COEUR d'ALENE - If starting fast was the game plan on Thursday afternoon, the Coeur d'Alene Vikings didn't disappoint.

Senior Jessica Lupinacci hit a two-run single in the first inning and sophomore Lindsie Scholwinski struck out seven as the Coeur d'Alene Vikings defeated the Lewiston Bengals 3-1 in the second-place game of the 5A Region 1 softball tournament at Larry Schwenke Field.

"It really helped to get our first three hitters going," Coeur d'Alene coach Larry Bieber said. "Getting out to a fast start is the key for our team. We really came to play today."

Coeur d'Alene (15-7) will open the state tournament against Timberline (23-2) of Boise, the District 3 runner-up, next Friday at 10 a.m. at Post Falls High. The Vikings missed out on state last year for the first time since 2001.

"It was a little nerve racking at first," Scholwinski said. "I knew we had a good team and we were ready to support each other today."

Scholwinski transferred to Coeur d'Alene High from Timberline before her freshman season and still plays summer league softball with players from Timberline.

“I’m really excited to be playing against them,” Scholwinski said. “Hopefully we bring it like we did today. I’ll just go into the game like it’s another team like today.”

Coeur d’Alene turned a double play in the fourth inning after allowing a leadoff hit to Lunden Young.

“We really threw some leather today,” Bieber said. “‘Lupi’ was a rock today in the field. She had a great game. ‘Ski’ threw really well and seemed like she was at her best when they had runners on.”

“We had a plan going into today to start fast,” Lupinacci said. “This was the last day for me on this field. We had a goal as a team coming into today and we set it.”

Junior Kellsi Parson had three of the five hits for Lewiston, which finished 15-10.

“We just didn’t hit today,” Lewiston coach Dave Garrett said. “We pitched well and our defense was good — but we didn’t hit well enough to win today.”

Lewiston pitchers Shawnee Zink and Alyssa Huffaker combined for five strikeouts.

Lake City’s state-opening foe has also been determined. The Timberwolves (23-0), the Region 1 champs, play Rocky Mountain (17-9) of Meridian, the fifth-place team from District 3, on Friday at noon.

Lewiston 000 001 0 — 1 5 1

Coeur d’Alene 201 000 x — 3 8 0

Shawnee Zink, Alyssa Huffaker (3) and Shaundee Garrett; Lindsie Scholwinski and Rashell Shaffer. W — Scholwinski (9-4). L — Zink (7-5).

HITS: Lew — Parson 3, Young, Wells. Cd’A — K. Parker, Tindall, Lupinacci, Spencer, Scholwinski, Petit, Rasmussen, Ball.