Sandpoint softball bringing back six seniors for 2022

The Sandpoint softball team in 2021 was “starting over” according to head coach Elizabeth-Hawkins Williams.

The Bulldogs weren’t able to have a season in 2020, due to COVID-19. Once they hit the field again in 2021, they went 9-18 overall and 3-5 in 4A Inland Empire League play.

“We don’t have a summer program; all of our development comes throughout the season,” Hawkins-Williams said. “It sets us behind our league.”

Without a summer program, it puts Sandpoint a step behind, especially in the case of last year when it only brought back two players.

The adversity it faced last year put the Bulldogs in a good spot for 2022 with five returning players.

“The girls coming back are returning with a ton of confidence,” Hawkins-Williams said. “The girls have been inclusive and work together as a unit.”

A big department of improvement for the Bulldogs will be its pitching staff. With one tough year under their belt, experience will help them on the mound.

In fact, Hawkins-Williams said its pitching improved drastically by the end of last season.

“Coming in with four pitchers with no varsity experience resulted in them having no confidence,” Hawkins-Williams said. “Seeing their confidence grow and performance improve was amazing.”

Senior Cresanna Arthur had early season struggles in 2021 but managed to master her craft by the end of the season.

“I had a lot of high expectations for her last year,” Hawkins-Williams said. “She struggled a bit with consistency throughout the season, but by the end of the year, she threw a two-hitter shutout against Moscow.”

Arthur also plays third base, a position that Hawkins-Williams is comfortable with her playing.

“Third is a tough position to play in,” Hawkins-Williams said. “When she’s over there, she’s a brick wall.”

Last year, the Bulldogs had a slim pitching staff. This gave the pitchers a lot of much needed experience.

“Our individual pitchers had to improve and step up a lot,” Arthur said. “You never have that back up. Sometimes pitchers have a bad day but there is no back up for that bad day.”

Senior Kivia Barlow will also play a big part in Sandpoint’s pitching rotation.

Barlow got her first taste of varsity softball in 2021 and struggled with confidence. By the end of the season, though, she was itching to get on the mound.

“By the end of the year she was coming up to me saying I’m ready coach,” Hawkins-Williams said. “Being able to have her there is going to be crucial. She’s also starting in a good place with her movement and speed.”

Barlow had a lot to overcome in 2021 with nerves while being on the mound.

“I moved schools and I got chronic tendonitis in my pitching arm,” Barlow said. “That took a big hit on my confidence and the first time I stepped on the mound I had a panic attack.”

Those nerves died down as the season progressed according to Barlow.

“I did a lot of work with coach one on one and she helped me a lot,” Barlow said. “She really got me to believe in myself. Statistically I was doing fine and I knew my teammates believed in me. I just had to believe in myself, So thankfully by the end of the season I was able to step up and be there when my team needed me.”

Junior Mayle Ducken will be a fresh face on the mound for Sandpoint in 2022.

She floated most of last year between varsity and junior varsity. She also spent a lot of time improving throughout the offseason. Hawkins-Williams labeled her as a "big asset"

Junior Ashlyn Darling should also get some reps on the mound in 2022.

The pitcher and catcher combo has been getting a lot of push to pitch from Sandpoint’s coaching staff.

“She’s a really good catcher, but we know she’s also a good pitcher,” Hawkins-Williams said. “She’s been taking lessons and adding motion to her pitches. It’s very rare to have a player that can play both of those skill positions. We’re really lucky to have her.”

Kaylee Brackett will be a multi-dimensional player with a powerful bat for the Bulldogs.

“I’m looking for her to have a breakout season,” Hawkins-Williams said.. “She struggled with the strike zone last year. She’s put in a lot of work during the offseason covering the whole strike zone. She’s due for a breakout year.”

Brackett, a lefty, was aware of her struggles in 2021 and is doing everything to fix it to have a big year in 2022.

“I struggled a lot last year with batting,” Brackett said. “This year I’ve been doing a lot in the offseason to deal with outside pitches. We as a team have done a lot together as well which was a big help.

Sandpoint’s biggest contributor at the dish for 2022 has to be Jaidyn Inman.

The senior was lighting up pitches in 2021 and was a constant in the batters box. During a doubleheader against Moscow last season, she hit ,900.

“She was dynamite for us last year,” Hawkins-Williams said. “She came in with no varsity experience and by the end of the season became one of our most prominent players.”

Inman has been preparing for a breakout season.

“I’ve been taking a lot of time working on my batting sequence,” Inman said. “I’m just trying to hit as far as I can and it’s nice to have the team on my side believing in me.”

Peyton Cessna, a sophomore, will be making her varsity regular season debut in 2022.

Cessna got brought up at the end of the year during the postseason; she’s an outfielder with a ton of speed, according to Hawkins-Williams.

“She does an outstanding job in the outfield,” Hawkins-Williams said. “She can get to the ball quickly and I’m very excited to see her impact on the team.”