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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Regular season softball wraps up today

Most Spokane Valley Girls Softball teams are completing their final week of the 10-game regular season play, not counting makeup games.

League tournaments for 41 teams will determine overall champions during the next two weeks.

The 16U League continues through Monday. Three teams in the six-team conference are separated by a game with White Elephant (4-1), OCB (5-2) and BNSF (4-3) holding the upper hand.

Farrell’s Spray Service is unbeaten at 9-0 in the 11-team 14U League and has secured the top tournament seeding. Four teams chasing the regular season champs are Columbia Paint (6-2), Spokane Packaging (6-2), Commercial Battery (5-2) and Reagan Construction (5-3).

Final regular season games are scheduled for today.

The two-division 12U League was scheduled for completion on Tuesday. There are a total of 16 teams, eight in each division,

McCoy’s Pitching Staff entered the week unbeaten at 7-0 with Kim Hotstart (7-1) not far behind in Division 1. McCoy’s won 12-6 when the two teams met earlier.

Legends (7-1) is atop Division 2, just ahead of BNSF (4-1) and Sir Speedy (4-2). The only Legends loss was 12-11 to Spokane Transfer (4-4). BNSF’s loss came against Legends.

In the 10U League, McCoy’s Pitching Staff (7-0) and Greenacres Gypsum (7-1) have secured the top two playoff seeds. The only loss for Greenacres was 22-12 to McCoy’s earlier in the season.

First no guarantee

History has shown, and Tuesday night verified, that winning the American Legion AAA regular season title matters little.

The Bandits finished first among five teams during the season, but finds itself in the loser’s bracket of the division tournament to determine this year’s state qualifier.

They lost 6-1 to the North Stars, last in league but a two-game playoff winner on Tuesday. The Bandits managed just four hits in the nine-inning playoff game.

The Spokane Valley Cannons, who had a roughly break-even season, including 9-10 in league, began competition Wednesday against the Pullman Patriots.

Last week the Bandits placed third in a tournament at Longview. They had gone 27-12 overall in reported games, and were first in league with a 14-4 record during the season.

The Bandits went 3-2 in Longview, beating the Prairie Dawgs 8-1 and 5-3 and the Washington Warriors 7-4 in the game for third. They lost 2-1 to Yakima Valley and 5-2 to Kirklund Luk.

Dan Jordan hit safely in three games and earned the trophy win pitching in relief. Adam Smith and Nick Burger each had two-hit games.

Last week the Cannons swept the Patriots 9-1 and 10-2 and lost to the Blue Devils 13-1 to end the regular season. Brice Higgins had five hits, and Greg Bradley four during the week. Justin Marlow and Dane Knudson pitched the wins.

Division playoffs continue through Sunday, qualifying the champion to state.

Teams in openers

So far, so good for top seeds Kimmel Athletic (University) and Spokane Athletic Supply (Central Valley) following the start of their American Legion AA state quests on Tuesday.

CV finished on a tear for a 16-4 second place South Division record and defeated Garco Construction (Gonzaga Prep) 10-4 in the first game of a best-of-three series that advances the winner into district.

Garco had gone 15-4 in league and won a loser-out playoff game the day before.

University, a perfect 18-0 in league, routed playoff surprise Whitman County 18-0 in the other South Division series for a district berth.

The series winners games from the North Division begin Friday. That four-team district playoff will qualify two to state.

Spokane Athletic Supply’s win was its 13th straight.

“We’re on a little bit of a roll right now,” said coach Jerod Crowley.

He said an eight-day swing through Montana in June, when the team went 1-5, was a turning point to the CV team’s season.

They won the Coeur d’Alene Cranston Tournament and reeled off eight league wins.

Cameron Miner and Trevor Shull each had three hits against Garco, and KC Mack added two.

Rusty Shellhorn pitched into the seventh inning for the win. He and Shull on the mound and team defense, said Crowley, have been the team’s “bread and butter.”

“You’ll come to know Rusty over the next two years,” said Crowley.

Seven players who will be seniors next year, including Miner and Trevor Nearing, provided stability, he added, and Blake Bledsoe, a sophomore-to-be hit over .400 and filled an outfield position.

“All those guys are doing a great job for us in the field and at the plate,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kimmel Athletic improved to 24-5 overall with its latest easy win.

Billy Moon and Cameron Cook combined on a two-hitter. Ten players hit safely, including Travis Clark, Aaron LaPlante and Kyle Barker, who all doubled.

Clark and LaPlante each had three hits. Jacob Olsufka, Kyle Olson and Mike Holmes all had two.