DeLong, CdA stick it to LC
Jenna DeLong did something she’s never done before Tuesday afternoon. The Coeur d’Alene High junior pitcher chomped on a piece of gum from opening pitch to final pitch.
It seemed appropriate, as things turned out, considering DeLong chewed up Lake City’s hitters, too. Coeur d’Alene captured its fifth consecutive 5A Region I softball championship by blanking the Timberwolves 2-0 at CdA.
The Vikings (16-6) advance to state, May 18-20 at Twin Falls.
Lake City (17-5), which handled Lewiston 7-1 in the regional opener Tuesday, will play host to Lewiston (7-14) on Thursday in a loser-out game at 4. The winner advances to a play-in game to decide a state berth against Borah (14-13), the District III fifth-place team, Saturday at Orofino.
DeLong usually keeps a handful of sunflower seeds in her back right pocket to munch on throughout a game. But this time, she found herself chewing on a piece of Wrigley’s cinnamon-flavored gum through the first two innings, and she wasn’t about to interrupt her rhythm.
It’s highly doubtful that the gum had any effect on DeLong’s performance – at least not physically. But whatever inspired her, it worked.
DeLong struck out eight, including the final two batters after she gave up a leadoff single to open the seventh inning. The hit was just the Timberwolves’ fourth.
Perhaps the most telling statistic, though, was walks. DeLong allowed none.
What made matters equally difficult for LC was that CdA played airtight defense – save one throwing error. Senior second baseman Jessyca Le, for example, stabbed a ground ball ranging to her left, spun and pivoted before throwing out the runner at first.
“The defense was amazing,” DeLong said. “I had no doubt in my mind that we were going to win that game.”
The lone run CdA scored in the first was all the Vikings would need.
It was an unearned run. Leadoff hitter Brianna Robson reached on a fielding error. After stealing second, Robson scored on a single by Lindsey Stark, the first of two run-scoring hits.
Stark’s second key hit came in the third inning. Again, Robson, CdA’s offensive igniter, led off with a single, stole second and scored on Stark’s sharp hit up the middle.
DeLong, CdA’s extinguisher, took care of the rest. She admitted to being stunned momentarily in the sixth when she gave up back-to-back hits with two outs.
“I was as focused as I could be,” DeLong said. “Then they got those two hits in a row and I was a little shaken. I took a deep breath and got back in it.”
The Timberwolves never mounted any serious threat. The riseball was DeLong’s most effective pitch and the lone changeup she threw for a strike came on the game’s final pitch.
“It didn’t really matter what I threw because I knew my defense was going to get the ball and throw it to first or catch it in the outfield,” DeLong said. “They got it done. Sure, I pitched well, but I credit everything to defense. I’ve never seen them play like that. Today we played like we should play. There was 100 percent focus.”
CdA coach Larry Bieber agreed with DeLong’s assessment.
“She was superb, but we played such great defense behind her,” Bieber said. “That play (Jessyca) made was phenomenal. We had a lot of good defensive plays behind her and that really helps (DeLong).”
DeLong was still chewing on the gum well after the game. Finally, she tossed it in the dugout trash can.
“It was cinnamon. It made my mouth on fire. So I guess it made me throw a little harder,” DeLong said. “I guess it’s my lucky gum.”
LC coach Laura Tolzmann told her team afterward to focus on winning two more games and joining CdA at state.
“I told them that on a positive note, we get two more games before state instead of a week and a half off,” Tolzmann said.
• In the opener, LC got out fast, taking a 2-0 lead in the first and adding seven more in the second on six hits.
Richelle Fenenbock paced the Timberwolves, going 4 for 4 including an inside-the-park homer in the second that brought in three runs.