Spartan softball falls; Maltba breaks LCSC record
(Photo by ERIC PLUMMER) Priest River hurler Tawny Nichols, pictured earlier in the season, struck out five in the Spartans’ 10-8 loss to Riverside on Monday.
(Courtesy photo) Former Priest River standout Corbin Malta is making a name for himself at LCSC, having recently broken the school’s pole vault record.
RIVERSIDE — Sophomore Natalie Randolph ripped a home run and scored twice, and Emma Johnson laced two triples and drove in two runs, leading the Spartans in a 10-8 loss to host Riverside on Monday.
The Spartans (2-5) dug an early 5-0 deficit before rallying to cut the lead to 5-3 in the fourth, before the Rams pushed the lead back up to 10-3 with five runs in the bottom of the inning.
Offense wasn’t a problem for the Spartans, who banged out 13 hits, eight more than the Rams, but were hurt by five errors in the loss. Jasmine Martin had three hits and scored twice, and Samantha Kendle and Tawny Nichols each had two hits as the Spartans were raking.
Down by seven, the Spartans rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth and one in the top of the seventh, but the comeback fell short.
Nichols allowed just five hits and struck out five in five innings of work, and Randolph tossed a scoreless sixth to keep it close.
The Spartans are at Kettle Falls for a doubleheader on Thursday, followed by an IML doubleheader at Bonners Ferry on Saturday.
Priest River 000 340 1 — 8 13 5
Riverside 131 500 x — 10 5 3
Tawny Nicholas and Emma Johnson. L — Nichols.
HITS: PR — Randolph, Martin 3, Johnson 2, Nichols 2, Kendle 2, Fink, Deremer, Kren. 3B — Johnson. HR — Randolph.
n Maltba breaking LCSC records in pole vault
LEWISTON — Former Priest River standout and current Lewis-Clark State College freshman Corbin Maltba continues to have a stellar first season in the pole vault for the NAIA Warriors.
Maltba broke the LCSC indoor record this winter, and at the Warriors’ most recent meet at Whitworth, Malba tied for second at 4.45 meters (14-7), trailing only a junior from Washington State who cleared 4.60. The 4.45 broke the previous school record set in 2013.
He competed four years in track and soccer, two years in cross country and one year in basketball while at Priest River, and was a two time MVP in soccer. Last spring he finished second at the 3A state track tournament, clearing 14-0 feet.
Maltba is already within a foot of cracking the top 10 list this year in the national NAIA ranks, and with plenty of season left has a chance to make a run at clearing 15 feet. He also ran the 200 during the indoor season in 24.94.
His parents are Jennifer and Tray Maltba, and he’s majoring in Radiographic Science.
n Roundup
Priest River baseball team had a doubleheader against Kettle Falls scheduled for Tuesday, then travel to Bonners Ferry for an IML doubleheader on Saturday.
The Spartan track and field team is at Kellogg today and at Cheney on Saturday.