SAS/WV advances to state tournament

History has not been kind to American Legion League regular season baseball champions.

For the fifth straight year the AAA winner – last two seasons it was the Bandits – was eliminated in the state qualifying tournament. And this year’s AA divisional champions were sidelined as well.

That was good news for Spokane Athletic Supply (West Valley) which went from fourth place in the South Division to a berth in this weekend’s state tournament.

WV plays at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at W.F. West’s Bearcat Stadium in Chehalis, Wash., in the 16-team tournament that continues through Thursday of next week.

West Valley won four straight games and five of six to become the South Division champions and a state qualifier.

Included was a sweep of regular season champion Kimmel Athletic (University), 10-9 and 7-5 after eliminating Medical Lake 3-2.

Spokane Athletic then beat division runner-up Lewis and Clark in a best of three series, winning 11-8 as Mitch Phillips had four hits and Brian Peterson a homer. They split a doubleheader, losing 4-0 and winning 5-0 to earn the state trip. In the district title game WV was beaten 7-1 by Newport.

Brian and Matt Peterson, no relations, led the team offensively with six hits each in five reported games.

University had lost just once during the regular season before faltering in post-season. But two younger University teams didn’t, advancing to the American Legion State A tournament beginning Saturday in Spokane at Al K. Jackson Field (Shadle Park).

University No. 1, the East Division champion will be host team of the eight-team tournament and plays the second game of session 2, which begins at 4 p.m. at Al K. Jackson Field (Shadle Park).

University No. 2 opens the tournament at 10:30 a.m.

And U-Hi coaches have 47 playoff-experienced players to choose from for its teams next spring.

In Senior (AAA) play, the Bandits defeated the Blue Devils 4-3 in their tourney opener, but lost to the North Stars 11-8 and were eliminated by the Valley Cannons 12-2.

The Cannons, however, missed by a game of qualifying for state, losing 17-9 to the North Stars in a game that featured 37 hits, 12 for extra bases. Gary Jones, who hit safely in each playoff game, and Kyle Renz had three each for the Valley team.

They had lost to the North Stars 9-2 in their opener, then eliminated the Blue Devils 7-6 behind the pitching of Bret Riggin and two home runs by Greg Bradley.

Bradley went the distance to oust the Bandits and had one of the team’s four home runs.

Valley baseball season ends

Spokane Valley Baseball regular season came to an end last week and broke the hearts of some teams who had superb seasons.

Top two teams only from each of the Midget and Pee Wee League divisions advanced to this week’s end-of-season championship tournament.

That left two teams out that tied for second in their respective leagues.

River City Pizza (9-3) in the Midget League American was sidelined by a mere run, a 9-8 loss to Banner Fuel that came during the season.

Ginno Construction, despite a 10-2 Pee Wee American season and grand slam home run by Jansen Badinger last week, had its season end because of a 7-3 loss early in the season to the team it tied with, Spokane Indians.

Division champion Tom’s Barber Shop (12-0) beat the Indians 6-3 for a three-game lead when Michael Minarik tied the game with a base hit and Tyler Dixon drove in three runs in the sixth for the win. Tyler Thies and Ryan Brown drove in two runs each in another Tom’s win.

A couple other teams also missed out despite solid years. White Elephant (8-3 with one score unreported) was in the tough Pee Wee National Division where a pair of teams, Blasingame Insurance and Schmitz Construction, both went 11-1.

Their losses came against each other, Blasingame’s two-run scoring advantage in the two games giving it top seed from the division into the playoffs.

Last week Schmitz’s Trey Carolan went 4-for-4, drove in six runs and scored four in two wins. He also had a six-strikeout pitching stint.

In another game, El Katif Shrine ended its season with a win, Ty Laboy driving in six runs with a double and triple.

Leo’s Photography was in the playoff picture into the final week of the Midget League National Division, but a 10-7 loss to runner-up Valley Instant Printing, whose Nyles Ferger drove in two runs and stole six bases, ended its hopes. VIP’s Trevor Bennett had five hits in two games.

Gibson’s Nursery and Realty Rangers finished 12-0 to claim top seeds in their respective American and National Midget divisions.

Matt Harper hit home runs in each of Gibson’s final wins. He, Tyler Crawford and Duncan McDonald allowed but five hits, one run and each struck out eight while pitching the wins.

Realty Rangers’ Thomas Wakem went 3-for-3, scored three times and drove in four and he also pitched three scoreless innings and struck out seven that ended their season with an 11-2 win. He hit .816 for the year.

Ryan Sutherland went 4-for-6 in his final two games and ended the season with a .759 batting average. Michael Barth, 6-for-6 in his final two games like Wakem, finished at .667 for the season.

Elsewhere, River City Pizza’s Joey Lawrence had 14 strikeouts in two games.

Centennial (10-1-1) won the Giants League winning twice by a run and tying in a game where Matt Graham went 4-for-5 with two doubles.

American On-Site Services (Bowdish) tied Valley Electric at 9-3, but secured second seed with four wins in six days. Included were two comeback wins, 10-9 over Grocery Outlet when the team scored six runs in the final two innings, and 9-8 over Home Run Construction with a five-run seventh inning.

Nathan Sulya‘s two-out, full-count single won the first game and Andrew Buglione drove in two runs, also with a two-out, full-count single in the second.

Gavin Marcus pitched 12 2/3 solid innings and Ethan Bishop (six hits) provided added offense.

Merit Electric and Mountain View I (8-4) were other Giants playoff qualifiers.

Deadeyes at Painted Hills

There were both chip-ins and birdies. In one instance one led to the other during last week’s Painted Hills Ladies Golf League play.

Joann Sheard chipped in for a bird on the 11th hole. Sammie Fletcher also birdied, No. 12, en route to a B flight low gross 52.

Meanwhile, Arlene Koth, who had low net 36 in A flight, and Jean Jones, both recorded chip-ins.

Lynda Brautigam shot 51 in A flight for the day’s best score. Mary Liegey shot 61 in C, Nancy Hobbs 60 in D and Kelly Klose 58 in no-handicap for other low gross winners.

Beth Zehn netted 36 in B flight, Eva Dauenhauer had 38 in C and Sue Matsui 35 in D.

Invites to Liberty Lake

Liberty Lake Ladies 9-Hole Club golfers conducted an invitational tournament during weekly competition.

A variety of awards, for long drives, closest to the pin and the like were given out.

Karen Strauss shot low gross 45 to win first flight, Shirley Schoenberger had 57 in second and Frances Martin 51 in third.

Net winners were Arla Beck with 34 in first flight, Sadie Rueckert with 37 in second and Emma Long who had 31 in third, including a chip-in on the 11th hole.

State of the Trailhead

Carolyn State had a state-of-the-art effort during last week’s Trailhead Ladies Golf Club competition.

State led A flight with a low gross 49, ahead of the 57 by B flight winner Bev Johnson and 56 by C flight winner Sandi Hatcher. Eileen Couper led no-handicap.

Net winners were Marcia Rowley and Joyce Jacobs in A flight with 34. Jacobs had a chip-in. B flight went to Sharron Collins, who netted 30, and Grace Libby had her weekly 23 in C flight.

MeadowWood counts half

Not much separated golfers who counted their best nine holes and half handicap during last week’s competition.

Penny Wasser and Toni Grodt finished with net 33s. Shirley Branson and Dianna Sosco weren’t far back at 33 1/2.

Others in the mix were Andine Suddeth with net 34 and Paulette Zuehlke with 34 ½.