Loggers’ Butterfield is ready to deal at State

The first piece already has fallen into place for Potlatch. Rebecca Butterfield is ready to pitch.

“Everything seems to be OK,” her father and coach, Dean Butterfield, said Wednesday. “It’s a little stiff, but she’s been pitching the last couple of days.”

That’s a possible game-changer for the Loggers (15-2), who are seeded No. 1 and get a first-round bye in the Idaho Class 1A state softball tournament that starts today at the Moscow School District Community Playfields. They play at noon against the winner of a 10 a.m. opener between district adversaries Kendrick (13-7, No. 4 seed) and Genesee (9-7, No. 5 seed).

It’s a six-team, double-elimination tournament.

Butterfield took a line drive to her pitching hand in the semifinal round of the district tournament May 11 against the Bulldogs. She switched to first base and the Loggers shakily beat Kendrick 12-11 in the final, allowing 10 runs in the last two innings. Their chances look brighter if Butterfield, a senior who boasts a 12-1 record with a 1.79 earned-run average, is close to healthy.

“Even at 80 percent, she’s better than most pitchers in the state,” Kendrick coach Morgan LeBlanc said. “I hope to see her in there.”

The Loggers have been flirting with a state title for years now, placing third last season. But they’re looking for their first championship.

“You can see some nerves,” Dean Butterfield said of his players. “Most of them are feeling good. Hopefully, they just relax and play.”

Senior infielder Emma Chambers leads the Loggers with a .472 batting average, while freshman Hayley McNeal checks in at .455 and junior Allison Akins at .405.

In the first round, Kendrick’s young, athletic team, which includes only two seniors, looks for a rubber-match win against Genesee after the two teams split an April 25 doubleheader, with the Tigers winning 16-0 in the opener before the Bulldogs rallied to take the second game 9-7.

“It’s going to be a battle,” LeBlanc said.

As it worked out, the teams from the Western Idaho Conference all are in the lower half of the bracket. Defending champion Glenns Ferry (14-9), the No. 6 seed, faces third-seeded Greenleaf Friends (14-2) in a first-round game at 10 a.m., with the winner facing No. 2 Notus (16-2) at noon.

After two loser’s bracket games at 2 p.m., the winner’s bracket final is set for 5 pm. Friday. The title round begins at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Grummert may be contacted at daleg@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2290.