Cottonwood Chronicle

Lady Pirates rally comes up short
The Prairie Lady Pirates softball team played their first game in 2 years and lost to the Orofino JV 14-16 at Orofino Monday, March 11. Kaylie Lockett, who was a catcher when Prairie last had a softball team in 2022, is now a pitcher. The team showed improvement as the game went on with some nerves leading to errors in the first couple of innings. Also shown is Halee Rowland at third base.

Kaylie Lockett, who was a catcher when Prairie last had a softball team in 2022, is now a pitcher. The team showed improvement as the game went on with some nerves leading to errors in the first couple of innings. Also shown is Halee Rowland at third base.

The game didn’t start well for the Pirates, who had just a handful of players back from the 2022 team and only 2 of them played very much, Kaylie Lockett and Ember Martin.
Martin was the only baserunner in the first inning with a 2-out single.
Lockett pitched for Prairie and gave up a single and a walk in the bottom of the first. An error allowed both runners to score.
Kadence Kalmbach had a 1 out single to right in the second inning but was called out for leaving early. Kenzie Mizer followed with a walk but was stranded.
In the bottom of the second Lockett got a first pitch popup that Mizer, the catcher, was able to catch. A single, error, hit batsman, single, fielder’s choice, infield single, bloop single, another single, an error and a walk followed with Orofino scoring 7 runs.
It was looking like it would be a mercy rule game.
In the top of the third though Prairie put some good at-bats together. After a leadoff out, Clarice Rehder was hit by a pitch. Ivy Walker was walked. Martin hit a grounder to second with Walker tagged out for the second out of the inning. Lockett then singled to right with Rehder scoring Prairie’s first run of the game. Martin wound up at third on the play. Grace Uhlenkott then topped the ball in front of the plate and it stayed fair. She reached first and Martin was able to slide into home and avoid the tag for the second run of the game. Lockett went to third on the play and Uhlenkott advanced to second. Lockett wound up scoring on a passed ball on ball 4 as Kalmbach walked, Uhlenkott advanced to third and then scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-9.
With some runs on the board, Lockett settled down and got Orofino out in order in the bottom of the third.
In the top of the fourth Halee Rowland and Erica Schlader both walked. After an out Walker hit fly ball to right center that the centerfielder had go off her glove for an error. That loaded the bases. Martin was then hit by a pitch to force home Rowland for a run. Lockett walked to force in Schlader with another run. Uhlenkott then singled to right to score both Walker and Martin. Orofino then changed pitchers. Bailey Key went in to hit for Kalmbach and singled up the middle to score Lockett. Mizer followed with a single to scored Uhlenkott and give Prairie a 10-9 lead. After a second out, Schlader was walked to reload the bases but Orofino then got out of the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth Lockett gave up a 2 out single but then got a grounder to first that Walker fielded and tagged first for the out.
In the fifth Martin drew a 1 out walk and Lockett was hit by a pitch. Lockett was forced out at second with Martin going to third but that’s where the inning ended.
In the bottom of the fifth Orofino got an infield hit and then 3 straight walks and a single to put 4 runs on the board and retake the lead, 10-13.
In the top of the sixth Rowland reached on an error with 1 out. After a second out, Rehder reached on an error and Walker singled to left to score Rowland. Rehder scored on a passed ball. Martin beat out an infield hit to score Walker who had advanced to third on the passed ball. That tied the game at 13-13. Lockett then singled to right to score Martin and give Prairie a 14-13 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth Orofino’s leadoff hitter popped the ball up about halfway between home and third in foul territory. Lockett was able to race over and make a somersaulting catch. The next batter hit a short foul ball wide of first and Walker was able to make a great catch for the second out.
Orofino then tied the ball on a deep fly ball to the fence in center with the batter circling the bases to tie the score. 2 walks and a single later and Orofino had a 2-run lead going into the seventh inning.
Orofino got two quick outs in the top of the seventh then Rowland reached on a passed ball on strike 3. Schlader worked a walk. A wild pitch moved both runners up. Rehder then hit a short fly ball over second that looked like it might tie the score but the Orofino shortstop made a great catch to end the game.
Prairie had 10 hits, all singles. Martin had a pair of singles and an RBI and reached base all 5 times she went to the plate, scoring 3 runs. Lockett also had 2 hits and 3 RBI and scored 2 runs. Uhlenkott had 2 hits and 3 RBI and scored 2 runs. Walker had a single and an RBI and scored 2 runs. Mizer and Key each had a single and an RBI. Kalmbach also had a single.
Lockett gave up 16 runs on 10 hits with 7 walks, a hit batsman and 4 strikeouts.
Prairie is 0-1 on the season. Their next scheduled game will be their league opener at C.V. on Thursday, March 14.
Prairie 0 0 4 6 0 4 0 -14 10 4
Orofino JV 2 7 0 0 4 3 x -16 10 4

Second baseman Clarice Rehder covered first and catches a toss from first baseman Ivy Walker who had to come in to field the ball.

Kadence Kalmbach pulls into first with Prairie's first hit of the game.

Bailey Key came off the bench to hit an RBI single.

Shortstop Ember Martin catches an infield popup.

Erica Schlader makes a catch in centerfield.

Ivy Walker tries to beat out an infield grounder.

Kadence Kalmbach gets ready to throw the ball to the infield after fielding it in right.

Prairie Junior High Girls Basketball Schedule for 2024

All games start at 4:30 p.m. except where indicated

March

14-Highland, here (7th only)
16-Prairie Tournament, TBA

Prairie Softball Schedule

March

11-Orofino JV, there, 4:30 p.m., lost 14-16
14-C.V., there, 4 p.m.
18-Kendrick, there, 4 p.m.
20-Pomeroy, there, 4 p.m.

April

2-Lapwai, there, 4:30 p.m.
4-Grangeville, there, 1+1, 4 p.m.
6-Potlatch, here (2) noon and 2 p.m.
9-Lapwai, here, 4:30 p.m.
15-Lewis County, here, 4:30 p.m.
18-Genesee, here, 4:30 p.m.
22-Genesee, there, 4:30 p.m.
23-Lewis County, here, 4 p.m.
25-C.V., here, 4:30 p.m.
26-Kendrick, here, 4:30 p.m.
30-Orofino JV, here, 4:30 p.m.

May

3-Grangeville, here, 1+1, 4 p.m.
7-District Tournament, higher seed host, 4:30 p.m.
9-District Tournament at Genesee, 3 & 5 p.m.
17-18-State at Genesee
changes in italics