STATE 6A SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT: Thunder Ridge rallies past Lake City in seventh

By MARK NELKE 

Sports editor 

COEUR d’ALENE — The Lake City Timberwolves were two outs away from their first state softball tournament victory since 2019. 

Then, stuff happened. 

Sixth-seeded Thunder Ridge of Idaho Falls rallied with six runs in the final two innings — including four in the top of the seventh, helped by an overturned call — to beat third seed Lake City 7-5 in the first round of the state 6A softball tournament Thursday afternoon at Coeur d’Alene High’s Larry Schwenke Field. 

“They were disappointed,” fourth-year Lake City coach Jordyn Hensley said. “To lose a game like that is heartbreaking, but ... we’ve got to do the little things right, and hopefully they add up to a win at the end.” 

Lake City (17-6), in its first trip to state in seven seasons, drops into the losers bracket and will face seventh seed Capital (16-10) of Boise, a 12-2 loser to No. 2 Eagle, today at 9 a.m. at Coeur d’Alene High. 

Thunder Ridge (15-13-1), in its second trip to state in three years, will play Eagle (21-6-1) today at 11:15 at Coeur d’Alene High in the second round. 

Thunder Ridge, which trailed 4-1 after five innings, tied it in the seventh on a squeeze bunt by Maleah Kappas which scored Pyper Smith, who led off with a single to right and raced to third when the ball got past the right fielder. Kappas was safe at first.

The next batter hit into an apparent forceout. But Thunder Ridge questioned the out call at second base, and after a discussion between the two umpires, the call was overturned, ruling the fielder did not have her foot on the bag when she had control of the ball. 

Instead of two out and a runner at first, it was one out and runners at first and second.  

Sophomore Zoey Sorg, who had already tripled twice, lined a double to left center to drive home the go-ahead run. 

Sadie Fullmer’s sacrifice fly made it 6-4, and Chelsea Adams’ bloop single into shallow right center made it 7-4. 

“It was a big call,” first-year Thunder Ridge head coach Jake Bundy said. “My assistant coach said hey, she was definitely off, so I asked. I had an angle and I thought I saw it, but I wasn’t 100 percent sure. So I went and asked ... panned out. Big, big deal for us.” 

In the bottom of the seventh, Lake City sophomore Macy Waterhouse doubled with one out, and after a walk, scored on a double by KaeLee Kolden. 

With runners on second and third and one out, Karsyn DeMent bounced out to third. The runner at third took off for home and was thrown out by the first baseman, ending the game. 

“We did other things in that game that we could have done differently, to have a better showing,” Hensley said.  

Lake City took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first when Waterhouse and Kolden scored on wild pitches. 

In the fifth, Kyla Smith singled and Waterhouse doubled, and Kolden followed with a two-run double to left center — the ball bouncing off the glove of the left fielder trying to make a running catch. 

Thunder Ridge senior Carly Jones, sporting a brace on her left knee after suffering a torn ACL in 2024, struck out 13 and walked four. Junior Madeline Peterson struck out seven and walked two for Lake City. 

“Lake City, their pitcher was deceptive,” Bundy said. “Lots of really good spin. Wasn’t overwhelming, speed-wise but she really put it in the pocket where hitters have a hard time hitting.” 

“We’re going to come back tomorrow, and it’s on to the next,” Hensley said. “We came here to fight, and we’re going to do just that.”

Thunder Ridge     100    002    4    —    7    12    2 

Lake City    200    020    1    —    5    6    1 

Carly Jones and Maddi Shaw; Madeline Peterson and Kyla Smith. 

HITS: TR — Johns, Sorg 3, Fullmer, Adams 3, Jones, Santillan, Smith, Kappas. LC — Waterhouse 2, Kolden 2, Caan, Smith. 2B — Smith, Sorg, Waterhouse 2, Kolden 2. 3B — Sorg 2. 

    MARK NELKE/Press Lake City senior third baseman Mia Kesner (7) catches a foul popup, with backup from shortstop KaeLee Kolden on Thursday in the first round of the state 6A softball tournament at Coeur d'Alene High.