Coeur d’Alene returns to state
Two-time defending state champ Coeur d’Alene may have been the No. 2 seed in this year’s 5A Region I softball tournament, but when Thursday’s action was done, the Vikings were No. 1.
After squeaking past No. 3 Post Falls 3-2 with single runs in each of the final three innings of an opening-round game at Memorial Field, CdA made the short trip north to take on No. 1 Lake City on its home field.
The Timberwolves, having just survived a first-rounder with a 3-2 win over Lewiston on Jordanna Walker’s walk-off RBI single, had the psychological advantage of having beaten the Vikings three times this season, twice in a single day last week.
But a stellar outing from ace Amber Coburn and a huge play at the plate in the second inning led to a 3-0 win and a regional championship for CdA.
The Vikings (19-7) advance to the 5A state tournament Thursday through May 17 in Idaho Falls and will take on District 1 III third-place Mountain View (19-7) in the opening round.
Lake City (20-5) and Lewiston (12-12) meet at 4 p.m. today at LC for second place in a loser-out, winner-to-state contest. The No. 4 Bengals eliminated Post Falls 5-0 in the day’s other late game.
In the championship game, both pitchers were in top form. Coburn and LC ace Lela Work, fresh off her school-record 13th straight victory in the win over Lewiston, had six and nine strikeouts, respectively.
In the fateful top of the second inning, however, after recording two quick outs, Work gave up an opposite-field double down the right-field line to Danielle Erickson. Katie Bologna followed with a single to center that LC’s Jessica Ross fielded cleanly and fired to catcher Brittani Waide at home to easily cut off Erickson at the plate.
But Erickson – having plenty of time to make up her mind what to do – came in hard and Waide was unable to hold onto the ball.
The plate umpire’s call changed from out to safe, and the game changed right along with it.
The next batter up, Jessica Lupinacci, grounded weakly up the middle, but LC’s middle infielders and center fielder couldn’t corral the ball. Bologna stormed home with the second run of the inning.
Vikings shortstop Jessica Kraft added a ringing home run over the left-center field fence in the third inning, but the damage had already been done.
An elated Erickson, one of three CdA seniors, who said LC’s regular-season dominance provided plenty of motivation for her and her teammates, described her big hit and that trip toward home.
“We’ve been working on outside pitches in practice and I finally hit one for the first time all year, so I’m excited – I finally got it down,” Erickson said. “(On the play at the plate) I knew that I was going to be out, because I was really late and she was already there and the ball was there.
“So I just thought I’d slide hard and, thankfully, it knocked her out of there and knocked the ball out of her glove.”
CdA coach Larry Bieber pointed to Coburn’s effort on the mound as the difference.
“Amber was amazing – her change-up was working,” Bieber said. “(Assistant coach) Troy (James) was calling her pitches, and he mentioned to me that she’s not hitting her spots, and they’re not hitting the ball, either.
“Maybe she was missing them for a reason: She pitched a great game.”
LC coach Laura Tolzmann said she wasn’t disappointed with her team’s effort but was instead left pondering the pitfalls of what is often times a game of inches.
“The difference in the game was one inning,” Tolzmann said. “If we had that play at home, it would have changed the whole game … but that’s the game of softball.
“We’ll be ready to play tomorrow.”
•Brittany Comstock had the winning RBI in the eighth as host Moscow beat Sandpoint (1-25) 7-6 in extra innings in 4A Region I play. Sarah Lynn had two hits and scored the game-tying run for the Bears (9-16). Moscow will play Lakeland at noon Saturday for the region championship. The Bears will need to win twice to advance.