COEUR d'ALENE - For Coeur d'Alene High softball coach Larry Bieber, if this indeed was his final home game on Tuesday, it was just how he wanted to go out.

Two wins to clinch a 5A Region 1 championship and at least a week off before the school's first game in the state tournament next Friday at Post Falls High.

Kylie Rasmussen gave Coeur d'Alene a 2-1 lead in the third inning on a two-run double, helping the top-seeded Vikings get past the second-seed Lake City Timberwolves 8-1 in the championship game at Larry Schwenke Field.

"It was a wonderful way to walk off this field for a final time," said Bieber, who announced at the start of the season he was going to retire from coaching at the end of the season, after 21 years coaching the Vikings.

Coeur d'Alene (23-1) advances to the state tournament to face the third-place team from District 3 (Boise) next Friday at 9 a.m. at Post Falls High.

"It was huge to get this win today," Bieber said. "Now we've got some time to focus in on the things we need to work on. We've still got some work to do on some of the defensive plays we have and that kind of stuff. But the girls played well both games to get the job done today."

Lake City (16-7) will play host to Lewiston (12-12), which eliminated Post Falls (5-20) 12-8 in a loser-out game at Canfield Middle School, on Thursday.

Coeur d'Alene 8, Lake City 1: Lake City opened a 1-0 lead on back-to-back triples by JaeCie Wilson and Heather Hawkes in the first inning.

"Lake City has played us tough in every game we've played them," Bieber said. "They're right there and the real deal. If they beat Lewiston, and whoever the fifth-place team from Boise ends up being at Fruitland High (Saturday), they're going to be in the tournament, and we'll end up seeing them again."

With two out in the bottom of the third, Lake City believed it had recorded a third strike on Abby Howard and walked off the field, but it was determined the T-Wolves only had two strikes on the batter.

The next strike was sent over the left field fence as Howard homered for the sixth time this season.

"The pitcher wasn't expecting me to do too much in that situation," Howard said. "She threw me my favorite pitch and I guess it worked out."

"Abby, she comes back and says 'give me something,'" Bieber said. "She's the real deal. Every time she's been in that position, she's delivered for us. She's had games where she's struggled, but in the game - when time is the essence - she never lets us down in that situation. There's times when she'll get in her own head and struggle, but not today. Not in this regional tournament."

Rasmussen's double woke up the Vikings, who had just one hit through the first two innings.

"She was pitching everything low and inside, and we jack the inside pitches," Rasmussen said. "I just got up on the plate as far as I could. It feels good to get this. We're so excited for state."

Wilson finished with two hits for Lake City. Lake City's top four hitters (Wilson, Hawkes, Bailey Cavanagh and Brittany Gay accounted for five of the team's eight hits.

"I'm so proud of my girls," first-year Lake City coach Jesse Lenz said. "They battled hard. Coeur d'Alene is a great ballclub, and I've said that all year long. I just feel like we're getting better each day. We're getting better and we had a great start to this game. I'm so proud of the top of our lineup. We battled, and I'm so proud of my girls."

Lake City lost senior outfielder Hannah Nelson, who has signed with Weber State, for the season due to an injury last week.

"She'll still be with us for sure," Lenz said. "This was a big game for us. We believe that we're the best two teams in the state and just need to work on some things. The little things just seem to creep up on us. I'm joyful, very proud, but want to work on some things."

COEUR d'ALENE 8, LAKE CITY 1

Lake City 100 000 0 - 1 8 1

Coeur d'Alene 003 113 x - 8 10 0

Michaela Flerchinger, Kayla Patton (5) and Kimmie Cook; Breana Burke and Abby Howard (21-1). L - Flerchinger (16-6).

HITS: LC - Wilson 2, Hawkes, Cavanagh, Gay, Dement, Murphy, Loffer. Cd'A - Howard 3, Rasmussen 2, Burke 2, Smith, Behm, Montee. 2B - Dement, Murphy, Rasmussen. 3B - Rasmussen, Wilson, Hawkes. HR - Howard (6).

Coeur d'Alene 13, Post Falls 2: Rasmussen and Analisa Raynor had two RBIs each for the Vikings in an opening round win against the Trojans.

Breana Burke struck out 11 in the win for Coeur d'Alene.

Brook Bowers hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning for Post Falls.

COEUR d'ALENE 13, POST FALLS 2

Post Falls 000 20 - 2 3 3

Coeur d'Alene 303 7x - 13 9 0

Game called in 5th inning due to 10-run rule.

Brook Bowers and Allie Morris; Breana Burke and Abby Howard. W - Burke (20-1). L - Bowers.

HITS: PF - Anderson, Bowers, Eckness. Cd'A - Raynor 2, Burke, Smith, Rasmussen, Howard, Behm, Catt, Wilkey. 2B - Burke, Smith, Behm. HR - Howard (5).

Lake City 6, Lewiston 1:

"They battled us tough today," Lenz said. "They're getting better too. It's playoff time, so that's what you expect. It's not fun losing to a team five times like we just did to Coeur d'Alene, but we need to be ready and need to battle. Thursday's going to be a fun day."