Hurliman remains PeeWee League force

Spokane Valley Baseball’s PeeWee League began to take playoff shape as it surpassed the season’s midpoint at the Fourth of July break.

The biggest mover was Hurliman Heating (Ponderosa), which got off to a late start but won six of seven games in a rush. The only loss came 6-4 to first-place Blasingame Insurance (Liberty Lake).

Teams from Sunrise (Leo’s Photography) and University (McDonald’s) shared third place. Following the 11-game league season, all 15 Pee Wee teams will advance to the single-elimination playoffs.

American On Site Services (Pasadena Park) and Spokane Athletic Supply (Liberty Lake) remained unbeaten through games of June 30 in the Midget League. All 12 teams in that league also move into the playoffs beginning in two weeks.

Pee Wee League: Blasingame won three games in three days. Patrick Parelius allowed no hits and struck out seven during victory over Hurliman and drove in two runs. Mitchell Axtell was 3-for-4 and scored three times in victory over Summit. Zachary Stocker pitched one-hit, six-strikeout ball and was 2-for-3, scoring three times and driving in a run to beat Spokane Recycling.

Hurliman’s Ryan Leifer pitched no-hit, eight-strikeout ball during a 4-3 win over Pasadena Park.

Among other Pee Wee highlights, Mark Spear Homeselling won three games including 11-9 over Food Rainbow on Caleb Thomas’ two-run sixth-inning home run. He also doubled and tripled in another win, while Campbell Barrington and Max Skidmore each had four hits in the third victory.

Autocraft’s Alex Biglin struck out five batters in three innings and was 3-for-3 at bat. Connor Whitney was 4-for-4 and Jacob Lewis 3-for-4 with a home run. Cruz Bale of Valley Electric struck out six batters in two innings pitched and also homered.

Midget League: Four American On-Site Services pitchers – Connor Stavnes, Tanner Chase, Austin Stevens and Bennett Moore – combined for 14 strikeouts and allowed one hit in a 16-0 triumph.

Jacob Axtel helped keep Spokane Athletic Supply unbeaten, 5-4 over Raycap (Greenacres), with a two-run homer in the fifth inning. Trent/Skyview on twice. Evan Thomason tripled during one win and William Bailey turned a game-sealing double play in the other. Nate Tesdahl was 2-for-4 with a double and three runs batted in for George Velis DDS (Chester).