Lehman blast powers Sandpoint in championship

SANDPOINT — Tyler Lehman launched a 3-run homer to right center, and also struck out eight batters in five solid innings on the mound, helping lead Sandpoint past Lakeland 14-4 in the District 1 Juniors tournament championship Friday at Pine St. Field.

Sandpoint used aggressive base running and timely hitting to put up crooked numbers in the first five innings, before Preston Pettit finished things off in the bottom of the sixth inning with a walk off single to put Sandpoint up by 10 runs and end the game. Pettit also relieved Lehman and finished the game with two strong innings on the mound.

Declan Plummer laced a two-run double into the gap, Caleb Davis scored three runs and stole two bases, and Payton Cox stole three bases for Sandpoint, which earned a spot in the state championship against the south champion in Boise in two weeks.

Lakeland jumped out to a two run lead in the first inning, led by solid hits by Ezra Grigg and Jarrett Taylor, each of whom scored two runs in defeat.

The Sandpoint All-Star players and coaches would like to thank volunteers Bill Hawkins, Jeff Johnson, Rob Sherrill, Sandra Sherrill, Anna Butler, Jimmy Butler, Dottie Johnson, Tony Butler and Kurt Lehman for volunteering their time to provide great hospitality in hosting the week-long tournament.

Lakeland 200 020 — 4 3 4

Sandpoint 232 241 — 14 6 2

Venner Higbloom, Austin Standinger (3), Jarrett Taylor (5) and Colton Aragon; Tyler Lehman, Preston Pettit (5) and Dillan Mitton. W — Lehman. L — Higbloom.

HITS: LL — Grig, Taylor, Silva. Spt — Pettit, Lehman, Stockton, Cox, Mitton, Plummer. 2B — Taylor, Plummer. HR — Lehman.