White’s big hit spurs Central Valley rally

Central Valley missed All-Greater Spokane League softball catcher and normal No. 3 hitter Becky White, out of the lineup following a spring-break foot injury.

Shadle Park likely wished the hobbled hitter remained on the disabled list. Used judiciously this week as a pinch hitter, White came off the bench at Shadle Thursday with the Bears trailing by a run and made her appearance count.

She smacked a two-run third-inning single for a 4-3 lead and CV never trailed again, taking an 8-4 triumph over the error-prone hosts.

“I was just excited to play,” White said after limping through end-of-game wind sprints.

White said she smashed her foot with a rock, suffering a bone bruise and leaving a lump on her heel. On Tuesday, she hit a two-run pinch-hit single that ended a 10-run victory over Ferris, making it a 2-for-2, four-RBI week.

Thursday’s hit wiped out an early 3-1 first-inning deficit. The Highlanders dodged several early defensive lapses, then capitalizing on a leadoff Bears (8-2) error to manufacture the lead.

CV pitcher Alyssa Erickson had struggled with her command early, walking five, then dominated as the game progressed. She retired 17 of the final 20 batters she faced, at one point striking out eight of 10. Six of those came in a row after giving up an off-field line-drive home run to Shadle’s Danielle Lynn.

“Definitely after I gave up that hit I got fired up,” Erickson said. “I wasn’t getting calls as I would have liked, but I knew it was a big game and I had to play hard.”

Erickson was throwing harder at the end of the game than in the beginning.

“My screwball was working good today and the ball was out of reach on the corners,” she said.

Shadle (7-3) committed six errors among its mistakes. One plated CV’s first-inning run. Another prolonged a three-run sixth inning, and two more brought home the final two runs in the seventh.

Erickson scored three runs and players throughout the lineup contributed.

“We hung in, kept the pressure on and forced them to make plays,” CV coach Jeff Van Horne said. “It worked out in our favor. I think Alyssa learned and grew as the game went on. She had to adapt to the strike zone, handled the adversity and threw a great game.”

•Also in the GSL: Mead and University (both 9-1 at season’s midpoint) remained tied for first place by winning shutouts. At Mead, the Panthers blanked Ferris (3-7) 15-0, scoring 11 in the fourth after two were out. Katie Bagdon and Lauren Stewart both drove in three runs and Stewart scored three more. Pitcher Taneesha Pounder struck out 10. … At North Central, U-Hi’s Titans blanked the Indians (3-7) on two hits, winning 11-0. Ali Warren was 4 for 4 with two doubles and four RBIs. … At Hart Field, Mt. Spokane (5-5) scored seven times in the fifth to win 13-2 over the Lewis and Clark Tigers (2-8). Delaney Zalud struck out 11. M’liss Powles drove in four runs with two hits. Makenzie Reid and Kaylene Peterson each had three hits. … Gonzaga Prep (3-7) won at Rogers (1-9) 9-3. Mackenzie Via was 4 for 4 and drove in two runs. Rogers’ Kelssy Sledge was 3 for 4 with two doubles.

•Inland Empire League: Jamie Hall was 3 for 4 with a two-run homer in Lake City’s nine-run first inning en route to a 12-0 win over visiting Sandpoint. Jessica Ross was 3 for 3, homered and scored three runs.

•Intermountain League: Host Timberlake beat St. Maries 11-1 at Spirit Lake. Afton Allred pitched a three-hitter. Brittany Amende was 2 for 2 and scored four times. Tasha Palmer homered.

Baseball

Greater Spokane League: Trailing 3-2 in the seventh, Central Valley (10-2) got a two-run homer from pitcher Scott Simon and went on to a 7-5 victory at Shadle Park (3-9). Simon struck out 11. Shadle’s Tyler Pfeffer doubled and tripled and Taylor Raynor doubled and drove in two runs. … With one out and the bases loaded in the seventh at Mead, Jake Schrader hit a dribbler back to the mound and Nick Bond scored for a 4-3 Panthers (7-3) victory over Ferris (7-5). Schrader also tripled and Kyle Courtney had three hits. … Visiting Gonzaga Prep (6-4) defeated East Valley (4-6) 9-2. Nathan Motsinger hit a three-run double in the sixth. EV’s Aaron Awbery homered in the fourth. … Mt. Spokane (7-5) won at home, 12-2 over North Central (1-9). Freshman Kelly Fitzpatrick threw three scoreless relief innings and struck out six. The top four hitters in the order, Nate Blackham, Ryne Leonard, Tyler Jackson and Preston Van Doren, each had two hits and two RBIs. They combined to drive in five of the Wildcats’ eight fifth-inning runs … Visiting Lewis and Clark (5-7) beat host Rogers (0-10) 14-8. Tyler Kellogg had two hits, scored twice and drove in two. Dean Neilson homered.

•IEL: Lake City beat visiting Sandpoint 10-2. Jason Pattis struck out seven in six innings and was also 2 for 3 with three RBIs.

•Intermountain League: Visiting St. Maries beat Timberlake 6-1 at Spirit Lake despite being outhit 10-7. Marshall Barnhouse led the Tigers with three hits.

Boys soccer

Great Northern League: In Pullman, the Greyhounds won a shootout 4-3 to post a 1-0 victory over Cheney to give both teams 7-1 records. The game was even throughout, with neither team getting a good chance to score. … Chad Florance scored on an assist from Zach Wilhelm in the 70th minute to give West Valley (5-3) a 1-0 win at Deer Park (3-5). … At Riverside, Clay Pierson scored in the 56th minute and Joey Niberg iced a 2-0 win for the Rams (2-6) over Medical Lake (4-4) in the 78th minute.

Golf

Great Northern League: Tyler Carlson fired a 5-under-par 72 at the Deer Park Golf Course to lead Clarkston to a 13-stroke win over Colville. Casey Cox led the Indians with a 2-under 70. Pullman won the girls meet as Paige Whidbee shot a 76 to pace three Greyhounds in the top five.