After a disappointing 2023 season, the Lakeland Hawks (10-14, 5-3) softball team was able to gain a couple more wins than last year and make it to the second round of the district tournament before being eliminated by the Moscow Bears.
The Hawks started their season in Montana and played two games. They played the Hamilton Broncs and then the Frenchtown Broncs. The Hawks lost both games with scores of 6-4, and then 12-2.
The Hawks then took on the Timberlake Tigers, beating them by a score of 3-1. They would then take on a tough opponent in the 5A Coeur d’Alene Vikings, and would get swept by them 20-11 and 7-3.
Next up on the Hawk’s schedule was league opponent, Moscow Bears. The Hawks were able to get past the Bears 7-5. Delilah Zimmerman had a home run along with two other hits, batting .600 during that game. Payton Sterling also added another home run as well which helped push past the Bears.
In the following game against the Bears, the Hawks fell to them by a score of 16-3. Megan Highfill of Moscow led the game for the Bears by putting two home runs on the board.
Kelly Stodick was on the mound for the Bears and threw for five innings, putting five strikeouts on the board while only letting up two earned runs.
After falling to the Bears, the Hawks had a good comeback game against the Lakeside Eagles beating them 14-7.
The Hawks then went on a three-game win streak against the Post Falls Trojans and then the Sandpoint Bulldogs.
Led by Keirstyn Drake, who hit four home runs in the span of two games, the Hawks beat the Post Falls Trojans 16-8.
“This was probably my favorite game of the year, we all played together, and we had that drive to beat them. Our goal this year was to beat a 5A school,” Alyssa Ryckman said. “Overall, I enjoyed this season. I feel like we all worked together well this year.”
There were then two league games for the Hawks against the Sandpoint Bulldogs. Abby Helmholz was dominant on the mound for the Hawks, throwing for the whole game and obtaining seven strikeouts in an 11-1 win.
In the following game, both the Hawks and the Bulldogs’ offenses were dialed, but the Hawks prevailed with the win by a score of 23-12. Alexis Hanna had three singles for the Hawks.
Mckenzie Briggs started the game for the Hawks and pitched the entirety of the game.
The Hawks’ momentum was then shifted as they gave up two games to the 5A Lewiston Bengals by 6-3 and then 9-7.
Next up on the schedule was the St. Maries Lumberjacks. Hanna once again delivered four runs on four hits. Which included a home run in the second inning. In the bottom of the first inning, the Hawks put up eight runs with Helmholz driving in two runs on a single.
“St Maries, we all did our jobs perfectly, and we all excelled. It was, overall, just a fun game. It was our senior night, and all the seniors did a really good job,” Mia Kesnar said.
Against another 5A opponent, the Hawks were swept by the Lake City Timberwolves by scores 12-6, 15-7.
As the season was coming to a close, the Hawks only had league games remaining before the District tournament. Unfortunately, the Haws dropped both games to the Moscow Bears. The Bears scored six runs on five hits in the bottom of the sixth inning off many singles. The Hawks lost 12-4.
The following game against the Moscow Bears the Hawks lost a heartbreaker of a game, losing 15-14. After an explosive top of the fifth inning, scoring nine runs, the Hawks were winning big by a score of 14-8, they then let up seven runs to lose this game.
After picking up two more league wins against the Sandpoint Bulldogs by big scores of 17-2, and then 25-12.
“I feel like we improved since last year, a better record. I feel like attitude-wise, we improved a lot. We worked a lot better as a team,” Kesnar said. “I’m really excited about going into a 5A district, better competition. I’m really excited to see where the season takes us and to really improve.”
Districts then started, and the Hawks were able to easily get past the Sandpoint Bulldogs 12-1, which then put them into a best two out of three series against the Bears.
The Hawks then lost two straight games to lose the district championship, losing 12-1 and then 7-1.
The Hawks had an improved season from last year and can only go up from here. As they move into a tougher district next year, the Hawks are gearing up for the season.