| Lady
Pirates win 4th state title in 5 years
The Prairie Lady Pirates swept through the state softball tournament at Lewiston Friday and Saturday, May 20-21 to win their 4th title in the past five years. They knocked off Notus 9-2 and Genesee 10-4 on Friday and then beat Genesee again by a 14-4 margin on Saturday in the championship game. 
Megan Sigler had an outstanding tournament and would’ve easily won MVP if such an award were given out as she pitched both wins over Genesee and banged out 10 hits in 13 at-bats for a .769 average. She scored 9 runs and had 5 RBI out of the leadoff spot. The hits, runs, batting average, 2 triples and slugging percentage of 1.307 are all records and she tied the doubles record of 3. On offense Prairie scored a pair in the bottom of the first to get things started. Sigler hit the first pitch she saw from Notus over the left fielder’s head for a triple. She then scored when the throw back to third got away for an error.  Tanna
Schlader followed with a single up the middle and Savanah Prigge followed
with a double to right that scored Schlader.
Haleigh Schmidt beat out an infield single and after a pair of pop-ups, Meaghan Bruner walked to load the bases but that was it for the Pirates in the inning. Prairie added another run in the second inning when Sigler hit the second pitch she saw in the game for a double down the left field line. She scored on Prigge’s second double of the game to make it 3-0 after 2 innings. Prairie stranded a pair of runners in the third but scored two more in the fourth. Sigler led off and on the third pitch she saw in the game, doubled to right and went to third on an error. She then scored on what should’ve been a sacrifice fly by Schlader to centerfield. The centerfielder had the ball go off her glove and by the time it was retrieved and thrown back in, Schlader had circled the bases to make it 5-0. Prairie added 4 more runs in the fifth as Holthaus led off with a single up the middle and Bruner followed with a walk. Monica Lustig then singled to right to score Holthaus. Sigler followed and hit a grounder to short that went through the wickets for an error allowing both Bruner and Lustig to score and Sigler to move to second. Sigler then stole third and scored on Schlader’s infield single. That left Prairie 1 run short of ending the game early on the 10-run mercy rule with a runner on first and just 1 out. Unfortunately Prairie had Schlader attempt to steal and when Prigge popped up to short it turned into an inning-ending double play as Schlader was unable to beat the throw back to first. Neither team scored in the sixth inning and Notus finally broke through against Holthaus in the seventh with a leadoff triple, an infield single and an error to plate 2 runs. Holthaus then settled down and struck out the next two hitters before the game ended on a groundout to second. Prairie had 12 hits in the game led by Sigler with a triple and 2 doubles. Prigge had 2 doubles and 2 RBI. Schlader had 2 singles and 2 RBI, Holthaus had 2 singles and Schmidt, Kendall Schumacher and Lustig each had a single. Notus 0 0 0 0 0 0 2—2 3 4 Prairie 2 1 0 2 4 0 x—9 12 2 
Sigler flew out to center to open the game but Schlader then reached on an error by the third baseman. Prigge then grounded to short and the normally solid defender Brooke Dahmen threw the ball wide of her second baseman in an attempt to force Schlader. A wild pitch moved up both runners. Schmidt walked to load the bases and Kendra Dinning then hit into a fielder’s choice that led to another error as the throw got past the catcher in attempt to get a forceout at the plate and 2 runs scored with Schmidt moving to third. Holthaus scored Schmidt with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 3-0. Another error in the second inning helped Prairie score 4 more runs. Schumacher led off with a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Lustig followed with a single and then stole second. Sigler then hit a 2 run double and went to third on an error. Schlader then singled up the middle to score Sigler. Schlader then stole second and moved to third on Prigge’s groundout. Schmidt singled up the middle to score Schlader and make it 7-0. Prairie didn’t score in the third and Genesee got back in the game with 3 runs in the bottom of the inning. Sigler gave up 3 straight hits that scored a run. Two sacrifice flies each plated another run before Sigler got out of the inning with a groundout to short. Neither team scored in the fourth and fifth innings although Genesee threatened in the fourth when Genesee got a walk and 2 straight hits to load the bases after two were out. Prairie got out of the inning unscathed when the next hitter bounced a grounder to Holthaus who was able to beat the runner coming off second to third base for the forceout. In the sixth Sigler led off with a triple to right center and scored on Schlader’s groundout to shot. Prigge then hit one down the left field line that became a ground rule double when the ball went out of play in the left field corner. She scored on Dinning’s single to right to make it 9-4. Genesee plated a run in the bottom of the 6th on a single and a double. Prairie added another run in the 7th when Bruner got a leadoff single, stole second and went to third on a groundout. She scored on Sigler’s infield single to make it 10-4. Genesee got a runner on after 2 outs in the bottom of the inning but Sigler induced a comebacker to end the game as she tossed out the runner at first. Prairie had 12 hits in the game led by Sigler who had a triple, double and single and 3 RBI. Prigge had a double and a single and Schlader, Schmidt, Dinning, Holthaus, Bruner, Schumacher and Lustig had a single each as everyone in the lineup got at least 1 hit. Sigler gave up 9 hits and 4 runs with 2 walks and 1 strikeout. Prairie 3 4 0 0 0 2 1—10 12 1 Genesee 0 0 3 0 0 1 0— 4 9 5  Sigler
pitched again and got a called third strike on the leadoff batter but catcher
Schmidt couldn’t hang on to the pitch and Genesee’s speedy Kendall Kelnhofer
was able to reach first. She stole second and went to third on her sister
Taylor’s pop fly that just got past shortstop Holthaus for a hit.
Sigler then got Dahmen to strike out looking but a groundout to third scored the first run and a wild pitch allowed the second run to score. Prairie was able to answer back as Sigler singled to left on the second pitch she saw. A passed ball moved her to second and then she managed to steal third as she caught Genesee napping on a toss back to the pitcher. She scored when Prigge grounded out to first. The score stayed at 2-1 until the fourth as both pitchers sailed through the next two innings. Genesee threatened in the fourth with a walk and 2 infield hits loading the bases with just 1 out. Sigler then got Genesee’s next hitter to bounce one back to her and she threw home for the force and Schmidt then threw out the batter at first for an inning ending double play. The bottom of the fourth is where Prairie won the championship. After an inning opening strikeout Prairie put 8 straight runners on base. Holthaus started things with a single to right and Bruner followed with a walk. Schumacher then singled home Holthaus and Lustig walked to load the bases for Sigler who singled to right to score Bruner. Schlader then grounded to short but Dahmen’s throw home for the force went wide allowing both Schumacher and Lustig to score. Prigge then singled to right and went to second on an error with both Sigler and Schlader scoring. Schmidt walked before Genesee finally got a second out in the inning. Holthaus then tripled to right to bring in 2 more runs and scored on Bruner’s bloop single to left to give Prairie a 10-2 lead. In all 13 batters went to the plate with 6 hits, 3 walks and an error contributing to the 9 runs scored. Genesee answered back with a pair of runs in the fifth on 3 hits but Holthaus made a great play at short to snag a ball that appeared headed for the 4th Genesee hit of the inning and threw out the batter at first to end the inning. Prairie tried to invoke the 10-run rule in the bottom of the fifth when Lustig reached on an error to lead off the inning and Sigler followed with a single up the middle for her 4th hit of the game, the last 3 on the first pitch of the at-bat. Lustig scored on a groundout by Prigge and Sigler scored on a wild pitch as Schmidt was walked on 4 pitches. A wild pitch moved Schmidt to second and Dinning, who had struggled at the plate to that point with 3 strikeouts, singled to score Schmidt to give Prairie a 13-4 lead. Genesee went out in order in the top of the 6th leaving Prairie needing just 1 run to end it. Schumacher hit a 1-out single to right and Lustig executed a sacrifice bunt to move her to second. Sigler drew what for all intents was an intentional walk and Schlader followed with a game ending single as Schumacher scored from second. Prairie wound up with 12 hits in the game led by Sigler who had 4 singles and an RBI. Holthaus had a triple and a single and 2 RBI while Schumacher had 2 singles and an RBI. Prigge had a single and 2RBI while Schlader, Bruner and Dinning had a single and an RBI each. Sigler allowed 4 runs on 5 hits with 7 strikeouts and 1 walk. Prairie 10-runned Genesee 3 of the 4 times they played and scored at least 10 runs in each game. Prairie ends the season with a 19-6 record. Genesee 2 0 0 0 2 0— 4 5 3 Prairie 1 0 0 9 3 1—14 12 2
The Prairie High School softball team won their 4th state championship in 5 years 14-4 over Genesee Saturday at Lewiston. The team is shown with the state banner and trophy. Front from left are Hailey Danly, Jessica Kaschmitter, Monica Lustig, Meaghan Bruner, Kendra Dinning, Megan Sigler, Kendall Schumacher and Ashley Cannon. Back from left are head coach Jeff Martin, Breanna Bianchi, Katherine Nida, Amanda Dinning, Haleigh Schmidt, Mackenzie Rieman, Lydia Lustig, Amanda Kaschmitter, MeShel Rad, Savanah Prigge, Leah Holthaus, Tanna Schlader and assistant coach Steve Wilson. Prairie Softball 2011 March 12-vs. Kellogg at Lewiston (2 games) 1 p.m. won 12-6, 10-1 15-Kamiah, there, 4 p.m., postponed due to weather 19-at Lewiston JV Tournament: vs. Colton JV, 10 a.m; vs. Colton, noon; vs. Sandpoint, 2 p.m., cancelled 21-vs. Moscow at Lewiston (2 games) 4:30 p.m. postponed to April 11 22-vs. Highland at Lewiston, 4 p.m., won 20-0 23-vs. Colton, 4:30 p.m., won 9-7 24-vs Potlatch at Lewiston (2 games) 4:30 p.m., won 17-7, 14-2 7-Grangeville, here, 4 p.m., postponed 11-vs. Moscow at Lewiston (2 games) 4:30 p.m. lost 1-11, 4-17 12-vs. Genesee at Lewiston, 4:45 p.m., won 10-0 15-Kamiah, here, 4 p.m., won 13-3 16-vs. Troy at Lewiston (2 games) 11 a.m., lost 6-8, won 17-7 19-Highland, here, 4 p.m., postponed, rain and snow 21-Orofino, there, 4:30 p.m., lost 1-3 25-Grangeville, there, 4 p.m., postponed 26-Timberline, there, 4 p.m. (2 games), won 16-6, 19-1 29-Grangeville, here, won 17-2 9-Highland, here, 4 p.m., cancelled 11-vs Colton at Lewiston, lost 1-7, 1-12 14-Districts at Lewiston, defeated Potlatch 14-4, defeated Troy 10-9, District champs 20-21-State at Lewiston, to play Notus at noon at Airport Park, defeated Notus 9-2, defeated Genesee 10-4, defeated Genesee 14-4 - State Champions!! |
 |
