University blasts ahead to state tournament

As University baseball coach Scott Sutherland noted following the Titans’ second straight District 8 4A championship, Gonzaga Prep is a hitter’s park and runs were to be expected Saturday when the playoffs concluded at Higgins Field.

“I figured somebody would have to score double figures to win,” Sutherland said after U-Hi’s 17-7 victory over Mead.

With the wind blowing toward left field, home runs played a major role in the outcomes that propelled the Titans to state and Central Valley into a state-qualifying game Tuesday against Wenatchee.

Titans second baseman Michael Holmes hit a grand slam during a 10-run fourth inning that sealed a win over Mead.

A game later, CV’s Trevor Shull hit two two-run homers for an 8-4 win by the upstart Bears, with six sophomores in the lineup.

There were seven home runs in the three games at G-Prep. All seven of Mead’s runs against U-Hi were the product of homers. The Bears’ Blake Bledsoe homered during a 4-0 victory over Ferris that advanced them to the game against Mead.

U-Hi 17, Mead 7: The Titans (20-2) found themselves in a hole after one-half inning following Mead’s first homer, a three-run blow by Tyler Thoreson. Mead’s Grant Fink tied the game at 5 in the third.

But U-Hi, which benefited from Mead pitchers’ control problems, regained momentum when Holmes spanked his grand slam for a 10-5 lead. The Panthers had intentionally walked Tyler Olson, but Holmes spoiled the strategy.

“I would have done the same thing, but it’s a dangerous proposition,” Sutherland said.

Holmes said he just looking for a fastball to try and get a base hit, score some runs and get U-Hi back in the game.

“I got a ball I liked, down the middle and a little outside and smashed it,” he said.

By inning’s end, the Titans had added three doubles and a two-run triple by Danny Jordan and led 15-5. No. 9 batter Travis Clark and leadoff Jacob Olsufka each had two hits in the inning.

“For some reason we do that,” Sutherland said. “We usually score runs in bunches.”

Starter Jordan’s breaking pitches weren’t working, but Mead let him off the hook in the bottom of the first by walking three Titans, two with the bases loaded. Then Clark, who was 3 for 4, singled in a pair for a 5-3 lead.

“I’m not saying we panicked, but we kind of had to get going a little bit,” Clark said. “We put up a five-spot and you could just feel the momentum shift.”

Holmes and Clark combined for seven RBIs and five runs. Olsufka was 4 for 5.

Mead’s other runs were on a homer by Sean McNaghten.

U-Hi won 20 games for the first time in school history.

“We’re very proud of (20 wins) and very excited,” Sutherland said. “But we know what’s ahead of us.”

CV 8, Mead 4: Bears left-handed sophomore starter Joe Arlt did what the Titans couldn’t in keeping potent Mead (17-6) bats in the yard.

CV’s pesky base runners did what they do best early before Shull blasted away late.

“They have three main big hitters and I tried to pitch around them,” Arlt said. “The rest I went after them and if they hit it, they hit it.”

He allowed only two runs and six hits, striking out six in six innings.

The Bears (14-10) scored three times on errors, including twice on Bledsoe’s bunt in the five-run fifth inning.

“I told him to wait until he got a strike, crowd the plate and see what he would do,” said CV coach Barry Poffenroth.

CV then strung three hits together, a run-scoring double by KC Mack and Shull’s first homer. Following another error, in the seventh, Shull struck again.

“I was trying not to do anything, just hit the ball hard,” Shull said. “I got two lucky hits.”

Shull relieved Arlt in the seventh.

“I was just pleased to get in the district tournament for the first time and get these guys experience as sophomores,” Poffenroth said. “It was a great effort on their part.”

CV 4, Ferris 0: Having a pitcher like Rusty Shellhorn enhances a team’s chances. The Bears eliminated the Saxons (15-8) because he allowed one hit and struck out 13.

“We had the right guy on the mound,” and manufactured runs, Poffenroth said.

3A

West Valley-Yakima 10, Mt. Spokane 7: On Friday, the visiting Rams rallied from a 3-1 deficit by scoring three times each in the third and fourth innings to beat the Wildcats (9-13) and end their season. Nic Fowler was one of three with two hits for Mt. Spokane, scoring twice and an RBI.