Area legion teams struggle at state

It was a difficult day Sunday for local teams at the American Legion State playoffs, as no team in the AAA or AA tournaments registered a win.

In AAA, the Spokane Bandits got 12 hits, including three each from Brendan McClary and Tanner Parker, but came up short, losing an elimination game 8-6 against Pepsi-Pak in Centralia. The Bandits led 6-5 entering the eighth inning, but surrendered two in that inning and another in the ninth. John Sage led Spokane with two RBIs.

In the AA tournament in Spokane, Mt. Spokane fell to the Kennewick Dusters 1-0 in the Whitworth bracket. Mt. Spokane got seven strong innings from Braden Mau, who walked none and yielded just six hits. But the offense struggled, managing only two singles. They will play an elimination game today against Montesano, who knocked out Mead 6-2. Mead scored twice in the first to lead briefly, but they couldn’t generate any more offense.

Gonzaga Prep also remains alive, despite a 10-2 loss to Chehalis in the A.K. Jackson bracket. Cael McKiernan had two hits and one of the runs for Prep, who will face Eastlake today. Eastlake overpowered Ferris 13-4 in a loser-out contest. The Saxons gave up five runs in the second inning and never fully recovered, despite a four-run rally in the fourth.