CC Spokane, North Idaho host Northwest Athletic Conference softball tournament

The Northwest Athletic Conference softball tournament starts on Friday and runs through Monday at the Merkel Sports Complex, hosted by Community Colleges of Spokane, North Idaho and the Spokane Sports Commission.

CCS and NIC qualified for the tournament from the East Region and play first-round games on Friday. The East sent three other teams to the tourney: first-place Wenatchee Valley (32-10), second-place Walla Walla (27-13) and fifth-place Treasure Valley (23-21).

CC Spokane (23-19): The 14th-seeded Sasquatch open against No. 3 seed Wenatchee Valley at 10 a.m. on Field No. 5. CCS is 5-5 in its last 10 games, including a doubleheader split against Walla Walla last Saturday. The last time the Sasquatch faced Wenatchee Valley, the Knights swept a doubleheader 15-1, 8-2 on April 29.

CCS is led on offense by Josie Schultz, who hit .456 this season with 41 runs and 27 stolen bases, and Ashlynn Bocook, who hit .428 with 12 home runs, tied for seventh in the league, and 54 RBIs (T-11th).

Spokane’s top pitcher is Hannah Anderson, who went 10-7 with a 5.05 ERA in 27 games and 18 starts. Anderson threw eight complete games and struck out 64 in 115 innings.

North Idaho (29-15): The 11th-seeded Cardinals face No. 6 seed Bellevue in the opening round at 10 a.m. on Field No. 1. NIC is 5-5 in its last 10 games and was swept by Wenatchee Valley in the regular season-ending doubleheader for both teams on Sunday. NIC did not face the North Region’s Bellevue (31-13) this season. Bellevue comes in having won six in a row and nine of its last 10 games.

The Cardinals are led on offense by Kennedy Anderson, who hit .506 with 14 home runs (sixth) and 77 RBIs, which led the league, and Kayla Curtan, who hit .462 with eight homers, 42 RBIs and 21 stolen bases.

NIC’s top starter is Kayla Moore, who started 19 games with 11 complete games. She went 11-10 with three saves and a 5.45 ERA in 115 2/3 innings.