Pitching Again Keeps Eagles On Top

For three years West Valley pitching has kept the Eagles in front of their Frontier League softball opposition.

Junior Darcy Sohns is 24-2 in league, and has pitched the Eagles to two regional championships.

This year she’s 5-0 and had 31 strikeouts in her first three starts. Teammate Carie Koker is 10-1 over four years.

This year the Eagles have relied on them more than ever.

But Wednesday’s 2-1 win over East Valley that broke a first-place tie offered indication that they had best not look back. Someone may be gaining on them.

Knight freshman hurler Rebecca Triplett matched Sohns pitch for pitch in a game that was decided in the fifth inning on Koker’s off-field double, wild pitch and ground out.

“She’s a prototypical pitcher,” said Eagle coach Steve Kent of EV’s young hurler. “She’s going to be a good one. She is a good one.”

The reason WV has relied so heavily on its pitching this year is that the team hasn’t hit well.

“I haven’t compiled the stats for a while but I’m sure we’re under .200,” Kent ventured.

It may be more a case of failure in the clutch. Since a doubleheader sweep of Riverside, WV has averaged under 4 runs in its last six games, although they’ve had 53 hits.

Wednesday was an example. WV outhit EV 8-4 but barely escaped. The Knights scored in the first inning on hits by Malea Schumacher and Tricia Stookey.

“It’s a good start but what we want is a good ending,” said coach Randy Burkhart.

He didn’t get it. WV tied in the third on two-out singles by Sohns and Jennifer Robinson and a wild pitch. Gabby McClintock’s grounder won it in the fifth.

EV left runners in scoring position in every inning but the seventh.

“I’m thankful we won. It was a real good softball game,” said Kent. “We’ve lost one game and not played to our capabilities. If we get to where we want to be we could be real good.”

Study in contrasts

By way of contrast, West Valley’s boys are scoring more than 9 runs per game, hitting at a .364 clip and are just 5-5 in league.

Pitching has been better than coach Ray Riggin hoped but the defense has committed nearly three errors per game. Included was a twoout miscue Wednesday that cost WV its game against Colville.

“On paper, there are no better players on defense,” said Riggin. “We’re making mistakes a veteran team shouldn’t make.”

Most of the Eagles were members of two straight league champions. Now they are fifth in league, struggling to make the playoffs.

Wild and woolly soccer races

A trio of Valley high schools are embroiled in competition for soccer playoff berths that likely won’t be determined until the leagues’ final games.

University suffered a setback Wednesday when the Titans lost 1-0 to Lewis and Clark. LC is one of four teams with 4-2 records in the Greater Spokane League.

U-Hi dropped to 3-3 and is sixth in league. Five teams make the playoffs. The Titans end league at home next week against two other 4-2 teams, North Central and Shadle Park.

One point separates three teams in the Frontier League with a fourth not far behind. East Valley leads at 7-1-1, its loss to Riverside/Deer Park.

West Valley is 6-1-2, its only loss to and one tie with the Knights. WV has beaten Riverside/Deer Park twice.

“It’s interesting,” said Eagle coach Dirk Linton. “Anything can happen at this point.”

In comparing teams, he said Riverside was the most physical, EV had the most quickness and depth, his team was more tactically creative.

“It’s been a crazy year,” he said. “I think it will continue until the last game.”

And then it begins again when the four meet in state qualifying playoffs.

Foes in football, now in track

A pair of football opponents will square off against each other in the shot put ring next Thursday.

In his Frontier League bow, West Valley newcomer Ty Gregorak reached 48-foot-5, 2-1/2 inches farther than East Valley’s Jesse Ewell.

Both were two-way stars, all-league linebackers and all-state picks in football and now the track league’s best shot putters.

Next Thursday is championship week. Unbeatens University, Mead and Ferris are at Mead for the Greater Spokane League boys and girls titles. Likewise, EV will be WV with the Frontier boys and girls titles on the line.

NWGA performers to nationals

Two Northwest Gymnastics Academy team members have qualified for national competition in Tulsa, Ok. May 11-12.

Level I, Junior Elite Ryan Wellborn, seventh all-around with a 48.8 score, and Level II Junior Elite Aaron Sheck, sixth at 43.55 advanced from last week’s regional competition in Portland.

Also in Level I, Beau DeWitt scored 42.45 and was fourth on vault.

Level IV gymnast Brian Velategui and Washington state champion Kevin Olson from Level V qualified for the regional development team camp in Portland in August.

Velategui was ninth overall at 36.925 including thirds on pommel horse and rings. Nick Antich finished second on floor exercise and vault. Tyson Byers also placed.

Olson won overall competition at 39.2 with victory on rings, vault and parallel bars. Stewart Renz was seventh.

, DataTimes