-10. No. 2, Cooper Irwin/Payson Irwin, Coeur d’Alene, d. Caden Martz/Colby Dyk, 6-3, 6-0.

GIRLS DOUBLES — No. 1, Sydney Webb/Aubrey Knowles, Sandpoint, d. Julia Johnson/Grace Priest, 6-0, 7-6 (2). No. 2, Berkeley Cox/Mya Vorhies, Sandpoint, d. Annie Wilson/Brooklynn Brunn, 6-2, 6-0.

MIXED DOUBLES — No. 1, Samuel Mandel/Krysten Moore, Coeur d’Alene, d. Noah Spinney/Elly Tutin, 7-6 (8), 6-4. No. 2, Jackson Okuniewicz/Kaisa Kent, Coeur d’Alene, d. Lily Evans/Luke Wikoff, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8.