COEUR d'ALENE - Following a change of venue and at the end of a long day on the softball field, the Lakeland Hawks shared some tears and exchanged hugs early Saturday evening as they gathered in right field following their second-place finish at the state 4A softball tournament.

The Hawks made an impressive run through the eight-team bracket, but couldn't get past Bishop Kelly of Boise. The Knights beat Lakeland 4-1 in the winners bracket final, then beat the Hawks again, 4-2, in the championship game.

"These girls are remarkable girls; they played their hearts out, and I'm so proud of them," ninth year Lakeland coach Colleen Bevacqua said. "They really, really pushed hard, fought to the end. They just really came far as a team this year. It was an honor to coach these girls, that's for sure."

Lakeland (18-10) notched its best finish in six appearances at state in 4A, since moving up in 2005 - Bevacqua's first season as coach. The Hawks' previous best was fourth in 2008. It was Lakeland's best finish since winning back-to-back state 3A titles in 2001 and '02.

"Honestly, I am so proud of my team," Lakeland senior shortstop Bekah Kastning said. "At the beginning of the season our goal was to make it to state and win state, but I think everybody was just going through the motions saying that. I don't think we really believed it. As we were going through the season we understood how well we worked as a team, how well we got along. We came through a lot of adversity this season. A lot happened to us as a team, and we played as a team, and let go of all the struggles and came through strong."

Bishop Kelly (21-5) won its ninth state title overall, but first since 2007. The Knights started three freshmen and just one senior, so a new run could be just beginning.

Morning rain in Post Falls made the fields at Post Falls High unplayable, so Saturday's games were moved to Larry Schwenke Field at Coeur d'Alene High.

After losing to BK in the winners bracket final, Lakeland came back to beat Skyview of Nampa 4-2. Skyview finished 22-8. Kuna (17-10) finished fourth.

Bishop Kelly 4, Lakeland 2: The Knights put five hits together in a three-run third inning to build a 4-0 lead. Sophomore Delaney Atkins hit an RBI double, and junior pitcher Taylor Falkner hit a run-scoring triple two batters later. Freshman Gabi Harrington singled in Falkner.

Lakeland made it interesting in the fifth. Larissa Langenderfer led off with a double, and scored on Kari Prockish's single. Erin Ogden singled in Prockish and Kastning followed with a single, but Falkner retired the next two batters.

Lakeland then had runners doubled off to end the sixth and seventh innings.

Kastning, who scorched the ball in both meetings with BK, went 3 for 3 with a triple in the title game. But the Knights were probably happy just to keep her in the yard, and without an RBI.

Lakeland 000 020 0 - 2 9 2

Bishop Kelly 103 000 x - 4 8 1

Kristin Klopatek and Tifani Schorzman; Taylor Falkner and Jenny Falkner. W - T. Falkner. L - Klopatek (16-9).

HITS: LL - Ogden, Kastning 3, Klopatek, Woolley, Langenderfer, Prockish 2. BK - Engelhardt 2, Imbriani, Atkins, Pratt, T. Falkner, Harrington, Twohig. 2B - Langenderfer, Atkins. 3B - Kastning, T. Falkner.

Lakeland 4, Skyview 2: Tifani Schorzman hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning, and her two-run single in the third inning put Lakeland ahead to stay at 3-2.

Maryssa Santi and Kylee Kennel hit RBI singles in the first inning as Skyview took a 2-0 lead.

Skyview 200 000 0 - 2 4 2

Lakeland 102 100 x - 4 6 1

Shandyce Lingarde, Kylee Kennel (5) and Chelsea Szymanski; Kristin Klopatek and Tifani Schorzman. W - Klopatek (16-8). L - Lingarde.

HITS: Sky - Santi, Kennel, Van Hooser, Hayes. LL - Schwalbach 2, Ogden, Schorzman, Langenderfer, Vanderhoof.

Bishop Kelly 4, Lakeland 1: Harrington hit a two-run homer in the second inning for BK, and Falkner added a two-run shot in the fourth.

Faith Bodak singled and scored on Kastning's single in the fifth for Lakeland. Falkner struck out eight.

Bishop Kelly 020 200 0 - 4 9 0

Lakeland 000 010 x - 1 5 0

Taylor Falkner and Jenny Falkner; Kristin Klopatek and Tifani Schorzman. W - Falkner. L - Klopatek (15-8).

HITS: BK - Engelhardt 2, Imbriani, Atkins, Pratt, T. Falkner, Harrington, Meyer 2. LL - Ogden, Kastning 2, Schorzman, Bodak. 2B - Engelhardt, Imbriani. HR - Harrington, T. Falkner.