SHS comes up short to WV in solid home opener

SANDPOINT — Sharp defense and strong pitching from their ace had the Bulldogs right where they wanted to be, leading West Valley by two runs heading into the seventh inning of their home opener at sunny Sandpoint Middle School on Friday.

But the Eagles (6-1) of the Greater Spokane League would stage a late rally, scoring five runs in the last two innings to win 6-5 in extra innings of a competitive and cleanly-played nonleague softball tilt. Only one error was committed between the teams.

Bri Baldree struck out 10 for the Bulldogs (1-5), who played excellent defense and led the entire game, including 3-1 heading into the top of the 7th. Unlike previous games, where slow starts hurt the Bulldogs, this time a late lapse against a good team proved costly, as the Eagles scored two in the 7th to tie and three in the 8th to earn the win.

“The defense really stepped up, that was more like how this team has played in the past,” said Bulldogs head coach Elizabeth Hawkins-Williams. “We came out aggressive, and that’s the change we needed to be competitive.”

Tanis Davis continues to swing a hot bat, driving in three runs with a double among her two hits, Barlow added two base knocks and Kaitlan Ward and Baldree each scored two runs to lead the offense.

Strong defensive plays by Davis and Audrey Mattila helped the Bulldogs get out of a second and third with no outs jam in the sixth, to preserve the two run lead. Then Isabel Edwards made a strong throw from the outfield to help end the seventh with a double play, after the potential go-ahead run was cut down at third.

After the Eagles scored three runs off a tiring Baldree in the 8th, the Bulldogs answered when Baldree scored and Davis drove in Ward to bring the game to 6-5 with just one out. Emma Loutzenhiser then stung a ball back up the middle, which was speared by the Eagles pitcher who went to first for the game-ending double play.

Hawkins-Williams praised the pitching of Baldree in her best outing out the season, and felt her team played its best ball of the season in defeat.

“She came out hitting spots and mixing it up,” said the coach, who also liked the way her team swung the sticks. “The batters were solid one through nine against decent pitching.”

Sandpoint is at Moscow today in a big 4A Inland Empire League doubleheader.

West Valley 000 100 23 — 6 13 1

Sandpoint 200 100 02 — 5 8 0

Bri Baldree and Ember Dewey; India Wells and Elle Hildahl. W — Wells. L — Baldree (0-3).

HITS: Spt — Barlow 2, Baldree, Ward, Davis 2, Loutzenhiser, Steiger. 2B — Davis.