Fastpitch Softball

In predicted order of finish: INLAND EMPIRE LEAGUE

Lake City Timberwolves

1994 record: None, first year

Coach: Dwight Wilson, first year

Top returners: Kelly Nelson, senior, pitcher; Sherrie Holzer, sr., p-infielder; Reagan Long, junior, catcher; April Duthie, sr., c.

Key newcomers: Sandy Norton, sr., outfield; Tonya McLeod, sr., second base (recent transfer from Coeur d’Alene).

Coach’s comment: “Our team is going to be real fun to watch,” Wilson said. “We’ve got some good quickness. We really don’t know how we’re going to perform on the field.”

Outlook: Sandpoint may be a sleeper in the Inland Empire League, Wilson predicts. “Coeur d’Alene can be tough because of the rivalry,” Wilson said. “Sandpoint certainly is tough, and Lewiston always seems to be coming up with something. I think our forte is going to be our pitching, and we got pretty good leg speed and a great attitude - I think that’s nine-tenths of any program.”

Coeur d’Alene Vikings

1994 record: 11-1 (IEL and Region I champ), 20-7-1 (A-1 State champ)

Coach: Larry Bieber, second year

Top returners:Kim Sigler, sr., p; Mikkin Gatten, sr., of; Barbara Kimbrell, sr., of; Cindy Babcock, sr., first base; Stacy Dawson, jr., shortstop; Amber Orr, jr., third base; Jenny Lee, jr., of; Tiffay Williams, jr., of; Amy Maurer, jr., if-p.

Key newcomers: Jessica Varney, sr., catcher.

Coach’s comment: “I’m real happy with the way the girls are playing now,” Bieber said. “They know we’re in fastpitch the whole season. There is no slowpitch - they don’t have to change gears.”

Outlook: The Vikings won 13 straight A-1 State slowpitch titles, and return four players from last year, including Dawson, an all-state shortstop. Sigler moves from the outfield to lead the Coeur d’Alene pitching, which was hit hardest by the split of the local high school. “The league team to beat is going to be Lake City. They did get all the pitching,” Bieber said.

Sandpoint Bulldogs

1994 record: 2-10, 4-24

Coach: Jeff Clark, first year

Top returners: Julie Jacobson, sr., second base; Brandi Williams, sr., cf; Kristi Holt, sr., ss; Crystal Clark, jr., p; Tanjee Raynor, jr., c.

Key newcomers: Tricia Ekwortzell, jr., first base; Jodi McKitrick, sophomore, lf.

Coach’s comment: “We could beat anybody in the gym,” Clark said. “We want to get outside. We want to start getting dirty.”

Outlook: Jacobson and Williams swing quick bats, and Holt has some power. Clark’s daughter, Crystal, is the top pitcher. “The only struggles I see are their bat speed converting over from slowpitch to fastpitch,” Clark said. The IEL race is wide open, Clark figures. “I think Coeur d’Alene has the advantage where they were also playing fastpitch while they were playing slowpitch,” he added. “Lake City and Coeur d’Alene both have pitchers who have more experience.”

Post Falls Trojans

1994 record:2-10, 6-23 (fifth at state)

Coach: Chris Johnson, fifth year

Top players: Deanne Young, sr., of; Brittany Murphy, jr., ss; Nikki Downs, sr., c; Whitney Byxbee, sr., first base; Tarra Thomson, jr., third base-of; Elizabeth Twidt, jr., of.

Key newcomers: Sarah Atkinson, jr, p-c; Kym Morrison, jr, p-c; Lyndsy Klaudt, soph., second base; Angie Foster, frosh., p-if-of.

Coach’s comment: Atkinson and Morrison pitched fastpitch for the Trojans’ junior varsity last season. “They’ve both improved an incredible amount,” Johnson said. “We’re just working on consistency now. I’m really trying to emphasize the need to throw strikes.”

Outlook: “I’ve heard Lake City has the strongest (IEL) pitching staff. I know the Nelson girl is very talented,” Johnson said. “It sounds like Coeur d’Alene has a real tough ballclub, too.” Post Falls’ turnout was 35, down from past years, which Johnson attributes to fastpitch. “It’s a big change,” he added. “Every day in practice we literally have to discuss the rules of the game. It’s not just the physical changes - there’s a great deal of mental differences between the two games.”

Lewiston Bengals

1994 record: 9-3 (second IEL and region), 24-7 (second at state)

Coach: Dick Richel, third year

Top returners: Cindy Wendt, sr., p-of; Kerri Carpenter, sr., c; Tycee Scibek, sr., of.

Key newcomers: Cristy Neumann, sr., lf; Charley White, jr., third base.

Coach’s comment: “Pitching will be something we’re going to struggle with all season,” Richel said. “I think our hitting and our defense will continue to be sound. If we had a dominant pitcher, with our lineup I’d like our chances. This is a pitcher’s game. We’re going to struggle against teams that have someone that can throw 75 or 80 (miles per hour).”

Outlook: “I expect the Coeur d’Alene schools to dominate like they have the last 13 years,” Richel said. “They’re far ahead of everybody else as far as developing pitching. Our summer league still plays slowpitch.” Wendt, one of three returners off last year’s state runner-up team, has emerged as Lewiston’s top pitcher. She threw a five-hitter in Lewiston’s 23-13 season-opening loss to Clarkston on Tuesday. “(The Bengals have) been used to success,” Richel said. “It’s going to take a while. I still think offense and defense are still a big part of this. Now, pitching becomes so much more important.”

INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE

St. Maries Lumberjacks

1994 record: 11-1 (IML and District I-II champ), 27-3 (A-2 State champ)

Coach: Todd Gilkey, first year

Top returners: Denise Hill, soph., ss; Amanda Tams, jr., c; Brianne Badgett, soph., p.

Key newcomers: Alicia Adams, freshman, second base-ss; Amy Reid, frosh., of.

Coach’s comment: No seniors reported for practice among 13 players. Seven Lumberjacks return off last year’s A-2 State championship team, including the state tournament’s defensive Most Valuable Player, Hill. “I think the girls are starting to enjoy (fastpitch),” Gilkey said. “The first couple weeks we had to throw so much at them, they weren’t used to it.”

Outlook: St. Maries, Moscow and Lakeland should battle for the IML title, Gilkey said. Tams is a definite key for the Lumberjacks. “The catcher is real important,” Gilkey added. “Tams is an extremely hard-working young lady. If I had 12 Amanda Tams, I would be a happy man, even if we didn’t win a game.”

Moscow Bears

1994 record: 5-6 (second in IML, second in District I-II), 16-16

Coach: Robin Barnes, second year

Top returners: Traci Petersen, sr., p-second base; Tara Richards, sr., if-of; Erika Gordon, sr., of; Stefani Reynolds, jr., of.

Key newcomers: Heidi Schumacher, sr., p; Becky Schumacher, sr., c; Jenny Moslemi, jr., if.

Coach’s comment: “It is a whole new game, and I think there is a whole new attitude in Moscow softball,” Bears assistant Mike Peterson said. “(Softball is) not a spring sport for recreation any more.”

Outlook: The twin Schumacher sisters, California transfers, offer pitching (Heidi) and catching (Becky) experience. Moscow anticipated the fastpitch changeover last year, and scheduled half its 1994 games accordingly, which should factor the Bears into the IML title hunt.

Lakeland Hawks

1994 record: 6-5, 16-10

Coach: Danielle Bean, eighth year

Top returners: Amber Bradbury, sr., of; Allison Dunn, sr., of; Robyn Zychek, sr., of; Tawnya Jensen, sr., third base; Melissa Holt, sr., first base; Jenni Borg, jr., p-ss.

Key newcomers: Jessica Corsi, jr., c; Danielle Adickes, jr., c; Angie Tweedy, soph., if.

Coach’s comment: “My kids don’t have that big of a transition to make because they’ve already played some fastpitch,” Bean said. “Off the (pitching) machine they seem to hit real well. They make good contact, but when you face live pitchers, it’s a difference.”

Outlook: “Both Moscow and St. Maries always have really good athletes,” Bean said. “They’re always really well-coached and well-prepared. I think those two teams will offer a lot of tough competition. Some of the Bonners Ferry kids have been working on the fastpitch game. I look for (the Badgers) to be very much improved.”

Bonners Ferry Badgers

1994 record: 0-10, 1-16

Coach: Alan Catron, second year

Top returners: Tara VanGundy, sr., p; Kelli Ripatti, sr., of; Tammy Blanford, soph., p-if; Tammy Weeks, sr., of.

Key newcomers: Amy Regehr, sr., ss; Denelle Ripatti, frosh., if-of.

Coach’s comment: The Badgers, a secondyear program, have sent three pitchers to fastpitch clinics. “What I’m trying to get across to the pitchers is to throw strikes, I don’t care how slow they are.”

Outlook: “It’s going to be a pitcher’s game,” Catron said. “The (teams) who have the better pitchers are probably going to stand out. I think it’s the hope of everybody that maybe this will put St. Maries down a little even with everybody else. I feel with this fastpitch, maybe we’re going to be a little more competitive.”

Priest River Spartans

1994 record: None, first year

Coach: Carie Shugert, first year

Key newcomers: Annie Madsen, jr., c; Reta Auten, soph., if-of-p; Jennifer Reed, frosh., if-of-p.

Coach’s comment: “They’re really excited about the opportunity to play,” Shugert said. “We have a lot to learn about the difference in the rules and the strategies from slowpitch to fastpitch. It’s a different game. Besides spending the time acquiring the necessary skills, we’re also spending a lot of time on strategies.”

Outlook: The Spartans’ turnout of 17 is topheavy with underclassmen. Madsen, a Sandpoint transfer, brings a year of high school softball experience to the team. Auten and Reed are showing infield-outfield-pitching versatility. Shugert believes the Spartans’ pitching staff could go five deep.

A-3 INDEPENDENT

Lakeside Knights

1994 record: 12-8

Coach: Ron Miller, seventh year

Top returners:Ruth Brand, jr., ss; Lindsay Paulson, sr., of; Margaret SiJohn, soph., p-c; Jennifer Niebuhr, jr., of-p.

Key newcomers: Jeannie Peone, frosh., third base; Alecia Hoffman, soph., first base; Harmony Hammons, soph. if.

Coach’s comment: Eight of the 15 Knights are sophomores, with only one senior on the team. “I don’t think overall we’re as strong as we were last year,” Miller said. “We lost some key offensive players. Pitching will be the critical thing.”

Outlook: Lakeside plays an independent schedule, featuring fastpitch games with North Idaho A-1 and A-2 junior varsity teams, as well as several Washington slowpitch opponents. The Knights posted their first winning record in the past nine years last season.

MEMO: This sidebar ran with story: PLAYERS TO WATCH 1. Stacy Dawson, junior, shortstop, Coeur d’Alene. 2. Denise Hill, sophomore, shortstop, St. Maries. 3. Kelly Nelson, senior, pitcher, Lake City. 4. Brandi Williams, senior, center fielder, Sandpoint. 5. Becky Schumacher, senior, catcher, Moscow. 6. Deanne Young, senior, outfielder, Post Falls. 7. Amanda Tams, junior, catcher, St. Maries.