Sandpoint falls just short of Moscow in season finale
Drew Lehman gets ready to rifle the ball to the plate in the Bulldogs' battle against Moscow earlier this month.
(Photo courtesy JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)
MOSCOW — Sandpoint fell to Moscow 6-3 on Wednesday at Moscow High School as the Bears took the Inland Empire League title with the win.
As usual, Sandpoint fought hard against the Bears, a team they have had many close games with this season — each team has beaten the other three times.
Moscow got on the board via an error and a sacrifice fly to center field by Levi Anderson in the bottom of the first.
The Bulldogs quickly loaded the bases in the top half of the second with three straight singles from Austin Dillon, Jesse Turner and Finn Mellander. Eventually, Dillon was brought home by Gavin Day on a fielder’s choice and Turner scored on a passed ball to tie the score at two.
The game would continue to go back and forth. Moscow scored two more in the bottom of the third inning. Mellander then brought home Koby Barlow in the fourth to make the score 4-3, Bears.
At this point, Jorden Tyler came in to relieve Sandpoint’s Jesse Turner. Turner started the game for the Bulldogs and pitched three innings, giving up five hits, three earned runs and recording two strikeouts. Tyler went two innings on the mound and gave up two runs off two hits and a walk.
The two Bulldogs ended their seasons with spectacular ERAs. Tyler finishes with a 3.82 while Turner holds a 4.04.
Moscow would score two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 6-3, which would end up being the final as Sandpoint would not be able to get back on the board in the contest. The Bulldogs could not get past Moscow’s Connor Isakson, who pitched a perfect three innings in relief.
Despite the loss, Sandpoint still had one of their best seasons in recent history. The Bulldogs recorded 10 wins, something they have only been able to do three times over the last decade. Sandpoint also clinched the No. 1 spot in the Inland Empire conference for the second year in a row, and will certainly have their sights set on it again next year.
The Bulldogs will lose eight seniors after this year: Kody MacDonald, Cody Newhart, Austin Dillon, Jack Zimmerman, Koby Barlow, Zach and Alex Leverich and Nolan Leavitt. Four of the eight will be heading off to play baseball in college.
SANDPOINT 3, MOSCOW 6
SANDPOINT – 020 100 0 – 3 5 3
MOSCOW – 202 020 X – 6 7 2
L – Turner. W – Clark.
HITS: SPT – Zimmerman, Lehman, Dillon, Turner, Mellander. MOS - M. Kiblen 3, Anderson, Izzo, Green, Driskill.
2B – Zimmerman. 3B – Lehman.