The Sandpoint High School softball team suited up to play at War Memorial Field for the first time this season on Thursday against Bonners Ferry.

The Bulldogs felt right at home as they routed the Badgers 28-5.

“It’s great to get that first win of the season,” Sandpoint softball coach Elizabeth Hawkins-Williams said. “It should build confidence for all the girls that played today and I got to get almost everyone in.”

Sandpoint wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, putting up six runs in the first inning.

Senior Kaylee Brackett drilled an RBI single to put the Bulldogs ahead 1-0.

Kaila Tunistra came up to bat following Brackett’s single and hit a 3-run RBI triple to put the Bulldogs ahead 4-0.

Sandpoint ran the bases exceptionally well throughout the contest, which was a point of emphasis heading into Thursday’s game.

“Base running is a lot harder than some people think it is,” Hawkins-Williams said. “There’s a lot of nuances that you have to experience to learn. Base running was one of the focuses today, so it was great to see the improvement.”

Senior Kivia Barlow took over on the mound for Cresanna Authier in the top of the third.

Bonners Ferry scored five runs once Barlow took over.

She finished the inning with a strike out and managed to find her footing throughout the contest.

“She was really nervous in that first inning,” Hawkins-Williams said. “Once she got that under her belt, she was ready to perform.”

The Bulldogs had a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth and put the Badgers away in four at-bats during the final inning.

“They played a lot better defensively than we have in the past,” Hawkins-Williams said. “They were ready for the ball today. That’s why we were able to get out of innings so quickly.”

This was Barlow’s second time on the mound for the Bulldogs this season, finishing with two strikeouts and one walk.

During the final out, she threw a rise ball. This pitch is very significant to the senior.

“I was learning a curve ball and it kept rising,” Barlow said. “It just started working and this season it just clicked. I’ve been throwing it really consistently.”

The Bulldogs opened up the floodgates in the bottom of the third inning.

Sandpoint brought home 14 runners to take a 21-5 lead.

Aspen Schwenk had two hits with three RBI in the third inning alone.

First, she drilled a 2-run RBI single to extend the Bulldogs lead to 18-5.

During her next at-bat, she hit a 1-run RBI single to put Sandpoint ahead 24-5.

Bella Crum and Authier both hit RBI singles following Schwenk’s at-bat to put Sandpoint ahead 27-5.

Sandpoint’s win over Bonners Ferry was its first victory of the season and it also served as senior night for the Bulldogs.

According to Brackett, being back at Memorial Field with senior night energy made their first victory that much sweeter.

“I think it’s awesome,” she said. “Especially with this team, we’ve all been playing together for a long time now.”

The senior class has formed a really tight connection, according to Barlow.

“We’re all best friends,” Barlow said. “It’s nice pitching knowing I have all these players supporting me. It's a lot less pressure.”

Sandpoint improved to 1-6 overall and will next travel to Post Falls High School on Saturday, April 16 to face the Trojans in a doubleheader.

BONNERS FERRY 005 00 — 5 4 4

SANDPOINT 67(14) 1X — 28 15 1

Cressana Authier, Barlow (2), and Jaidyn Inman. J. Curtis and S. Rickter.

HITS — BF: A. Fredrickson, J. Falck 2, K. Sumpter. SPT — Inman 2, Schwenk 2, Brackett 3, Barlow 3, Crum, Tuinstra 2, Authier, Cessna. 2B — Sumpter, Authier. 3B — Inman, Tuinstra.