Bandits continue streak of success

The Bandits continued their run of American Legion Senior baseball league and tournament success, and University’s Kenny VanSickle was a major factor.

VanSickle hit safely in seven of eight games, including during a 4-3 triumph over the Pullman Patriots and Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the Valley Cannons that moved the team to 13-2 and first place in the Spokane League.

All told he had 16 hits last week, which included the championship in the Kamloops Canada Cup Classic tournament.

He opened with three, two of them doubles, in a 6-5 win over Vancouver Mounties in the first Kamloops tourney game.

The Bandits convincingly won the next five games for the title and improved to 23-5 overall.

They beat Prince George 7-0, a pair of Calgary teams, 10-0 and 15-3, Calgary again 12-2 in the semifinals and Edmonton 20-0 in the championship game.

The Cannons meanwhile went 2-2 in the Lewiston Fourth of July Tournament.

They lost to host Lewis and Clark Twins 3-2 despite out-hitting the Twins 7 to 4.

Thereafter the Cannons won 8-3 over Riptide baseball, with Dane Knudson limiting his foe to a single run through six innings, and followed with a 23-2 win over the Steilaguamish Tugs.

That game, won by Kris Henderson, was punctuated by a 13-run third inning, the Cannons already leading 10-0.

But they were ousted by Riptide Baseball 10-5.

Gary Jones had seven hits in the four games including two doubles and a home run. Kyle Renz also had seven hits during the tourney.

Michael Hauschild had two- and three-hit games, against Riptide and Steilaguamish. Henderson and Justin Marlow both homered.

WV third in tourney

Spokane Athletic Supply-West Valley’s Junior American Legion team finished third during the annual Spokane Fourth of July Tournament.

WV defeated North Central 4-2 on the pitching of Alex Stanley, two hits by D.J. Mackie and continued good offense from Matt Peterson.

Playing in a rugged pool, the hosts just missed the finals, winning their first four pool games before losing 6-1 to Kimmel Athletic-Ferris and dropping into the game for third and fourth places.

Included was a 6-5 victory over hard-luck team Mt. Spokane (3-1-1), which also tied Ferris (4-0-1) on opening day. It subsequently left the three teams separated by a mere game in the pool standings.

WV defeated Prairie Cardinals 11-2 and Cobb Baseball from Silverdale 7-4 on Saturday and beat South Hill Ravin of Puyallup 9-0 before running afoul of Ferris.

Stanley improved to 6-1 for the summer with his win over NC and Spokane Athletic-Central Valley during an earlier league doubleheader sweep by WV.

During the eight-game stretch, Peterson had a dozen hits, including four doubles and two triples. Phil Gannon had eight hits, two of them doubles, and Mitch Phillips seven, including a home run and two doubles.

SAS-CV, host of the other division, won by ultimate tourney champion Coeur d’Alene, went 1-4 in the Fourth of July Tournament. Runs were scarce, the team scoring just once in three losses.

Most consistent hitters were Eric Peck, with seven hits in seven games including a home run and double, and Trevor Nearing with six, two of them doubles.

American Legion teams began the final two weeks of the league season this week. Kimmel Athletic-University (12-1) leads the South Division and Tuesday completed a season sweep of Lewis and Clark, parlaying five hit batsmen, three in the first inning, into runs during the 12-2 romp.

The team swept Cheney earlier, Adam Smith with a double and home run and Connor Brooks with three hits, one a triple.

East Valley (5-3) edged Medical Lake, Justin Tognocchi with three hits, including a double and triple, and Pullman 14-13, Tognocchi with three more doubles.

WV (5-4) moved up with its sweep of CV (4-7).

In the U-16 Junior A League, University remains unbeaten at 11-0 and has a three-game lead in the East Division.

Hollis here Friday

Central Valley graduate and former National Football League place kicker Mike Hollis is in town and will conduct a clinic for kickers on the football field of his alma mater as a fund-raiser for school activities.

Hollis, a full-time resident of Jacksonville, Fla., where he spent the bulk of his seven years in the NFL, has a summer residence here.

Injuries curtailed his professional career two seasons ago.

“I’ve had three back surgeries,” Hollis said. “Ever since the first one my back never was the same. The wear and tear of kicking, plus time in the weight room, I think, got to me a little bit.”

Hollis kicked for the Bears, graduating in 1990, and set records for season and career field goals. He continued his career at Wenatchee Valley College and the University of Idaho before landing with the Jaguars, where he was a Pro Bowl kicker.

He spent one year with Buffalo and was set to kick with the New York Giants before injuries took their toll.

Friday’s clinic will begin and 9 a.m. and include three two-hour sessions including a video session. Cost is $75 and CV football coach Rick Giampietri said drop-ins are welcome and should arrive a half hour early to sign up.