The Sandpoint high school baseball team was a resilient group in 2021.

The Bulldogs came back from seven runs down against Moscow to earn a trip to the state tournament.

“That was a moment that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives,” Sandpoint baseball coach Chase Tigert said. “This was the second time in two years that we made it to state.”

Sandpoint went two-and-out after reaching the state tournament with losses to Bishop Kelly and Bonneville.

The Bulldogs will be without last year’s 4A Inland Empire League MVP, pitcher Max Thielbaher, who graduated last year.

“He played a big part in our program,” Tigert said. “Him and all the seniors from last year were a really fun group to work with.”

Losing Thielbaher is a blow to Sandpoint’s lineup, but its pitching staff looks just as strong as it did last year.

“Our rotation is deep,” Tigert said. “We have a lot of solid arms returning and I’m really excited to add to the rotation.”

Kody MacDonald, a junior, will be one of the several pitchers that Sandpoint will use in 2022.

Tigert said that he really made a name for himself on the mound in 2021.

Auggie Lehman will also be back in the rotation for the Bulldogs.

Lehman, while a power arm at the mound, is a utility player. He can play any position and be successful.

Returning all-league player Jack Zimmerman will be a big factor in Sandpoint’s pitching rotation as well.

Zimmerman gave the Bulldogs its first win of the season last year against Post Falls.

Sandpoint will be adding new faces to its rotation as well, with Jack Ringer and Austin Dillion.

Returning all-leaguer Ethan Butler will be back in the fold for Sandpoint in 2022.

Butler performs well at the mound, but he also has a powerful bat when he steps in to swing.

Finally, Collin Roos will make his return to the Sandpoint baseball team.

Roos was out with an injury last season and will add more depth to a seemingly already loaded pitching rotation.

Sandpoint finished last year with an 18-10 record and was 8-8 in Inland Empire League play.

The Inland Empire League was a tough conference for baseball, with second place Moscow posting the same league record as Sandpoint.

“The league is always a grind,” Tigert said. “Lakeland and Moscow are both quality programs. But I tell the kids every year that the path to state runs through Sandpoint.”

Those words reign true based on the Bulldogs’ work ethic throughout the season.

“We’re going to have the same focus and determination that we had last year,” Tigert said. “We have the district title and if anybody wants it, they have to come through us to get it.”

The Bulldogs’ bats really started to heat up last year in the month of March until early April. It won five straight games and scored more than 15 runs in each game.

This year’s lineup should bring out the same intensity, according to Tigert.

“We’re going to have a lot of depth in the lineup,” Tigert said. “The kids are gritty and they work the count. If we stay within ourselves and execute our hitting philosophy, we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”

The biggest strength for Sandpoint is the positive attitudes that the kids have, Tigert said.

“Even though it's early, I can tell the kids have a positive outlook on the season,” he said. “They’re willing to put in the work; there's not much else you can ask for as a coach.

Even though its pitching lineup has remained mostly unchanged, the Sandpoint roster as a whole is almost a brand new team from last year.

Key role players for Sandpoint graduated and it’s up to the younger players on the roster to step up and fill the holes.

“We lost a lot of talented and just overall amazing kids last year,” Tigert said. “They all played a huge role in the program and their presence will definitely be missed.”

The Bulldogs have nine new varsity players on its lineup in 2022.

“I don’t think it’s a weakness, but we have a much different team this year,” Tigert said. “But again, they’re great kids and they have great attitudes. I really enjoy spending time with them. I’m confident they’ll pick things up quickly.”

The Bulldogs have a mixed bag of youth and experience on its lineup for 2022, which is a perfect mix for a team that’s building a program.