Lady Pirates open with a tie
The Prairie Lady Pirates opened their softball season with a game at Lapwai that won’t be finished until April 15 at Cottonwood as it was stopped due to darkness after 6 innings with the score tied at 21-21. The game was played at Lapwai Thursday, March 18.
Prairie led the game until a late Lapwai rally tied the score in the bottom of the 6^th.
Madison Shears led off the game with a single to right, stole second and went to third on a passed ball. Mackenzie Key walked and Prairie pulled off a delayed double steal. Key stole second and once the throw went to second, Shears took off from third and scored.
Eve Uhlenkott walked. Both runners moved up on Josie Remacle’s groundout. Key scored on a passed ball and a couple pitches later, Uhlenkott also scored on a passed ball.
With 2 outs, Riley Enneking drew a walk and stole second. Gracie Farr also walked and both runners moved up on a wild pitch.
Laney Forsmann’s hard grounder to first got through for an error with both runners scoring for a 5-0 lead.
Key pitched for the Pirates and got a quick out then gave up a single, 2 walks and another single but got out of the inning with just 1 run scoring.
Ember Martin walked to lead off the second and stole second. With 1 out, Key singled home Martin. Uhlenkott beat out an infield single and both runners eventually scored on passed balls to make it 8-1.
2 errors, 2 walks and a 2 run single led to 4 runs for Lapwai in the second inning as they cut Prairie’s lead to 8-5.
Prairie added 2 runs in the third as Martin and Shears each walked with 1 out. Both moved up on stolen bases to second and third. Martin scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Key and Shears scored on a single to right by Uhlenkott.
In the bottom of the third, Key got the side out in order as Prairie maintained their 10-5 lead.
The Pirates posted 7 runs in the fourth inning. Tara Schlader led off and was hit by a pitch. She stole second and then third and scored on a wild pitch. After an out, Farr walked, Forsmann and Martin were both hit by pitches to load the bases for Shears.
Shears hit a gapper to the fence in right center and was able to circle the bases for an inside the park grand slam homer. Prairie wasn’t done scoring yet as Key and Uhlenkott each singled up the middle. Remacle was hit by a pitch to reload the bases. After a second out, Enneking walked to force in Key and Farr reached on catcher’s interference to force in Uhlenkott and make it 17-5. The rally was cut off when a baserunner was called out for leaving the base before the pitch left the pitcher’s hand.
Lapwai cut the deficit to 17-9 with 4 runs in the bottom of the third. They had 5 hits, including a double, and might have tied it if not for a pair of defensive plays. Rightfielder Enneking threw out a baserunner at second trying to stretch a 3-run single into a double. After the next bitter doubled, she advanced to third on a passed ball. Catcher Remacle’s throw to third went over third baseman Farr’s head but shortstop Shears backed up the play, caught the ball in the air and tagged the runner off third for the third out.
Prairie added 3 runs in the top of the fifth to take a 20-9 lead and give themselves a chance to end the game on the 10-run rule.  Lapwai changed pitchers to start the inning and Martin drew a 1-out walk and stole second. Shears beat out an infield single. Key then singled up the middle to score Martin. Shears scored on a groundout by Uhlenkott and Key came home on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the fifth Prairie got off to a promising start when Lapwai sent the wrong hitter to the plate after the previous inning had ended on the basepaths. Unfortunately things quickly went downhill as 3 walks, 3 singles, 2 hit batters and an error led to 7 Lapwai runs that cut the lead to 20-16 before Prairie was able to get out of the inning.
Prairie loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the sixth but could only push across 1 run. Schlader walked to lead off and Enneking and Farr were both hit by pitches. Forsmann walked to force home Schlader. Then a strikeout and another baserunner leaving early scored 2 quick outs. Shears was hit by a pitch to reload the bases then a groundout to first ended the inning.
With a 21-16 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth Prairie might still be able to hold on for the win. However Lapwai led off with a triple and that runner scored on an outfield error. Prairie got the next 2 batters outs then a walk and hit batter loaded the bases. Lapwai’s #8 hitter then crushed the ball to the fence in right center, clearing the bases and she then scored the tying run. Key got the next batter out to end the inning.
There was discussion on whether to try and play another inning but it was then decided to suspend the game and finish it when Lapwai visits Prairie in April.
Prairie had 9 hits led by Shears who had 2 singles, a homer and 4 RBI. Key had 3 singles and 3 RBI. Uhlenkott had 3 singles and 2 RBI. Farr and Forsmann each had an RBI.
Key gave up 13 hits with 3 strikeouts, 8 walks and 3 hit batters.
Prairie  5 3 2 7 3 1—21   9 4
Lapwai 1 4 0 4 7 5—21 13 1

Shears plays in State All-Star game

16-at Culdesac, 4:30 p.m.-postponed to April 27 to be part of a doubleheader at Cottonwood
18-at Lapwai, 4:30 p.m., suspended after 6 innings tied at 21-21, to be finished April 15 at Cottonwood
25-at Kendrick, v & JV, 4 p.m.

12-at Grangeville, 4:30 p.m.
13-Nezperce, here, 4:30 p.m.
15-Lapwai, here, 4:30 p.m.
16-Kamiah/CV, here, 4:30 p.m.
20-Kendrick, here, 4 p.m.
22-at Genesee (2), 3:30 p.m.
24-at Potlatch (2), noon
27-Culdesac, here, (2) 3 p.m.
29-at Nezperce, 4:30 p.m.
30-Troy, here, (2), 3:30 & 5 p.m.

4-Grangeville, here, 4:30 p.m.
6-at Kamiah/CV, 4:30 p.m.
11-District Play-in, #6 at #3 and #5 at #4, 4:30 p.m.
13-District at Genesee, 3 and 5 p.m.
21-22-State at Caldwell