Panthers Take Tough Road To Make State Tournament

The North Side’s Spokane Athletic Supply Panthers took the long route to qualify for this weekend’s Pony Baseball state tournament for 13-14-year-olds in Seattle.

After losing a 12-0 opening game, the Panthers won five straight games during the district tournament in Pullman, including twice on Sunday over the unbeaten Spokane Valley Americans.

“I certainly wouldn’t have bet on us coming back, especially after the first game,” said Coach Dave Vaughn. “We just got on a roll.”

Included was a 9-8 victory over Spokane’s other district entrant, a 14-7 win over the Valley Nationals and an 11-2 win over Whitman County.

In the title games, Spokane built a 10-1 lead into the sixth inning and held on for a 10-8 win, then prevailed 4-2 in a thrilling game that was scoreless into the ninth inning.

The team also survived a controversy when a pitcher, who was a pickup player, threw on two consecutive days in violation of Pony Rules. One outing was in the Spokane Pony League city tournament and the next was Sunday in the district finals.

But the state commissioner allowed the Panthers to remain Spokane’s representative.

“We knew nothing (about the incident) until afterwards,” said Vaughn, who is also head coach of Mead High School’s baseball team.

Vaughn had gambled by saving his ace pitcher Ryan Pugh until Sunday after a three-inning appearance on Friday.

Pugh overwhelmed the Valley Americans, pitching a total of seven innings in two games. He allowed no hits and struck out 14.

Robert Schuyler batted .700 in the tournament and Jimmy Hyrniewicz drove in the deciding run with a base hit.

The Panthers are 20-2 this year. Danny Stucky and Cole Young are each 6-1, while Pugh is unbeaten in six games and averages two strikeouts per inning.

Rivals fool Mother Nature

Mother Nature is a powerful force, but the River City Rivals softball team did its best to overcome the elements.

The Rivals won the 18-under division of the fifth annual 4th of July Shootout Tournament at Franklin Park, which was prematurely ended by a “gully washer” rainstorm.

Then last weekend they waited out the fierce storm that washed through the area and finished second in the Blaze Girls Fastpitch Tournament in Coeur d’Alene.

Unbeaten in four games, the Rivals defeated a pair of Spokane teams, runnerup Purple Haze and Spokane Storm, as well as two Montana teams two weekends ago.

They were awaiting a finals opponent when the torrential rainfall hit. Purple Haze was leading third-place Electric City of Great Falls, Mont., at the time.

Last weekend the Rivals continued their winning ways by placing second in the 15-team Coeur d’Alene event.

Leading until the storm forced a delay, River City lost the championship game 5-4 to the 16-under Lady Mavs of Missoula.

The Rivals had won six straight games to reach the finals.

Pitcher Janessa Karstens pitched a 9-0 no-hit win over Lady Locomotion of Idaho, a 3-hit shutout over Lady Mavs 18U and a 2-hit, 1-run win over the third-place Spokane Steelers.

Another Rivals pitcher, Tarrah Brown, also had a no-hitter, striking out 14 in a 6-0 win over the Cranbrook Eagles, had a 1-hit shutout beating the Coeur d’Alene North Stars 9-0 and allowed two hits in winning 4-1 over the Valley Villains of Spokane.

The Rivals scored 39 runs on 46 hits and allowed just 7 runs in the tournament.

Junior golf program offered

For the fifth year, Spokane Junior Golf instruction is being offered to area youth ages 8-17.

The purpose is to teach fundamentals and rules of golf during 16 hours of instruction by local PGA professionals.

There are two week-long sessions, July 24-28 and July 31-Aug. 4. Cost is $50.

Once lessons are completed, each participant will play four golf matches during September and October, ending with a tournament at Downriver Golf Course on Oct. 13.

An intermediate program was introduced last year and an advanced program will be added this year at costs of $80 and $125 respectively.

For information and registration, call 536-1800.

, DataTimes