Blooper Beats Blast In Pitching Duel
The allure of baseball is in the way so many variables can help determine a game’s outcome.
“Over the long haul you lose more games with swinging bunts than you do with home runs,” said Central Valley coach Ed Garcia.
On Thursday his team lost a brilliantly pitched 2-1 decision to Ferris ending a seven-game winning streak. The outcome may have hinged on the mere choice of a pitch.
Erik Eigenhuis had blown five fast balls past Saxon Kurt Smidt with two outs in the fifth inning of a scoreless game. He was on the verge of a second strikeout when he hung a curve that Smidt blooped into left field for a hit.
An infield hit and wild pitch later, Justin McKitterick’s off-field single produced the winning runs.
“I told the pitchers all season long to use the heater against the bottom of the order,” said Garcia. “Without the wild pitch they only score one run, but I can’t fault the kid. We didn’t get any hits.”
Eigenhuis and Ferris sophomore Eric Sandberg are the two best pitchers in league, Garcia said.
The previous four innings, they had combined to allow just one hit and five base runners while striking out 13.
Sandberg carried his no-hitter into the seventh inning before Brady Nelson hit a home run.
The Saxon hurler finished the game by allowing the one run, two hits and striking out 10. Eigenhuis gave up two runs, four hits and fanned nine.
“My hat’s off to Sandberg,” he said. “My kids were ready to play and played their hearts out. He was just a little bit better.”
With the win, Ferris moved back into first place, half a game in front of CV and Gonzaga Prep. The Bears end the season next Tuesday at Mead, which is in fourth place but only a game out of the lead.
“The loss hurt, but it would have hurt worse if they’d hammered us and we had not played well,” said Garcia. “I really thought this year we had a good shot (at the championship) and still do.”
Soccer champs short on berths
Frontier League soccer co-champion and playoff top seed East Valley had just two berths when first-team all-league selections made by the coaches were announced.
Co-champ and second seed West Valley had four spots, including MVP and forward Lenny Peterson.
Knights selected were midfielder Ray Hansen and forward Chris Skidmore. Teammates Todd Hughes, defense, Randy Pratt, midfield, and Torre Swenson are second team.
Eagle first-teamers include defender Shane Downie, midfielders Shaun Noggle and Quinn Sharpe.
On the second team is Eagle goal keeper Ryan Kuntz.
Youth, depth keeps EV tennis on top
Depth in the form of young tennis players, enabled East Valley’s girls to repeat their Frontier League championship.
The Knights did most of their damage in doubles, where 10 different players combined for a 38-6 season record. EV’s numbers one and two doubles teams of Tanya Phillips-Brandy Rowles and Tera Matsuda-Tiffany Claridge were unbeaten in league.
“The doubles teams pretty much guaranteed our three wins and we only had to win one (of four) singles matches,” said coach Aaron Altender.
Was he surprised by his team’s 10-0 season and repeat championship? “I think just because of our youth, I was surprised we won league,” Alteneder said.
The Knights had only four seniors among the 15 varsity players.
However, when Alteneder established lofty pre-season goals, “the girls said if you’re really serious, let’s go.”
Likening the team to a train in which the coach is normally the engine, Alteneder said that this year he went along for the ride.
“I set the expectations, but thought of myself as the caboose,” he said.
Valley swimmer ranked nationally
Swim World Magazine has ranked Spokane Area Swim team member Joe Covey nationally in four events.
The 13-year-old Centennial Middle School seventh grader is third in his age group in the short-course 50 yard freestyle and 14th in the 100 freestyle.
He also has been ranked 15th in the long-course 50 meter freestyle and 13th in the 100 breaststroke.
Last summer Covey had four firsts, two seconds, two thirds and a fourth-place in the Far Western Short Course Zone meet in Walnut Creek, Calif., to be high-point swimmer.
This season he has competed in senior regionals in Portland, made the 400 intermediate relay team that raced in the Junior Nationals in Seattle in March.
During age group regionals a week later in Seattle, he had five first places and a second, breaking regional records in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
Layoff ends for golfers
A month of lousy weather prevented Liberty Lake Ladies 18-Hole golfers from participating in their weekly gathering.
Weather improved in time for them to complete the first leg of the Liberty Cup and putting tournament.
Jane MacKelvie won the Cup round with a net 71 and Freda Beckman in B flight won low-putt honors with 26.
Flight winners included Yvonne Splan with 21 putts in A flight, Ethel Rankin with 33 in D.
Four players tied in B flight, also with 33. They were Betty Blackburn, Ellan Bohannan, Marge Doyl and Colleen Wisenor.
Beck leads 9-Holers group
During last week’s Liberty Lake Ladies 9-Holers Club competition, Arla Beck led all golfers with a low gross 49 in A flight.
Net winners included Audrey Vanos with 39 in A, Nancy Lampe with 37 in B and Bea Jackson with 36 in C.
Valley View medal play
In weekly ladies club medal play at Valley View Golf Course Ann Meyer led the way with a low gross 47.
No-handicapper Dee Elder shot 51.
Net winners were Sue Matsui and Lorraine Martin who shot 33 in A flight. Irene Spidle and Kay Pirtzl had 32 in B flight. Emma Long had 34 in C flight.
Competition stern at Painted Hills
A third straight Painted Hills Ladies Club scorched the course during its weekly medal outing.
This time it was Caroline Geiger whose low-gross 44 score in A flight led the way. Not far back was nohandicap newcomer Cheryl Chandler with a 48.
Other scores included B flight golfer Blanche Stark’s 52. Net winners were Jackie Booth with 32 in A, Cheryl Winkler with 34 in B, Idell Choate with 32 in C and Sharon Enterline with 29 in D.
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