M&L; Construction Falls To Wenatchee

M&L Construction lost its opening game at the American Legion state baseball playoffs in Yakima on Wednesday, falling to Wenatchee 14-2.

Wenatchee pulled away with a six-run second inning that featured just one hit, two walks, a hit batter and three M&L Construction errors.

M&L will play at 9:30 this morning against South End Heating of Enumclaw in a loser-out game.

M&L finished with just three hits - singles by Adam Morris, Ray Hattenburg and Robert Elmer - struggling against Wenatchee pitcher Justin Fairbanks.

Fairbanks (10-2) went the distance, allowing just four hits and striking out four.

He also led Wenatchee with four hits, including a grand slam in the second inning. He finished with eight RBIs.

M&L starter Jeff Rinck (9-1) lasted only 1-1/3 innings, surrendering nine runs. Robert Elmer relieved and went the rest of the way.

Last week, Rinck threw a no-hitter against Chapter 11/Longhorn Barbecue in the region championship.

The two teams combined for nine errors, four by M&L.

“They’re a very good team,” said M&L coach Keith Ward. “(Fairbanks) throws better than anybody we’ve seen all year. They’re good, but we should have played them a lot closer.

“Our goal is to be here on Friday. If we play like we can, we will,” he said.

Golf

Kyle Kelly of Spokane shot an even-par 72 and was six strokes off the lead after the first round of the Kmart Greater Greensboro Junior in Brown Summit, N.C.

Billy Williamson of Loveland, Ohio, shot a 6-under 66 for the lead.

In the girls division, Spokane’s Jennifer Hatley shot an 83, 12 strokes behind leader Katy Wilkinson of South Bend, Ind.

Royal Stumph of Spokane lost in the second round of match play in the 41st Pacific Northwest Golf Association Junior Boys Amateur Tournament in Billings, Mont.

Stumph lost 1 up to Aaron Kerth of Kent, Wash. Of the five Inland Empire golfers in the tournament, Stumph was the only one to advance to the second round.

Eileen Hargrove of Indian Canyon shot a 79 and was low gross at the Spokane Area Women’s Golf Association’s Sweeps tournament at Sun Dance Golf Course.

Kathy Durgan of The Fairways was low net with a 67.

Mark Rohde of Spokane earned a spot in the Tri-Cities Open after finishing first in a qualifying round at Sun Willows Golf Course.

Heather Graff of Kennewick lost in the second round of match play and was eliminated from the 95th U.S. Women’s Amateur in Brookline, Mass.

Basketball

John Wade, the former head basketball coach at Eastern Washington University, is expected to be named assistant coach at UC Santa Barbara today, a UCSB official said.

, DataTimes