SHS softball shut out in first game on artificial turf

SANDPOINT — From the first pitch, Post Falls was all over Sandpoint softball on Tuesday at War Memorial Field.

The Trojans scored 13 runs in the first inning en route to a commanding 22-0 Inland Empire League win over the Bulldogs. The game was called after five innings due to the 10-run rule.

It was the second straight game Sandpoint was shut out by a 5A IEL opponent. On Saturday, the Bulldogs lost 18-0 at Lake City in their season opener. In that game, SHs was unable to register a hit, but the team refused to let that happen again on Tuesday.

In the fifth inning, Kaylee Brackett hit a single to break up Post Falls' bid at a no-hitter. Then Jacey Cash stepped up to the plate and hit a single of her own. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs were unable to capitalize on the back-to-back hits, but head coach Elizabeth Hawkins-Williams said getting the bats going definitely gave the whole team a confidence boost.

She also said the team showed a lot of mental toughness by fighting to the very last at-bat.

"I was really happy to see that the team that started the game for us, was not the team that ended the game for us because we're going to face adversity once we get into our league play," she said, "and seeing that we can bounce back within an inning or two really can make a difference."

Facing back-to-back 5A opponents to open the season has been quite the test for a Sandpoint team filled with inexperience. After having no season in 2020, Hawkins-Williams said the Bulldogs are still trying to find their identity.

"This team doesn't know who they are yet," she said. "They are a group that came up from JV and didn't get any varsity experience, and they are learning what it means to be a varsity team ... so that learning process is going to take quite a lot of time for this group."

Despite the rough start, senior Jaden Dickinson was able to step on the mound in the third inning for Sandpoint and settle things down. She allowed five hits and four earned runs over three innings of work.

Dickinson had command of the strike zone and maintained her composure throughout her time on the bump, Hawkins-Williams said.

"She's a utility pitcher so she doesn't pitch very much at practice," she said, "but she came in with the right attitude and pitched outstanding for us."

The Bulldogs had trouble keeping Alyssa Krause of Post Falls from hitting dingers. She went 4 for 4 and had three home runs and five RBIs. She also became the first player to hit a homer on the new artificial turf at War Memorial Field when she blasted one over the left field wall in the first inning.

The Trojans had 15 hits in the game. Moving forward, Hawkins-Williams said her pitchers need to do a better job understanding that each umpire has a different strike zone and sometimes your go-to spots aren't going to be there. You have to be able to adjust on the fly, she said.

"An umpire always has one he'll call," she said, "and so it's finding what is that one and being able to hit it. It's part of the learning process for these pitchers."

Senior Madi Garman started on the mound for the Bulldogs, but was unable to make it past the first inning.

Entering Tuesday's game, Hawkins-Williams had one goal for her team — stay positive and continue to encourage one another until the end of the game. She said her team accomplished that and they never lost their upbeat spirit.

It was the first softball game on the new surface at Memorial Field, and once again, the beauty of the complex was acknowledged by everyone in attendance.

"This facility is absolutely unbelievable," Post Falls head coach Holly Gleaves said after the game.

Hawkins-Williams said getting to compete on a field of this quality is something her players will never take for granted.

"Our players get to play at a facility that's the same as what the best players in the world get to play on," she said. " ... It makes us very proud to play softball in Sandpoint because we have this."

The Bulldogs' JV team was able to capture a 10-9 walk-off victory over Post Falls. Anna Marie Gonzalez drove in Peyton Cessna to win the game for Sandpoint. Mayle Ducken and Ashlyn Darling took the mound for the Bulldogs and Bella Crum hit a two-run homer.

Sandpoint (0-2, 0-2 IEL) hosts 3A Timberlake at 4 p.m. Thursday.

Post Falls (13)43 02 — 22 15 0

Sandpoint 000 00 — 0 2 3

Game called after 5 innings due to 10-run rule.

Madi Garman, Cresanna Authier (1), Jaden Dickinson (3) and Jaidyn Inman and Lily Gammon; Sophie Nungesser, McKenna Moak (3) and Alyssa Krause. W — Nungesser. L — Dickinson.

HITS: SHS — Brackett, Cash. PF — Krause 4, Dumas 3, Moak 2, Donohoe 2, Barber, Cramer, Nimmick, Solberg. 2B — Barber, Solberg, Krause. HR — Krause 3.