U-Hi loaded with talent, especially on the mound
A year ago, University’s baseball team came within a win of making its first state semifinal trip.
The loss to eventual state champion Richland in the high school regional finals has apparently only whetted Titan appetites for more. They parlayed experience at every possession, a wealth of pitching and defense and timely hitting into a 7-0 start before faltering on Thursday, prompting veteran junior Billy Moon to say, “This is a special team. Not only is the talent there, but our cohesiveness is amazing.”
Moon’s comments came following a spring break sweep of rival Central Valley 10-0 and 9-0 in a game between then-league unbeatens. At Ferris the next day, U-Hi suffered its first loss when the defense betrayed during a 12-5 setback.
Until then, Titans hurlers had pitched three shutouts and allowed one run in three other wins. Gonzaga Prep scored six in U-Hi’s other victory.
“The strength of our team is pitching,” said coach Scott Sutherland. “They throw strikes. The weather has been so awful, but the kids have never been out of sync. They are pretty mature.”
In blanking the Bears, hurlers Danny Jordan and Moon each pitched two-hitters, combined for 26 strikeouts and walked but one batter.
But pitching, no matter how gifted, is only as good as its defense and run-scoring ability as was borne out in Thursday’s loss. U-Hi committed three critical errors that paved the way to most of Ferris’ runs and, despite 10 hits, cost itself a scoring opportunity in the second inning with base running mistakes.
Entering the week, U-Hi is batting .419 collectively and through eight games is averaging 11 runs a contest.
“It takes a lot of stress off a pitcher if you hit the ball the way we do,” said Moon.
Six of last year’s top seven hitting leaders are back, including Moon, shortstop Jacob Olsufka, Jordan and Brandon Shryock. Another, Jacob Schnibbe has suffered an injury for the second straight season and will miss up to two months, this time with a broken finger.
Heading into the final month of the season, U-Hi holds a half-game lead over Mead for first place in the Greater Spokane League. The two meet near the end of the season. Its other five foes all have five or more losses.
Fourth-place CV (5-3) managed just six hits and no runs in losses to the Titans and 10-0 to Mead. Sophomore David Borgman had four of the hits.
•East Valley (3-5) scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to lead North Central 6-5, but committed nine errors and eventually fell 10-6 to the visiting Indians. Jake Ellis was 3-for-4 with a double and three runs batted in.
•West Valley (6-1, 4-0) swept Deer Park 12-2, 15-8 to remain atop the Great Northern League. Andy Vennum and Tom Peterson each had four hits in the second win and five for the doubleheader, Peterson with three doubles.
Track is back
With spring break ended, track and field ramps up with the first of four successive weeks of league competition.
Central Valley’s boys and girls, who share the GSL lead with 2-0 records, host East Valley on Thursday. They beat North Central and Rogers in their season openers. The Knight boys lost to University and Lewis and Clark, the girls beat the Titans.
CV’s boys won only the 1,600 relay on the track, but swept the jumps and shot put in the field. The distance-rich girls made their mark, and freshman Mica Kondryszyn captured both hurdles and was part of the winning long relay for the girls.
Case Parker was a 200-400 meter sprint winner for EV and Anthony Brown won the 1,600 and 3,200 for U-Hi in fine early-season times.
Turnabout fair play
After losing to Mead in a non-league soccer match, University turned the tables in their league counter. The 3-2 victory gave both teams 3-1 records in the GSL, but because it was a shootout, the Titans still trail the Panthers by two points.
Ferris and Lewis and Clark top the league at 4-0 and with 11 points, Mead has 10, U-Hi 8 and Central Valley (2-1) has 7. The Bears defeated the Titans 4-3 in overtime earlier. East Valley remains winless.
Titans Michael Ramos, with six goals, and Evan Frobe, with four, are among the league scoring leaders.
Softball shakedown
GSL softball is almost starting anew beginning Tuesday, what with a season of weather delays compounded by a week’s spring break.
Teams have a month to get things together.
Currently, Central Valley (5-1) is among three one-loss teams trailing defending state champion Shadle Park. Trailing are University (4-3) and East Valley (2-2).
In regularly scheduled games, the Bears are at Mead (6-1) on Thursday and at league-leader Shadle Park (4-0) on Friday. The Titans host EV on Tuesday, and are at North Central (5-1) on Friday. EV travels to Mt. Spokane on Thursday.
There are still games to be made up, including CV versus NC and U-Hi.