Prep softball: Unbeaten Vikings sweep Timberwolves
The undefeated Coeur d’Alene High softball team ran into a team with similar offensive capabilities Tuesday.
The Vikings, though, strung together a few more hits and had pitcher Bre Burke. The combination was more than enough for visiting Coeur d’Alene to sweep Lake City 10-4 and 4-3 in a 5A Inland Empire League doubleheader.
League-leading CdA improved to 15-0 overall, 8-0 in league while LC slipped to 13-5 and 6-2. The teams meet again Tuesday in a doubleheader at CdA that should decide the league title.
The Vikings got a defensive gem to make it a sweep. LC had the potential tying run at third base in the seventh of the second game when Timberwolves coach Jesse Lenz called for Heather Hawkes to bunt.
Hawkes’ bunt popped into the air and into the glove of charging third baseman Mariah Montee, who turned around and threw to shortstop Kylie Smith, who doubled Emma Gray at third for the game-ending out.
“We had a little bunt play where we charge everybody and we got lucky, they bunted right to the third baseman,” CdA coach Darren Taylor said.
Taylor has watched his team hit top to bottom all season. He left the doubleheader impressed with LC.
“Lake City’s got some players,” Taylor said. “They hit the ball. Their lineup is pretty strong. That’s a good sweep for us.”
Seven of nine Viks got hits in the opener with Kaylin Donovan leading the way with three.
CdA jumped on LC in the first game with three runs in the first, and the T-Wolves couldn’t climb out of the hole.
In the second game, Miranda Amos, who leads CdA with the most RBIs while batting with two outs, led with two hits, knocking in what would prove to be the winning run in the third.
Burke picked up both victories, pushing her record to 14-0.
“I couldn’t be more proud of my team. They battled,” Lenz said. “Tough first go in the first game. We had some silly mistakes. We’re going to clean it up. I was proud of the way we battled back in the second game.”
CdA shuts out Shadle
In a big showdown between arguably two of the best teams in the region, CdA did something no other team has done against the Highlanders this season.
The Viks blanked Shadle 4-0 on Saturday at Shadle.
In a matchup between two of the top pitchers in the area, Bre Burke got the best of Shadle’s Jaya Allen. Burke struck out 11 and walked one.
“It was by far her best performance,” Taylor said. “She had a little rise ball that handcuffed their best hitters. She was really on.”
And Burke did damage at the plate as well. She put CdA up 2-0 when she hit a first-pitch home run.
Then in the seventh, freshman Natalie Sell, making her varsity debut, hit a two-run homer. She was promoted from junior varsity because of an injury to left fielder Jenna Bassett, who has been lost for the season.
“I’m a real genius aren’t I?,” Taylor quipped about the late promotion of Sell. “She gives us more options.”
Around the region
League races for titles and postseason seeding are tightening up in the region. … Coming into the week, University and Shadle were tied atop the GSL. Shadle blanked U-Hi 3-0 in the first meeting and they have the rematch Friday at Shadle that should decide the title. … West Valley and Pullman were tied in the loss column atop the Great Northern League. The teams meet in a doubleheader at Pullman on May 7 that should decide the league title. … Colville and Lakeside were tied after last week in the Northeast A with Chewelah a game behind. Colville and Lakeside split their league series. … Northwest Christian, undefeated in the Northeast 2B, brought a three-game lead into the week. NWC pitcher Mattea Nelson is 11-0 through last week.
This ’n that
Pitcher Kelsey Gumm led Central Valley to a pair of wins last week. In a 9-2 win over Lewis and Clark, Gumm had 11 strikeouts and Elise Peck hit a grand slam. In an 11-0 victory over Mt. Spokane, Gumm pitched a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts. She also went 3 for 4 with three RBIs. … Anne Mari Petrino of Pullman had four hits, lifting her average to .833, in a 15-6 win over East Valley. She also had three stolen bases. Teammates Rebecca Wickard and Halley Ghigleri also had four hits. … Cheney managed a split last week against WV. Meghan Krantz had a run-scoring double to provide the winning run in the Blackhawks’ 10-8 win in the doubleheader. … Mt. Spokane shut out Mead 7-0 behind pitcher Riley Barnes. Kyla Stern led the Wildcats at the plate, going 2 for 3 with two RBIs.