Prep baseball: Gonzaga Prep, University post district shutouts

Gonzaga Prep and University High both rode complete-game shutouts Thursday to earn the right to play at 7 tonight for the District 8 4A championship at Avista Stadium.

In the early game, G-Prep’s Cael McKeirnan struck out the first three Central Valley Bears batters he faced in the 5-0 victory that guarantees the Bullpups (14-7) either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed at regionals next week in the Tri-Cities.

“We got good pitching, good defense and good timely hitting,” G-Prep coach Brian Munhall said. “It’s a good time to play good baseball.”

In the later game, University’s typical catcher, Jared Smith, took the mound and threw a complete-game, two-hit shutout over the Mead Panthers.

The game marked the third time the Panthers and Titans (11-8) had played during the week.

Smith’s outing “was an incredible performance when we needed an incredible performance,” Titans coach Tom Hoiland said. “We are in. We are going to the Tri-Cities.”

The Bears (9-12) will play the Panthers (12-9) at 4 p.m. today at Avista Stadium with the winner advancing as the No. 3 seed to regional.

In the 3A district playoffs, Rogers (11-0) will play Shadle Park (10-10) in a loser-out game at 2 p.m. today at Whitworth University.

The winner plays at 5 tonight against Mt. Spokane (17-3) at Whitworth to determine the top two 3A seeds for regionals.

In both 4A games Thursday, the G-Prep and U-Hi offenses struck quickly.

The Bullpups’ Jordan Rathbone got things started in the bottom of the first inning with a double over the head of the Bears’ center fielder that scored Ryan Cote, who earlier had walked.

Jack Machtolf then singled off CV pitcher Rusty Ford to score Rathbone.

G-Prep scored three runs in the bottom of the second after David Mickey reached on an error, Cote doubled and Rathbone hit a grounder that was mishandled, allowing Mickey to score. Machtolf singled to score Cote.

On the next pitch, Machtolf stole second base and Rathbone scored from third on the throw for what turned out to be the last score of the game.

Bears coach Mike Amend said McKeirnan threw well.

“When you don’t string (hits) together, it doesn’t give you a very good chance to win,” he said.

In the later game, the Titans’ Garrett Schmerer led off the game with double off Mead’s Mason Wells. Wells then plunked U-Hi’s Brian Hill with a pitch.

Mitchell Rhodes followed with a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. Bryce Williamson smacked a base hit that scored Schmerer and Hill and turned out to be all the runs U-Hi’s Smith would need.

“It feels pretty good,” Smith said. “Now we play for the district title. We haven’t done that for a long time. It’s pretty sweet.”