Future bright for Bulldog baseball team

SANDPOINT — In one of the best baseball seasons in recent memory, the Bulldog boys won 10 games and showed that baseball is on an upswing, with a host of underclassmen having strong seasons.

While sophomores Caleb Edlund and Talon Dewey and junior Paul Sundquist each earned 4A All-Inland Empire League honors, another group of players also had big seasons, earning honorable mention.

Junior Caiden Oliver hit .283 despite playing with a broken finger for the last half of the season, earning his coach’s respect.

“Tough kid, has turned himself into a baseball player,” said Scott Fitchett. “He led the team in stolen bases and was our best baserunner.”

Junior infielder Davan Norris hit .381 and flashed a strong glove at short, improving the mental side of his game to complement the great physical tools, resulting in a strong season.

Senior Quinn Pearlstein batted .308 and became the leader the team needed at the end of the year. Fitchett called him a great competitor with strong physical skills.

One of the most consistent hitters all season was sophomore outfielder Nick Holland, who hit .360 despite stinging a lot of balls right at defenders for loud outs.

Senior Malaki Smith was the final Bulldog to earn honorable mention, as a senior-laden Lakeland team took a lot of spots. Smtih led the team in wins and pitched like an ace down the stretch.

“He was our most consistent pitcher, and pitched well against all competition,” described Fitchett. “Great example of hard work paying off.”