Shadle, U-Hi to meet again

For the sixth time since 1999 and third straight season, like Capistrano’s swallows, Shadle Park and University have returned to face each other in Tuesday’s District 8 4A softball championship game.

The unbeaten Highlanders slipped past stubborn Central Valley 4-0 in the second game of Friday’s semifinals at Whitworth’s Marks Field.

In the opener, U-Hi’s tower of power made sweet music in an 11-1 six-inning victory over Mead, to earn its 11th straight district title appearance.

After their wins, Shadle coach George Lynn said his team had a C-minus offensive game in the win over CV. But Titans coach Jon Schuh said his team will have to have an A-plus game Tuesday to compete against the Highlanders.

U-Hi and Shadle will play at 5 p.m. Tuesday, with Mead and CV playing at 3 p.m. for the third and fourth seeds to regionals. Both games are at Whitworth.

University 11, Mead 1 (6): Marks Field’s fences, 210 feet around, couldn’t hold three Titans batters. Each hit a home run and drove in three runs which told the tale of the victory.

No. 3 hitter Ashley Fargher smacked a towering blow out at left field off a changeup for a solo run in the first inning. It was her sixth this year.Batting fifth, Ali Warren hit a two-run rocket over the wall in left-center during U-Hi’s six-run fourth inning, her fifth of the year. An inning earlier she had a run-scoring double.

Cleanup hitter Michelle Wells ended the game with a two-run shot, her seventh this year, to the same part of the park as Warren’s.

The hitters’ efforts backed a solid pitching effort by Shelby Bethel. She had a three-hit shutout into the sixth inning before giving up a pair of doubles and one run.

Bethel’s slider was breaking sharper than at any time this season, said her coaches, and she finished with 10 strikeouts.

“We’ve hit the ball pretty hard this season and had pretty good practices,” said Schuh, prior to his team’s district win.

As for Tuesday’s third meeting this season, he said it’s a good opportunity to face perhaps the top pitcher in the state and a team that comes ready to play every game.

“We’ve got to do the little things correctly against Shadle Park,” he said. “You can’t make mistakes because they put the ball in play and are constantly putting pressure on teams.”

Shadle Park 4, CV 0: Highlanders shortstop Heather Jackson arrived from an advance placement history examination just in time for the start of the game.

She aced her first at-bat, a long double that capped a two-run first inning.

But Shadle faced a nailbiting ending that had coach George Lynn upset.

“We talked about this earlier,” he said. “It seems like we’re coasting and this is the time to turn it on.”

The upstart Bears loaded the bases with one out in the final inning before Sam Skillingstad finished off her 17th shutout.

“The last two games have been our best defensive games of the season,” said CV coach Jeff VanHorne. “I doubt they’ve had many games that close with the tying run at the plate. I’m just thrilled to death.”

Shadle had opened its half of the first inning with a walk and single, scoring on a ground out and Jackson’s double.

Jackson said her test had started an hour late and “I was freaking out. I had about 10 missed calls from my dad.”

In the fourth inning, Krista Zappone doubled and Jenn Schwartz singled to lead off the fourth and both ultimately scored.

But that was it for Shadle as the Bears twice turned inning-ending bases-loaded double plays.

“We didn’t come prepared,” said Jackson. “Everyone has been here before and we had a letdown.”

Lynn said he was looking ahead to Tuesday’s district championship.

“I wouldn’t want to play anybody else other than U-Hi,” he said. “For our girls to be ready (for the remainder of the postseason), they have to face U-Hi.