Moscow ‘represents’ north
The Moscow Bears came into the State 4A softball tournament Thursday as the lone standard-bearer for the north.
That red-and-black flag was still flying Friday as Moscow shook off a 7-1 morning loss to two-time defending state champion Bishop Kelly and then twice staved off elimination in a thrilling 8-6 win over Burley in eight innings before an 11-4 evening rout of Emmett at Ramsey Fields in Coeur d’Alene.
The Bears (20-10) meet Mountain Home (20-9) this morning at 10, the loser taking third place and the winner earning the daunting task of beating BK twice for the championship. The Knights (27-3) got 16 strikeouts from ace Britney Croner in an 8-2 win over Mountain Home to earn their spot in the title game.
In other second-day action, Mountain Home topped Emmett 10-0 in five innings, Burley eliminated Blackfoot 8-4 and Jerome sent Pocatello packing 4-3. Emmett later ousted Jerome 3-1 before earning fourth place in the loss to Moscow.
“It’s great to be representing the north like this, because every other team is from the south,” Moscow coach Jessica Shawley said. “It’s like, ‘Hey, we’re in this, we’re third place or better and we’re in the finals.’
“Our school motto is “Moscow, Pride of the North,” so I like to think we’re living up to that. These girls really want it, and I hope that’s what people saw from us today.”
The Bears managed just three singles and fanned 14 times – a tournament low – against Croner, who has averaged 15 strikeouts in BK’s three tourney victories.
Call that loss a warm-up, as Moscow’s bats came alive for 16 hits in the win over Burley and 15 more against Emmett.
Against Burley, none of the hits was bigger than that of junior catcher Nancy Charles.
With two on and two out in the top of the eighth, Charles delivered a ringing double to right-center field and then held on in the bottom half for the win. Charles finished with four hits and three RBIs and teammate Gentry Beck added four hits of her own to lead the Bears.
In the Emmett game, Moscow found itself in a familiar position – down early, 3-1 after two. But the floodgates opened in the third as the Bears belted six hits and took advantage of four free passes issued by starter Jessica Logan to score eight runs in the frame and never look back.
Moscow lefty ace Sarah Hawley, who has pitched 25 of 29 innings because of in large part to the illness of backup freshman Brigitte Lowe.