The Lakeland Hawks faced a tough test against their rivals, the Sandpoint Bulldogs, in a doubleheader that didn’t go their way. Despite coming in ready to compete, the Hawks struggled to keep pace with a hot Bulldogs lineup, dropping both games on the day.
In game one, Sandpoint came out swinging and never let up, putting up runs early and often. The Hawks found themselves in a deep hole and couldn’t recover, ultimately falling 22–3. Lakeland showed flashes at the plate, but Sandpoint’s consistent hitting and pressure proved too much to handle.
The second game saw a more competitive start from the Hawks, as they looked to bounce back and salvage a split. However, the Bulldogs once again controlled the tempo, capitalizing on key moments to pull away. Lakeland managed to get on the board but couldn’t generate enough offense, falling 10–1 to complete the sweep.
“We didn’t specifically play bad, they hit the ball at a high level and produced throughout the entire game,” Jake Larcher said. “When it came to our offense, we put the ball in play a lot better than last time, but weak contact was what caused us to not produce many hits. They threw good pitchers and we could not come through. I think if we face them in districts, if we play clean baseball and hit at a high level we can compete with them.”
While the scoreboard wasn’t in their favor, the Hawks continue to battle and look for positives as the season winds down. With one final doubleheader remaining, Lakeland will shift its focus to the Moscow Bears, aiming to finish the season strong and build momentum moving forward.
