Lakeland Baseball Nears Districts 

The Lakeland Hawks varsity baseball team stepped onto the diamond with their seven seniors against Lake City. 

This was the Hawks’ senior night, so all of the seniors were in the lineup. Cam Harris started in center, Dylan Dugger in left, Tanner Vandever in right, Sam Pemberton at first, Sean Tierney at second, Payden Wysong at shortstop, and Jacob Shaffner at third.

Lakeland started strong and came out to an early 1-0 lead, but would ultimately drop the game to Lake City, 1-11. Tierney had the Hawks’ lone hit, Tierney, Wysong, and Harris were both walked as well. 

However, the game won’t be remembered for the loss, but instead for the memories. For Harris, Dugger, Vandever, Pemberton, Tierney, Wysong, and Shaffner this was the last home game they will play for the Hawks. 

For Harris, he is going to miss the Boise baseball tournament, and going to team dinners more than anything. He enjoyed playing most with Tierney, Wysong, Garrett Love, and Blaze Day. 

Cam is looking forward to getting to play college baseball, but his favorite memory from senior night was getting to walk onto Gorton Field alongside his brother, Logan Harris. 

Three days later, the Hawks faced the Sandpoint Bulldogs in a league matchup doubleheader. 

In the first game, Lakeland racked up three hits and 2 runs, but unfortunately, the Bulldogs put together 12 runs off of 7 hits. 

The game was called due to the ten run rule, in the bottom of the sixth. Wysong, Raiston Ellwood, and Sam Pemberton all had one hit. Jace Cooksey had two hits. Wysong and Tierney had one walk. Day had two, and also stole a base. 

Harris threw 4 innings, striking out 5, and giving up 2 runs. Tierney took over for 1.2 innings, and allowed 3 runs, and struck out one. 

Lakeland lost 2-12. 

In the second game, the Hawks put together 2 runs off of 5 hits, but allowed 3 runs on 9 hits to the Bulldogs. 

Tierney, Love, Vandever, Ellwood, and Cooksey all had one hit for the Hawks. Wysong was walked once, and Vandever stole a base. 

Wysong threw 6 innings, allowing 2 runs, and striking out 5. Love took over, throwing 0.1 innings, and allowing 1 run.

Sandpoint won with a walkoff double. 

When asked about the game, first baseman Blaze Day said, “First game we gave up too many free 90’s, those lead to errors, which keep our pitchers on for too long, and when our hitting isn’t there, there isn’t much to combat it,” 

Day went on to say, “In game two we played good defense and were only missing timely hits, we had baserunners but could not get hits, I feel like Timberlake is a good game going into districts.” 

Te Hawks will play Timberlake, May 6th, at 4 PM. 

Following that game, the Hawks travel to Sandpoint for districts, to earn a state playoff berth for this season.

When asked about districts, Day said, “Even though we did not beat Sandpoint and Moscow as many times as we would like, we know we have a fighting chance in districts, Go Hawks.”