Vikings win all-CdA state softball final
TWIN FALLS, Idaho – Both teams had been down this road before.
In fact, Saturday’s State 5A softball championship game made it the sixth meeting this season for the Coeur d’Alene Vikings and the Lake City Timberwolves.
In what could be described as a fairly tame match, the Vikings defeated their crosstown rivals 3-0, but this time for the granddaddy of them all – the state title.
But the victory (the fourth over Lake City) didn’t quite have the same feeling as many of the CdA girls are friends with the Timberwolves outside of sports.
“For some reason, it wasn’t as sweet as playing someone else,” CdA pitcher Jenna DeLong said. “But it was really good for North Idaho, I guess.”
For Vikings coach Larry Bieber, he knew his team would play its game no matter who was in the other dugout.
“We were going to play that way no matter who we were facing,” he said. “I was getting tired of making that second-place speech.”
But Lake City took the loss with a sense of pride, having dropped the first-round game and winning four in a row to reach the championship.
“We didn’t win that game, but this overall … tournament, I’d say we won for ourselves,” Timberwolves head coach Laura Tolzmann said. “We played with heart. We kept going.”
During the top of the second, the Vikings struck. With Jessyca Le and Kylie Chandler on base, catcher Jordan Corbey roped one out of the infield for a two-run single.
“We all knew that it would take us getting on top. Scoring first was a good cushion for us,” Corbey said. “We all felt the intensity today. It could have been any one of us that got that hit.”
CdA produced only seven hits in the game, with nobody getting multiple hits. Almost half of those hits came in the third against pitcher Stephanie Saadoun, who allowed five hits and two earned runs.
The Vikings’ final run came in the fifth when Saadoun committed an error with Jackie Lenz on first. Saadoun’s relay to first off Lindsey Stark’s hit went into right field, buying Lenz enough time to score the unearned run.
The Timberwolves often connected with the ball, but the Vikings defense was just too much.
“Everybody that saw us play this year saw us play great defense,” Bieber said. “That wins games. … And it’s nice to have Jenna up there. Her changeup was working really sweet today.”
DeLong’s off-speed pitches kept batters in check. She allowed five hits, but struck out six and walked only two for the third shutout of the tournament.
Lake City advanced to the title round with a 5-4, eight-inning win over Timberline.
Down 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh, LC’s Chantel Waide and Amanda Krier nailed doubles deep to the outfield, with Krier’s shot scoring Waide.
Relief pitcher Lela Work and Alysha Krier grounded out, leaving Jordanna Walker with a gloomy two-out scenario. After two strikes from Timberline pitcher Shay Craig, Walker belted one to right-center to score Amanda Krier for the tying run.
“I was really nervous, actually,” Walker said. “I felt like I was on it all day long.”
During the top of the eighth, LC was able to hold off Timberline despite the Wolves getting a free runner at second per the international tiebreaker rule. Runner Kristin Clovis made it to third on a groundout from Breanne Olver, but Amy Schmeckpepper flew out and McKenna Maltby grounded out to end the inning.
Then it was the Timberwolves’ turn. With Haley Peterson starting on second, Saadoun popped out to the pitcher, followed by a single from Richelle Fenebock to advance Peterson to third. While the Timberline defense was trying to tag out Peterson, Fenebock picked up an extra base for insurance.
The next batter, Kelli Bridges, only needed to see one pitch before picking hers – a solid single to the grass to score Peterson and put LC in a championship spot.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m too excited,” Bridges said.
Earlier in the game, Timberline went up 3-1 in the top of the third as Craig and Clovis both connected for RBI doubles. Alex Valamis went 4 for 4 with two doubles.
Timberline, last year’s champion, finished in third place.