Weather plays no favorites here

Just returned from a trip to watch my daughter and Central Washington University play a softball tournament in Turlock, Calif.

To steal from singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, the weather was heavenly, but the softball was hell.

The five days spent in Sacramento and Turlock were gorgeous, blue skies and 78 degree weather in which to sightsee and watch three days of the 20-team NCAA Division II Tournament of Champions.

The Wildcats, who started the season with promise, including a sweep of Seattle University in a Great Northern Athletic Conference doubleheader, went 1-5, losing two games by a run and another by two while faring badly in every facet of the game.

The tournament pitted two five-team pools from California against two pools mixed among four teams from Hawaii, one from Arizona and five from the GNAC, including Central, Seattle University and former Greater Spokane League players Amanda Nilles (North Central) and Katie Antich (Gonzaga Prep), and Western Washington.

The latter tied for seventh after finishing in the top two in their respective pools and advancing to Sunday’s championship “Gold” tournament bracket and Western Oregon won “Silver.”

The snow that greeted our return, however, offered stark reality why softball is a decidedly California thing. Humboldt State, which left the GNAC this year for the California Collegiate Athletic Association League, beat host Cal State Stanislaus for the title.

Despite their pool successes, the five GNAC teams were a combined 9-22.

Of course the local weather didn’t prevent Shadle Park from going 8-0 in Greater Spokane League softball prior to spring vacation, including its 10-0 rain-delayed victory over formerly unbeaten North Central.

Tuesday was relatively balmy as I caught some of the early-afternoon Ferris at Gonzaga Prep baseball doubleheader. The teams’ pitching aces split, Ferris winning the opener 10-3 behind Bud Kittredge. G-Prep’s Max Manix took a shutout into the sixth inning and weathered a harrowing conclusion for a 3-2 victory.

Meanwhile, pitching-rich preseason favorite Mt. Spokane, moved into first place with a 9-1 record at the season’s midpoint. The Wildcats have allowed a total of 15 runs in 10 games. Their lone loss was 2-1 to G-Prep. On Tuesday, unbeatens Paul Smith and Nic Fowler allowed nothing in a 3-0, 6-0 doubleheader sweep of Shadle.

There were some remarkable performances during Shadle’s girls track sweep of perennial powers Mead and Mt. Spokane. Three sprinters broke 13 seconds in the 100 meters. Jordan Carlson won in 12.7 and added a 25.8 victory in the 200. Breanna Brown ran 59.6 for 400 meters and anchored a decisive 1,600 relay.

Shadle’s relay times, 49.7 for 400, 1:44.8 for 800 and 4:05 for 1,600 were solid for this early in the season.

Of course, “this early in the season” is relative. Like those GNAC softball teams, high school spring sports no sooner begin than they’re almost over.

Only a month remains before league seasons end and the postseason events begin. State weekend is May 25.

Time flies when you’re having fun.