Fast Break

Softball

Skillingstad wins Gatorade award

Shadle Park’s Sam Skillingstad, who pitched the Highlanders to this year’s State 4A championship, has been named Washington Gatorade Softball Athlete of the Year.

Skillingstad compiled a 28-1 record and did not allow a run in seven regional and state games. She pitched 175 innings during the year, allowed just six earned runs (a 0.24 ERA) and struck out 368.

The Highlanders were ranked 13th in the final USA Today Super 25 national poll after peaking at 11th.

NFL

Former Vandal on Guiding Light

NFL Live analyst Mark Schlereth, a former NFL and Idaho Vandals lineman, will make a guest appearance today on the CBS daytime soap opera Guiding Light.

The three-time Super Bowl winner with the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos will play the role of NYPD detective/crime novelist Roc Hoover.

Guiding Light’s casting director saw Schlereth on ESPN and approached him about making an appearance on the show. Schlereth is expected to return for future episodes.

Guiding Light is shown locally on CBS at 2 p.m.

College basketball

Cougars win exhibition finale

Aron Baynes scored 16 points in front of his hometown crowd at Cairns, Australia, leading Washington State past the Cairns Marlins 73-65 in the final exhibition game for the Cougars during their six-game trip to New Zealand and Australia.

WSU finished their tour with a 4-2 record. Both losses were by one point.

WSU used balanced scoring to hand Cairns its first loss of the season. Derrick Low hit all eight of his free throws and finished with 16 points, while Taylor Rochestie chipped in with 13 points. Robbie Cowgill added 12 points and 12 rebounds to the WSU effort, while Kyle Weaver had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Baseball

RiverHawks open season tonight

The Spokane RiverHawks, coming off a 28-14 season in 2006, open their West Coast Collegiate League season with a six-game homestand that begins tonight at the new Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field at Gonzaga University.

The RiverHawks will take on the Kelowna Falcons tonight, Friday and Saturday with the first two games set for 7. Saturday’s game will be at 1 p.m. The RiverHawks then host Kitsap for three games, Sunday through Tuesday.

Tickets for all games are still available and can be purchased through Ticketswest or at the gate. Adults cost $5 and seniors and children 12 and younger are $3.