Despite Good Hitting, Cannons Are Missing

Statistics and scores tell a conflicting story for the Cannons in AAA American Legion baseball.

The Cannons, made up of players from last spring’s regional qualifier Central Valley and Frontier League co-champions East and West Valley, are tearing up the league offensively. Winning games is another matter.

Thursday night was a case in point. The team outhit league leader North Stars 12 to 4, but lost 6-5.

Andrew Larson and Jeremy Isherwood are hitting .440 and .426 respectively and with Andy Imada are among the top run scorers.

Nate Lynch and Larson are second and third respectively in the league in doubles. Lynch is fifth and Isherwood seventh in runs batted in.

Pitchers Steve Pipkin, who is 10th in hitting at .371, and Erik Eigenhuis are among the strikeout and earned run average leaders. Pipkin is second in wins with five.

Yet the team is in fourth place with a 6-10 record.

Two Valley AA League teams remain among their respective division contenders. Olympic Sports (University) is third in the South with a 10-5 record. It missed an opportunity to move two games closer to the lead Thursday, splitting a pair of one-run games with firstplace PAC, from Clarkston.

Olympic earlier swept through the AA portion of Spokane’ annual Fourth of July Tournament to win the championship over Central Valley’s Spokane Athletic Supply.

In the North, Strike Zone (West Valley) is 8-4 and in a virtual three-way tie for second place, two games out of the lead.

The team lost 9-4 to leader Eagle Hardware on Wednesday, missing a chance to share the lead.

Changed alignment, same results

Second-half realignment of Spokane Valley Girls Softball leagues, putting the stronger teams in the same division, resulted in little change for some teams.

Evergreen Physical Therapy in the 14-U League, Adept Escrow in the 12-U League and E.S.S. in the 10-U League remained undefeated.

Next week is end of regular season for teams. Double-elimination tournaments follow.

During most recent competition F&F Foundations of the 15-Over League improved to 8-0 and Walt’s Mailing kept the pressure on, one game behind.

Walt’s Mailing belted Spokane County Sheriff’s in one game 27-4. Becky Deehr doubled twice to drive in five runs and pitched a couple shutout innings.

Sarah Shryack and Heather Demars each had four hits, scored five runs and drove in three others.

In a 14-U thriller, Burger King beat A-1 Dog Grooming 16-15, scoring the winner in the sixth.

Despite the loss, A-1’s Leigh Williams had eight strikeouts. Chrystal Betkar and Tiffany McFred each doubled twice to account for eight runs.

Power Bar, a 12-U team, split a pair of recent games. During the win, Melanie Thomas had eight strikeouts in three innings. Andrea Manos fanned five and hit two home runs.

In a 16-11 loss to Adept Escrow, right fielder Jaime Gorman threw people out at first base and home.

Valley Electric’s Jessica Gordon hit two home runs and doubled in a 21-7 win over Mail Box Center.

IHOP won twice, once with strong defense by Meghann Duley and Amber Burgerson. In the other, Michelle Anderson hit two bases clearing triples and Gina Bourgeous had a grand slam homer.

In the 10-U League, Ashley Smith of Elite Coatings hit a three-run homer and combined with Samantha Garcia for a double play.

Leo’s Photography had a rally come up short, but Darci Porter went 3-for-3 with a double. Amberle Fautch kept her batting average near .700.

New home for SEG

Spokane Elite Gymnastics is back in the Valley, having moved this week to a 16,000 sq. ft. Olympic-sized training facility at 1030 N. Lake, near Broadway and Fancher.

This is the third location for SEG since fire in 1994 destroyed its facility on East Montgomery.

Coaches Bob and Nancy Ito have merged with Marvel’s MiniGym to offer special needs classes and gymnastics for boys and girls ages 18 months to 18 years.

UCLA coach Anton Calderon will come to SEG Aug 5-9 for a competitive team camp for levels 4-10.

This year SEG won the 1996 Washington State Level 9 girls championships.

Liberty Cup and putting

Last Tuesday was the July leg of the Liberty Cup and concurrent putting competition for the Liberty Lake Ladies 18-Hole Club.

Louise Newtson and Jody Cantrell shot net 69s to share Cup honors and advance to the final competition.

Jean Fulks needed fewest putts, 26.

In the respective flights the leaders included Newtson with a low gross A score of 87, Jean Hatcher with a net 71 and Diane Hicks with 31 putts.

B flight winners were Gloria Cash with low gross 94, Cantrell for net and Fulks for putts.

C flight winners were Margie Doyle with 104 for low gross, Colleen Wisenor with a net 73 and 32 putts.

In D flight, Carol Schultz shot 112, Phyllis Bunkowske netted 78 and took 35 putts.

Captain’s Cup winners

Winners of the best-of-three rounds Captain’s Cup Tournament were determined among Liberty Lake Ladies 9-Holers.

Sue Matsui’s two-round net total ot 66 in C flight was lowest of the field. Runnerup Sadie Rueckert shot 70.

In A flight, Elaine Tai had 79 and Joan Leighton 84. In B flight, Shirlene Strate shot 76 and Nancy Lampe 78. In D, Vi Bormes had 90 and Deanna Hauser 96.

Last week’s medal play saw Jan Hall shoot 52 in A flight and Audrey Vanos net 37.

Strate shot 56 in B and Shirley Schoenberger netted 37.

Alice Sturman, who chipped in on the third hole, shot 63 in C flight and Merilyn Lloyd netted 41. Helen Inman also had a chip-in, on the ninth hole.

D flight winners were Joan Koppe and Hauser.

Painted Hills medalists

There were repeat winners during last week’s Painted Hills Golf Course Ladies Club gathering.

Danice Deckard again had low gross score of 46 in A flight and Lesa Hambleton repeated as no-handicap winner with 52.

Adept with her wedge, for the second straight week Idell Choate chipped in from off the green, this time on the fourth hole.

Other winners included Jennifer Radke with low gross 57 in B flight, Kristie Ziegler with 53 in C and Pat Werner with 62 in D.

Net winners were Caroline Geiger with 36 in A, Arleen Espe with 39 in B, Caryl Marcus with 35 in C and Kathy Taylor with 27 in D.

Also chipping in, on the third hole, was Kathy Danforth.

Medal play at Valley View

During last week’s competition among Valley View Ladies Club golfers, Lorraine Martin led the way with an A flight score of 48.

Carol Maycock shot 51 in B flight, Patti McAtee had 62 in C and nohandicap golfer Janis Smith shot 51.

There were ties for net honors in A and B flights. Min Arnold and Dee Elder in A, Carol Dahl and Edith Rains in B each had 33.

Nikki Gilbreth netted 31 in C.

, DataTimes