Moscow can clinch league title tonight against Lakeland

The Moscow softball team will look to extend its seven-game winning streak and clinch the league title when the Bears take on Lakeland in today's doubleheader in Rathdrum.

A win in either of today's contests against the Hawks would clinch the 4A Inland Empire crown and give Moscow the right to host a playoff game next week.

"That's our main goal, to win our league," Bears assistant coach Glenn Adams said. "Our team's other goal is to sweep our league, so that's within our reach too."

Moscow (9-7, 6-0) has defeated 4A Inland Empire League foe Sandpoint in all four meetings and bested the Hawks in a doubleheader earlier as well, meaning that even if Lakeland swept the Bears today, the two schools would be tied for the top spot in their division. If that were to happen and the two schools had identical league records and head-to-head records, then the run differential in the head-to-head meetings would prove to be the difference. Moscow defeated Lakeland by the scores of 19-16 and 18-8 in the earlier meetings, meaning the Bears would have to suffer a pair of lopsided defeats to lose that tiebreaker.

"Frankly we haven't looked at the margin of victory, as long as we win one, that's all that counts," Adams said. "We're going to try to score as many runs as we can in any situation so I'm not sure even if knowing would even change our game plan."

Being in this position, of having a shot at clinching the league crown, is a new experience for most of the team - the same squad went 3-18 last year en route to a last-place finish. The pair of seniors who have experienced a winning season before, Devin Chandler and Haley Adams, will need to keep the team focused as they play the last week of the regular season.

"Looking at the 2013 version of this team ... they didn't know how to win," Adams said. "At the beginning of the season, we still didn't know how to win. Our players have worked really hard in practice and in games to maintain our effort, so to have this stretch of wins, it confirms that the hard work was worth it and there's an expectation to build upon it."

As good as the senior sluggers have been in the middle of the lineup and in the field, Adams noted there are a lot of younger players who have had great seasons as well.

"Cheyenne Barnard has been consistently productive all year," Adams said. "Monica Burnette has played well offensively and on defense and Marissa Wear has solidified our outfield. One thing that has been impressive about this team is we've started rallies throughout the lineup and the entire lineup has contributed. It isn't just one or two players."

After today's doubleheader, the Bears will have two more twinbills on the road to wrap up the regular season - Thursday at Post Falls and Friday at Colfax.

The baseball team also has a shot at getting a share of first place when Moscow (6-11, 4-2) takes on Lakeland in a doubleheader at 2 p.m. today.

In the previous meeting between the two schools, the Hawks took both ends of the doubleheader 8-1 and 13-3.

"On paper we're pretty even as far as talent and experience," MHS coach Evan Hecker said after the games.

The Bears were clicking on all cylinders the last time they were on the diamond, routing Sandpoint 16-3 and 21-0. Moscow did not make an error in either game, and every player on the travel roster recorded a base hit. If the Bears can keep that momentum going, they'll have a shot at making things interesting today.

Ben Handel can be reached at (208) 883-4629, or by email to bhandel@dnews.com.