COEUR d’ALENE — Sometimes, just a heads-up play can go a long way.

That play in the top of the fourth inning could have been the difference in Coeur d’Alene advancing to a play-in game on Saturday, or rival Lake City moving on.

On Thursday, it was the quick thinking of the second-seeded Vikings that prevailed, as Coeur d'Alene defeated the third-seeded Timberwolves 3-2 in the 5A Region 1 second-place game at Ted Page Field.

Senior second baseman Evan Mallory chased down the ball from an errant throw, threw to home to save a run, then the Vikings got out of the inning after catching a runner off base to end the scoring threat.

“Evan sprinted to get to the ball and fired to the plate,” Coeur d’Alene coach Erik Karns said. “Credit to him for his hustle and (catcher) Lucas Erickson for his heads up play. We ran the run downs perfectly and that was a big moment for us and really turned the game.”

Lake City took a 2-1 lead after Nate Weatherhead scored on a sacrifice fly. In the bottom half of the inning, Mallory scored on an error to put Coeur d’Alene ahead for good.

"It's just unfortunate," Lake City coach Paul Manzardo said. "We had some mistakes, and it is what it is. We didn't play clean baseball for 21 outs."

Seniors Camdyn Martindale of Lake City and Ryan Schneider of Coeur d’Alene, both of which pitched in Monday’s opener between the two schools, an 11-1 Coeur d'Alene victory, started on Thursday.

“Ryan gave us our best chance to win today,” Karns said. “And Paul did the same thing with Cam going. It’s two senior bulldogs that are going to leave it all on the field. Cam pitched a great game and I can’t say enough about how he’s pitched against us this year. Ryan had to pitch out of some jams and we were able to close it out for the win.”

Coeur d’Alene (19-7) will face Borah in a state play-in game at Church Field in Lewiston on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Weatherhead had two hits and a run scored for Lake City, which finished 11-12.

Manzardo praised his four seniors — Martindale, Calvin Carrol, Zach Garza and Parker Rimpau.

"Cam pitched really well in his last high school outing; he kept Coeur d'Alene off balance," Manzardo said.

Lake City 000 020 0 — 2 4 2

Coeur d’Alene 100 020 x — 3 6 2

Cam Martindale and Joe DuCoeur; Ryan Schneider, Andrew Karns (6) and Lucas Erickson.

HITS: LC — Taylor, DuCoeur, Weatherhead 2. Cd’A — Bridge 2, Mallory, Schneider, L. Erickson. 2B — Weatherhead, Bridge, Mallory.

Kellogg 9

Timberlake 3

SPIRIT LAKE — Travis Eixenberger pitched a complete game and drove in three runs for the third-seeded Wildcats, who upended the top-seeded Tigers in a loser-out, second-place game of the 3A District 1 tournament.

Kellogg (11-9) will play Homedale (17-10) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Church Field in Lewiston in a state play-in game.

Timberlake finishes 14-8.

Eixenberger went 3 for 3 with three RBIs and three runs scored for Kellogg. He hit a two-run single in the top of the seventh to trigger a four-run inning that gave the Wildcats some breathing room. On the mound, he struck out five, walked three and allowed six hits.

Ramsey Rainio went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs for Kellogg. Luke Frohlich knocked in two runs, and Brayden Hoffman and Varick Meredith each went 2 for 4 and scored twice.

Cooper Lenz had two hits and drove in two runs for Timberlake.

Kellogg 022 010 4 — 9 13 0

Timberlake 000 120 0 — 3 6 0

Travis Eixenberger and Luke Frohlich; Wyatt Kitchin, Kenny Wells (6) and Joseph Borges.

HITS: Kell — Hoffman 2, Meredith 2, Eixenberger 3, Frohlich, Hoover 2, Rainio 3. TL — Lenz 2, Horn, Robinett, Borges, Kitchin. 2B — Hoffman, Meredith, Eixenberger, Borges, Horn, Lenz. 3B — Hoover.

Sandpoint 6

Moscow 1

SANDPOINT — The top-seeded Bulldogs finished off the sweep of the second-seeded Bears in Game 2 of the 4A Region 1 best-of-3 championship series at War Memorial Field.

Sandpoint (10-12), which repeated as regional champs, advances to state at Bishop Kelly High in Boise starting Thursday.

Moscow finishes 10-13.