Ccs Calls Upon Zimmerman Sasquatch Begin Tournament Against Strong Bellevue Nine

Community Colleges of Spokane coach Hal DeBerry will throw Charlie Zimmerman against Bellevue Community College today when the teams meet at 1 p.m. in the opening round of the Northwest Association of Community Colleges baseball tournament in Walla Walla.

“He’s really pitched well for us down the stretch and deserves the start,” DeBerry said of his sophomore ace, who was 9-1 with a 3.41 earned run average during the regular season. “He was really our go-to guy all season long.”

Zimmerman completed eight of the 10 games he started for the Sasquatch (24-12), who finished 28-8 and tied Walla Walla for first place int he NWAACC East Division.

Bellevue was 28-8 overall during the regular season and ranks as one of the favorites in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament that runs through Monday. DeBerry noted that the favorite’s label has not been kind to recent teams.

“During the time that I’ve been around, it’s seems like the favorite has always gone home in two (games),” DeBerry said. “With what’s at stake, the level of play by everyone seems to step up.

“We feel good about our chances and our region feels good about who it sends in every year just because of how competitive our league is.”

The Sasquatch had been paced on offense by sophomore catcher and cleanup hitter Jason Mathews. Mathews batted .389 with four home runs during the regular season and was named the region’s most valuable player.

Still, DeBerry said the tournament will probably be decided by pitching depth.

“Everybody is in the same boat we are,” he said. “They have two, maybe three, pitchers they’ve depended on all year, but after that all have question marks.”

DeBerry plans to start Kory Kimball (3-0, 3.82 ERA) in Friday’s second game and either Brock Barnhart (3-3, 4.86) or Shane Rice (2-1, 5.40) if the Sasquatch make it to Saturday’s third round.

Golf

Sundance professional Chris Mitchell finished tied for sixth at the Washington Open after shooting a final-round 72 at Glendale Country Club in Bellevue.

Mitchell, whose three-day total of 213 was nine shots behind winner Jeff Gove of Seattle, won $2,605.

Indian Canyon’s David Christensen shot 219 and finished tied for 23rd. He earned $871.25. Bob Scott of Liberty Lake finished 28th at 220. He earned $655.

Women’s basketball

CCS coach Bruce Johnson has added two more names to his 1995-96 roster.

Johnson signed 6-foot center Heather Brandt of Tekoa-Oakesdale and Tauni Marchand, a 5-6 guard from Yakima’s White Swan.

Brandt averaged 12 points and seven rebounds a game for the T-O Nighthawks. T-O lost in the State B championship game to Wishkah Valley this year.