Patriots Don’t Need Missiles To Top Lc For Title

Something about the Centennial Patriots brings out the worst in the Lake City High girls softball team.

Or, to be more diplomatic, maybe LC just brings out the best in Centennial.

Whatever the case, the Patriots defended their State A-1 fastpitch title by knocking off LC for the second straight year in the championship game.

Centennial’s 7-3 victory between downpours on Saturday at Coeur d’Alene High’s field was spurred by an all-too-familiar pattern of bunt-and-run offense and leaky Lake City defense.

“We tried our hardest, that’s all I can ask for,” said LC coach Dwight Wilson, whose team won three earlier games to make a courageous run for the crown.

“But doggone it, this (Centennial) team has us snakebit or something. We’re a better team than we showed against these guys.”

CdA finished third after losing 1-0 to Centennial and 9-2 to LC.

LC’s 10-2 win over Sandpoint ended the Bulldogs’ season with a fourth-place finish. In Saturday’s opening game, Laura Tolzmann whacked a game-winning double to fuel LC’s thrilling 5-4 win over Eagle.

Centennial 7, Lake City 3

The Patriots (25-6) used five bunt singles and another handful of sacrifice bunts to put constant pressure on LC’s defense.

The T-Wolves (21-6) finally cracked in the seventh. Two errors contributed to four Centennial runs that snapped a 3-3 tie. Freshman Laura Mangum deadened a leadoff bunt for a single, swiped second, moved to third on another bunt and scored on a bunt single.

That’s Centennial softball. Combined, the three bunts that produced the winning run probably traveled 25 feet.

As sophomore pitcher/T-Wolf nemesis Courtney Todd said: “We get our bunts down, we drive the other team crazy.”

“They create the plays, but we should be able to handle it,” Wilson said.

In addition, Centennial batters lofted a couple of fly balls that dropped for hits in right-center field - a spot LC’s Jenny Owen usually roams - in the seventh. But Owen was sidelined after injuring her knee in a collision with a teammate in LC’s previous game.

“Wasn’t that almost a cotton pickin’ replay,” said Wilson, referring to near outfield collisions in the seventh. “It was like, ‘Oh no, not again.”’

To protect its 7-3 lead, Centennial replaced pitcher Katrina Nelson with Todd, who pitched last year’s title-game victory.

Todd, who scored two runs, drove in another and made a diving catch while playing right field, gave up hits to Courtney Zimmerman and Christine Johnson before setting down three straight to initiate the victory celebration.

As her teammates went into leaping hysterics, Todd just smiled and casually jogged into the mob scene.

“She’s pretty focused,” Centennial coach Paul Atwood said.

The Patriots are a slick-fielding, high-speed club, ideal for fastpitch. They’re young, too, with no senior starters. Consider this: Centennial’s JV was second in its league. Where are those kids going to play next year?

LC had opportunities to push Centennial into a deep hole in the first six innings.

With runners on the corners in the fifth, the hot-hitting Tolzmann belted a drive to left-center but Whitney Hall retreated and made the catch.

LC’s promising third inning deteriorated because of a base-running error.

LC 9, CdA 2

LC’s speedy Kim Budvarson had three hits. Tolzmann had two hits and scored twice, and Johnson drove in a pair.

CdA’s Amy Maurer, who pitched every inning but one in the Viks’ four State games, gave up 11 hits.

“Some hardware is better than none,” CdA coach Larry Bieber told his players as he hoisted the third-place trophy. “Amy had her stuff, but LC is just a good hitting team.”

CdA (16-14) played without shortstop Stacy Dawson, who suffered a broken bone near his wrist late Friday night. She finished Friday’s game before a late-night visit to the doctor revealed the fracture.

LC 10, Sandpoint 2

Owen and Budvarson triggered a two-run first.

In a five-run second, Budvarson, Tolzmann, Regan Long, Lindsay Herbert, Kari Wilson and Kim Koll had consecutive hits.

“We had a great tourney,” said Sandpoint coach Jeff Clark, whose team finished 9-12. “We played beyond anyone’s expectations.”

Centennial 1, CdA 0

This one was resumed at 0-0 in the seventh following Friday’s rainout. Centennial’s Todd didn’t wait long to end it.

With two outs and facing an 0-2 count, Todd stroked a game-winning single. She also pitched a two-hitter.

LC 5, Eagle 4

In another game that was washed out in progress Friday night, LC overcame a 4-2 deficit in the seventh.

With two out, Budvarson singled in one run and Tolzmann swatted the ensuing pitch for a two-run double.

“I hit a double the time before and I was hoping she’d throw me the same pitch,” Tolzmann said. “She did.”

Tolzmann’s hit started a three-game winning streak that ended in the title loss to Centennial.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo