With win, Titans tied for second in GSL baseball
University High School’s baseball team, with virtually a new lineup, repeated what last year’s veterans had done.
The Titans, with 13-3 and 3-0 victories over Rogers on Thursday, tied for second in the Greater Spokane League and earned a bye into the double-elimination portion of next week’s District 8 4A playoffs.
“Basically we had one guy who had any GSL experience,” said first-year head coach Scott Sutherland. “To be 13-7, I’m just tickled.”
The “one guy” is Titan shortstop-pitcher Danny Jordan who, said Sutherland, “pitched like the Danny of last summer” in throwing an 11-strikeout, four-hit shutout in the second game.
“He looked like a totally new kid, throwing 83-84 miles per hour,” Sutherland continued. “I’m excited at what we might see next week.”
In reality, two other players, Billy Moon and Aaron LaPlante, saw action as well for last year’s district qualifiers.
This year’s staff ace, sophomore Moon improved to 8-1 with his first-game pitching victory, was 5-for-8 hitting during the doubleheader and had three RBIs in the opener.
LaPlante, who had three hits, slugged his fourth home run this season and also drove in three runs.
The rest of U-Hi’s starting lineup is new and young, but like last year’s team, the Titans don’t play until Friday’s double elimination round at Whitworth College.
Fourth-place Central Valley (9-10 going into its season finale Friday against Mt. Spokane) opens district play in a loser-out game against Gonzaga Prep, 7 p.m. Wednesday at Avista Stadium.
That tournament concludes at Avista Stadium next Saturday. Two teams continue on.
•West Valley learned its Great Northern League playoff fate Friday in a doubleheader at Colville.
The Eagles were tied for first place with Pullman, a game ahead of Clarkston. If they finished in the top two, they host a second-round District 2A game in the tournament which concludes next Saturday at Central Valley.
Two teams qualify for state.
•Freeman secured the second seed into the eight-team Bi-District tournament between Northeast A League and Caribou Trail League teams. The Scotties play Omak, 11 a.m. Tuesday at Eastmont High in Wenatchee, needing two wins in the double-elimination tournament to qualify for state.
Bears win title
Central Valley’s boys track team made it official by winning its first Greater Spokane League championship.
Speed did it this time as the Bears scored 90 points or more while whipping Ferris, University and Shadle Park.
Connor Janhunen won both the 100 and 200 meter sprint races in 11.0 and 22.0, and James Adams roared to a 49.8, leading a sweep that included Brad Whitley‘s 50.9 and Danny Groby‘s 51.6. The Bears also swept both relays, running the 400 in 44.6 and 1,600 in 3:25.4.
CV also won both horizontal jumps, Greg Barnes in the long jump and William Davis at 44-feet-1 in the triple jump. And Tyler Murphey reached 50-5 in the shot put.
As a result, today the Bears are kings of the GSL.
•East Valley girls finished 6-4 and the boys 4-6, U-Hi boys and CV girls were 2-8 and the Titan girls 1-8-1.
•West Valley boys and girls swept meets with Medical Lake and Clarkston setting up their title showdown at home next Thursday against Cheney.
Softball ends Monday
Regular season ends and district playoffs begin next week for Greater Spokane League softball teams.
University (15-3) plays at unbeaten Shadle Park Monday in a game between the league’s top two 4A teams.
Central Valley (11-7) will finish as high as third among 4A schools and opens district play Thursday at Whitworth.
West Valley, third in the Great Northern League finished the season at unbeaten Colville, with playoffs upcoming.
CV soccer done
Central Valley’s stay in the District 8 4A playoffs was brief, after a late goal by Ferris sent the match into overtime.
The Bears ultimately lost 2-1 in a shootout in Wednesday’s loser-out contest to be eliminated.
Kevin Cameron had scored midway through the first half for a lead that stood until the Saxons tied the score with 12 minutes remaining in regulation.
During the penalty kick shootout, Ferris had a 4-3 advantage.
University played Lewis and Clark for the district title Friday.
•Today, GSL champ East Valley begins its 3A state quest at 11 a.m. against West Valley (Yakima) at Gonzaga Prep. The Knights are part of an eight-team regional, needing two victories to advance to the state tournament.
•West Valley, which finished third in the North Division of the Great Northern league, hosts a loser-out match against Clarkston for the right to move on in its 2A district playoff. Tournament continues Tuesday if the Eagles win.
This ‘n’ that
University’s Hank Frame was the GSL golf player of the year averaging 70.5 per round as the Titans finished third overall in league. Teammate Wes Millard tied for the second best average with a 74 and CV sophomore Tanner Rob averaged 75.
In the tight league race, the Titans finished three points from the lead.
East Valley’s Ashley Saffle had the fifth-best girls average in league with 81, ahead of CV golfer Katie Sorenson‘s 82.75.
Others among the leaders were U-Hi freshman Kaitlen Parsons at 84.75 and EV’s Jenni White at 85.75. The Knights finished fifth and Bears sixth in league.
•GSL tennis regular season is ended. U-Hi girls were 6-4 in fifth and the boys were 4-6. EV girls finished behind the Titans at 5-5 and the boys were 3-7. CV’s girls were 3-7 and the boys 1-9.
Second Liberty Cup
On Tuesday, Liberty Lake Women’s 18-Hole Golf Club conducted the second month of Liberty Cup competition.
Frances Martin, with a net 62 was the May winner.
Players counted their putts to determine weekly flight winners.
Jean Hatcher took 28 to win A flight. Elsa Metting and Cathy Whitley tied in B with 31.
Noreen Sale was C flight victor with 30 putts. Tied in D were Jan Hussey and Coleen Wisenor with 32.
Painted Hills results
Flight winners were determined during this week’s Painted Hills Ladies League rounds.
Jeanne Allemand remained the golfer to beat with a low gross 44 in A flight. Melody Chesnut won B with 54.
Tied in C flight were Kathy Walker and Cathy Diehl with 58s. Shelby Cutter shot 55 in D flight and Lorraine Higuchi had a no-handicap 61.
Net leaders were Kathy Perry at 35 in A flight, Jean Jones with 35 in B, Emma Long with 34 in C and Pat Reiger with 26 in D.
There were four chip-ins during the day, including Perry’s on the 14th hole, Reiter on No. 12, Gloria Knauss on No. 17 and Wilma Capaul on No. 14.
Medal play and putts
Liberty Lake Ladies Nine Hole Golf Club feted medal scores and fewest putts during weekly play.
Karen Strauss birdied the ninth hole to win first flight with low gross 48. Audrey Vanos had best net score of 36 and fewest putts with 16.
Second flight was won by Nancy Lampe with 59. Net winner was Mary Gehrman with 35 and Kathy Camyn took just 15 putts.
In third flight, Wilma Capaul shot 68, Darlene Reilly netted 40 and had 20 putts.