Bats stay hot as Bulldogs cruise to doubleheader sweep

DYLAN GREENE | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 9 months AGO

Senior pitcher Madi Garman chases down and tags out a Bonners Ferry runner before they reach first base during the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader at War Memorial Field.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

Junior Kalila Tuinstra prepares to make contact with the ball on Tuesday. Sandpoint tallied 27 hits during the doubleheader.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

Cresanna Authier pitches in the first game Tuesday.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

Jacey Cash gets a hit on Tuesday.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

Cather Jaidyn Inman throws a ball on Tuesday.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

Kaylee Brackett slides headfirst into third base on Tuesday.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

Jaidyn Inman hits a triple on Thursday.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

Kinzie Ward (left) makes a throw to first baseman Kaylee Brackett on Tuesday.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

Cresanna Authier makes a throw to first on Tuesday.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

Riley Cessna makes a throw to first base on Tuesday.
(Photo courtesy of JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY)

SANDPOINT — The Sandpoint softball offense couldn't be contained on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs exploded for 38 runs to complete a doubleheader sweep of Bonners Ferry.

SHS handled its business and head coach Elizabeth Hawkins-Williams was pleased with the effort from her squad.

"We did really well overall," she said. "We only had a couple innings where we were mentally checked out, but we corrected that in the second game and came out firing on all cylinders the whole game ... They played the way we wanted them to play."

In the opening game, Cresanna Authier kickstarted a fast start for the Bulldogs. With two outs in the bottom of the first inning and runners on second and third, Authier hit a single to score Jaden Dickinson and Kaylee Brackett.

Sandpoint tacked on four more runs before the inning came to a close to take a commanding 6-0 lead. The Bulldogs added three more in the second and seven in the third to cruise to a 16-5 win over the Badgers.

Authier started on the mound and made it three innings before handing the ball off to Dickinson in the top of the fourth. Authier recorded three strikeouts.

The Badgers tried to rally in the top of the fifth inning to avoid being 10-run ruled, but Sandpoint was able to close the door on that attempt.

Jaidyn Inman, Riley Cessna and Authier each recorded two hits in the game and Cessna hit a triple.

Sandpoint never let up in the second game of the doubleheader. Bonners Ferry was able to get on the board in the top of the first on an RBI single, but from there it was all Bulldogs. SHS secured its third straight 10-run rule victory, 22-2.

In the second inning, Inman sparked a seven-run inning with a triple that scored Via Barlow and Kalila Tuinstra.

The Bulldogs kept their foot on the gas and scored eight runs in the fourth inning.

Madi Garman started on the bump and allowed just three hits and two runs across five innings. She also struck out five batters.

Hawkins-Williams said Garman was dominant on the mound.

"She was hitting her spots and she was really able to keep their batters off balance, they just couldn't make solid contact with her pitching today, which is huge for us," she said. "I was really proud of her performance."

Brackett, Authier and Inman all recorded three hits in the game, and Jacey Cash, Kinzie Ward and Lily Gammon each had two.

Across the two games, Sandpoint racked up 27 hits. The performance came three days after the Bulldogs had 23 hits in a doubleheader against Moscow.

The team is certainly feeling comfortable at the plate after a cold start to the season.

"Every at-bat is building confidence for our players," Hawkins-Williams said, " ... and so to see it just continue to build is very rewarding for our players."

Hawkins-Williams said she was also really impressed with the play of two of her catchers, Gammon and Inman. In her eyes, they were "walls" behind the plate.

"We had very few balls get to the backstop today," she said.

Sandpoint (4-3) heads to Priest River for a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Thursday.

FIRST GAME

BF 000 14 — 5 7 7

SHS 637 0X — 16 10 0

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

Anna Bliss and Rikki Cowin; Cresanna Authier, Jaden Dickinson (4), Jaidyn Inman, and Kadence Marble. W — Authier. L — Bliss.

HITS: BF — Bliss 2, Falck 2, Cowin 2, Owens. SHS — Inman 2, Authier 2, Cessna 2, Ward, Gammon, Garman, Tuinstra. 2B — Bliss, Inman, Ward, Authier. 3B — Cessna

SECOND GAME

BF 100 01 — 2 3 5

SHS 374 8X — 22 17 1

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

Bliss and Cowin; Madi Garman and Lily Gammon. W — Garman. L — Bliss.

HITS: BF — Owens, Cowin, Elliston. SHS — Authier 3, Brackett 3, Inman 3, Cash 2, Ward 2, Gammon 2, Barlow, Cessna. 2B — Inman, Cessna. 3B — Brackett 2, Inman, Gammon.