Late rally falls short for Spartan softball in doubleheader sweep to Sandpoint

PRIEST RIVER — Spartan softball was unable to avoid being swept by Sandpoint during a home doubleheader last Thursday.

In the first game, the Bulldogs pounced on Priest River early by scoring 10 runs in the top of the first.

But the Spartans responded in the bottom of the inning with five runs of their own and sophomore catcher Brodie Hansen accounted for three of them when she blasted a three-run homer. It was the first home run of her career.

"It cleared the left field fence by at least 20 feet," head coach Ron Kruse wrote in an email.

Unfortunately, Sandpoint tightened things up defensively in the second and third inning and held the Spartans to just one run. The game was called in the bottom of the fourth inning due to a time limit and the Bulldogs captured a 21-6 win.

Jaylein Zylstra started on the bump and Kruse thought she did a good job maintaining control.

"She showed great poise despite some defensive errors," he wrote. "She really doesn't get rattled and almost doubled her balls to strikes ratio from previous outings."

Lilly Freitas had two hits in the game, including a triple.

In the second game, Sandpoint mixed things up by only starting four of its varsity players. The rest of the lineup was made up of junior varsity players.

Kruse said his team came out a little flat in the doubleheader, but the bats came alive in the bottom of the fourth. Trailing 18-3, the Spartans rallied to score 10 runs in the inning.

However, the game was called after the fourth due to darkness and Priest River fell 18-13.

Freitas started and pitched all four innings while allowing just three earned runs.

Senior Kylee Lederle went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, and Zylstra also had two hits and two RBIs. Lederle currently leads the team with 11 RBIs and is batting .429.

Kruse said he continued to see improvement from his team.

"I'm really proud of how hard the girls have worked to get to this point in the season," he wrote.

Priest River (1-5) heads to Troy, Mont. at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 15. The Spartans beat Troy 27-26 on April 30.

FIRST GAME

SHS (10)16 4 — 21 10 3

PR 501 X — 6 5 8

Game called in 4th inning due to time limit.

Madi Garman, Cresanna Authier (3) and Jaidyn Inman, Lily Gammon (3); Jaylein Zylstra, Lilly Freitas (4) and Brodie Hansen. W — Garman. L — Zylstra.

HITS: SHS — Gammon 3, Cash 2, Ward, Authier, Cessna, Garman, Tuinstra. PR — Freitas 2, Zylstra, O. Rose, Hansen. 2B — Cash. 3B — Gammon 2, Freitas. HR — Hansen, Ward.

SECOND GAME

SHS 424 8 — 18 15 6

PR 300 (10) — 13 5 2

Game called after 4th inning due to darkness.

Jaden Dickinson, Mayle Ducken (4) and Kadence Marble, Ellie Dysart (3); Freitas and Zylstra. w — Dickinson. L — Freitas.

HITS: SHS — P. Cessna 2, Lanie 2, Barlow 4, Dickinson 2, Gonzalez, Marble, Kinman 2, McCown. PR — Freitas, Zylstra 2, Lederle 2. 2B — Cessna, Lanie, Gonzalez. 3B — Lanie.