Highlanders undefeated again
Shadle Park survived a seventh-inning scare Monday to complete its third straight perfect Greater Spokane League softball season with a 3-1 victory at University.
Catcher Tressa Predisik drove in two runs, with a first-inning double and third-inning single, and pitcher Sam Skillingstad worked out of a bases loaded, one-out seventh-inning jam as the Highlanders finished with a 20-0 record.
Skillingstad has gone without a league loss for all three and went 58-1 during a four-year GSL career.
Both teams finished with five hits in the game, the Titans (15-5) with three of theirs in the seventh inning when they scored then filled the sacks. But Skillingstad induced a pop out that she caught over her shoulder, and ended the game with her 13th strikeout.
“It was a little bit exciting,” said Shadle coach George Lynn.
Ali Warren’s second hit, a double opened the inning. Following a walk and an out, Lexi Obenchain looped a single onto the third-base line for the run. But after Alene Bethel got her second hit, Skillingstad bore down.
“I don’t know how much pressure they had put on them this year,” said Titans coach Jon Schuh. “I was proud of our girls for the fact they didn’t get cheated and battled.”
Shadle Park, however, had for what in most of Skillingstad’s career was an insurmountable lead. Ally Burger led off the game with a walk and scored when Predisik crushed a double to the right center field fence.
In the third inning, Shadle loaded the bases with no one out. Danielle Lynn drove in a run with a grounder through the right side. But it wound up being a right field-to-first base-to-home double play and U-Hi almost turned it into a triple play.
Left-handed hitting Predisik followed by lacing a shot by the first base bag for the final run.
“The (pitch for the double) was a little high and a smidge outside,” Predisik said. “The second was a changeup and George called it. I was still a little bit ahead, but took it down the line.”
Other than that, U-Hi sophomore Mollie Buelow kept the Highlanders off balance with a variety of pitches and changes of speeds through six innings.
Lynn, however, felt his players didn’t come up to the plate with a hitting plan in mind, something he stresses in practice.
“Unless I tell them differently, they’re supposed to go to the plate looking for something,” he said. “We need to regroup when it comes to being smart hitters.”
Shadle, however, gets to relish another unbeaten league title. Then its on to the playoffs, beginning with district Fridays, the first of a nine-game trek to defend its 4A state championship.
“It’s always a big achievement to win the league, let alone going undefeated,” said Lynn.
With U-Hi’s loss and Central Valley’s 7-0 win over East Valley, the Titans and the Bears tied for No. 2 among 4A teams and play today at U-Hi for the second district seed and automatic regional berth. … CV (15-5) blanked the Knights (4-16) 7-0 on Alyssa Erickson‘s three-hit, 10-strikeout effort. Becky White was 2 for 2 with a double and RBI. Gen Aman had two hits and scored twice. … Kelsie Vallies hit a grand slam home run during a seven-run second inning as 3A North Central (16-4) finished second in the GSL for the second straight year with a 12-2 win at Mead (13-7). Katherine Lively was 3 for 5 with three RBIs. Breanna Lookabill was 3 for 3 for the Panthers, fourth seeded to 4A district. … Shelby Wilcoxen tripled home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh as Gonzaga Prep beat visiting Lewis and Clark 7-6. Jenn Rambo was 3 for 3 with a home run. The Bullpups and Tigers (both 6-14) tied for fifth and play in district Thursday. … Mt. Spokane (10-10) won at Ferris (1-19) 11-2. Delaney Zalud was 3 for 4 and drove in four runs. Pitcher Chelsea Gray had two hits, drove in two runs and struck out 10.
GSL district golf
East Valley’s Ben Johnson shot 70 at MeadowWood, winning by five strokes during 3A district boys golf. The Knights had five of the top six boys finishers and EV’s Jenny White led girls competition with 89. Twelve boys advance to the regional tournament Thursday at Horn Rapids Golf Course in Richland and 12 girls play at Canyon Lake in Kennewick in state qualifying against the Columbia Basin League…Lauren Howell of Mead shot 75 and Chessey Thomas of Lewis and Clark shot 76 on the first day of District 8 4A play. Twenty-one girls advanced to Thursday’s finals at Liberty Lake.