GSL 3A teams swept
Mt. Spokane shortstop Jarek Cunningham was at last on the field when the Wildcats opened Region 3A baseball competition at home on Tuesday.
Cunningham contributed on defense, hit a pair of doubles and scored a run.
But, on a day when all three Greater Spokane League teams lost, Mt. Spokane was beaten 4-2 by Kennewick.
Columbia Basin League squads swept all four games in the tournament.
North Central (6-15) lost 6-1 to visiting Hanford and East Valley (4-17) was beaten 7-3 at West Valley-Yakima, ending both GSL teams’ seasons.
Mt. Spokane (9-12) gets another chance, at home against WV-Yakima at 4 p.m. Friday, needing two wins, like last year, for a return state trip.
Both Kennewick and Kamiakin, a 2-1 winner over Southridge, advanced to the State 3A tournament with their victories.
“Shoot!” said Wildcats coach Alex Schuerman. “Nothing is ever easy for us.”
Indeed, Mt. Spokane fell behind 1-0 in the first inning on a series of soft hits and a critical two-base errant pickoff attempt. Cunningham’s first double, following a walk, set up a two-run rally and lead in the bottom of the frame.
Starting pitcher Nic Fowler scored on an error and Cunningham on a wild pitch.
But the visitors bounced right back after two were out in the second inning putting the bat on the ball four straight times, including Landon Scott’s two-run single for a 3-2 lead.
Fowler, who allowed seven hits in the first two innings, gave up only two more through six. He struck out nine, including five in the fifth and sixth innings.
His counterpart, 6-foot-7 Tony Bryant, allowed three hits and struck out eight over five innings. One of the blows was Cunningham’s fifth-inning double, but he later was thrown out trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt.
The Arizona State-bound shortstop had missed his entire Greater Spokane League season because of a knee injury last fall and was only recently cleared to play.
“Everything felt normal,” said Cunningham, who wore a protective brace. “I was still kind of faulty turning the bases.”
•At NC, the Indians managed just one hit off pitcher Travis Chalk, a run-scoring triple in the fourth by Mike Delvecchio. Hanford’s Kyle Cruzen was 3 for 3, tripled, scored twice and drove in a run. … In Yakima, of the host Rams’ seven hits, six went for extra bases. Three were home runs, including a three-run blow by pitcher Cody Edwards. Edwards struck out 10. EV’s runs came in the top of the seventh.
Softball
Central Valley (16-5) scored in the sixth inning for a 1-0 victory over University (15-6) that broke a tie and secured second seed into this week’s District 8 4A tournament at Whitworth. The Bears’ Gen Aman led off the bottom of the sixth at U-Hi with a single and scored on Chrystal Holt‘s double for the 1-0 victory. Winning pitcher Alyssa Erickson struck out Chenise Pakootas with runners at second and third in the seventh inning to end the game. By winning, CV has earned an automatic regional berth.
Boys soccer
Ben Antonious scored in the final minute of the match, lifting Mead to a 2-1 victory over Ferris in the District 8 4A playoffs. The victory sends the Panthers to Wenatchee this weekend for a match to determine the eastern region’s third state qualifier. Adrian Tarkington staked Mead to a lead over the Saxons at the 18-minute mark on an assist from Chance Johnstone. Alex Cutter, assisted by James Matern, tied the score just past midway through the second half.
Golf
Connor Moran shot 68 at Liberty Lake Golf Course to lead a fruitful first day for Lewis and Clark in the District 8 4A tournament. Moran was first, Christian Alfaro fourth, Peter Gullickson sixth and Justin Haase 10th. Moran’s medalist round led state veterans Hank Frame of University, who shot 70, and Tanner Robb, Central Valley, at 71. The second round Thursday at MeadowWood advances nine to state.