LAKELAND – Sandpoint dropped two close games to Lakeland on Thursday, April 20, at Lakeland High School. Sandpoint lost the first game 15-13 and the second game, 9-6.

The Bulldogs recorded a season-high 22 hits in Game 1, but could not quite snag the victory.

Sandpoint scored their first runs in the second inning when Ali Knowles hit an RBI single to score two runs, 2-1 Bulldogs. Sandpoint extended their lead to three runs in the third when Abi Miller scored two on a single to left field.

Lakeland roared back with six runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Bulldogs answered with four more in the fourth thanks to a couple of doubles by Mayle Ducken and Peyton Cessna.

At the end of five, Sandpoint was trailing 14-8, and after a four-run rally in the sixth, they ended up falling just short, 15-13 Lakeland.

Every Bulldog recorded a hit in the contest; seven Bulldogs recorded multiple hits. Ashlyn Darling and Miller both led the team with four hits each; Miller had a team-high four RBIs in Game 1.

In Game 2, the Bulldogs once again fought-hard. Sandpoint struck early with three runs in the top of the first. Cadence Skibitsky, Ducken, and Darling all had RBIs in inning number one.

Sandpoint wouldn’t add any more runs until the fourth when Sara Bryson was able to put the ball in play to score Ducken. After four innings, the game was tied, 4-4.

Going into the final inning, the Bulldogs found themselves trailing 9-4. Ducken hit an RBI double that scored two, but Lakeland was able to fend off Sandpoint’s rally, 9-6 Lakeland.

Ducken led the Bulldogs in Game 2 with a game-high three hits and three RBIs. Darling pitched five complete innings giving up 10 hits and eight runs while striking out three.

“I think we played really well today, even though we did not quite end up with the result we wanted. It’s been a big step up for our program to be able to stay close to teams in our conference,” assistant coach Leah Platt said.

The Bulldogs will be back in action for a doubleheader versus Lewiston at War Memorial Field on Saturday, April 22.

GAME ONE

Sandpoint 022 404 1 — 13 22 4

Lakeland 106 521 x — 15 11 0

Mayle Ducken, Ainsley Hull (6) and Ashlyn Darling; Emma Avalos, Mia Kesner (6) and Payton Sterling.

HITS: Spt — Knowles, McCown 3, Cessna 3, Skibitsy 2, Ducken, Darling 4, Miller 4, Hull 2, Sykes 2. LL — Hanna 2, Sterling 2, Avalos 2, Dewey, Drake 2, Barnard, Goncalves.

2B — Cessna, Ducken, Darling, Drake, Sterling, Hanna. 3B — Avalos. HR — Drake, Sterling.

GAME TWO

Sandpoint 300 100 2 — 6 9 1

Lakeland 031 023 x — 9 10 1

Ashlyn Darling, Mayle Ducken (6) and Elizabeth Dysart; Aubrie Goncalves and Payton Sterling.

HITS: Spt — Knowles 2, Cessna, Skibitsky 2, Ducken 3, Darling. LL — Hanna, Zimmerman, Avalos, Zelstra 2, Dewey, Drake, Goncalves, Barnard 2.

2B — Skibitsky, Ducken, Zelstra.