On To Nationals Spokane Cougars Take 39-11 Record To Fastpitch Tourney In Tennessee

The tournament-seasoned Spokane Cougars, a 16-U fastpitch softball team, are about to face their sternest test.

On Monday, the Cougars fly to Chattanooga, Tenn., for national competition. The tournament runs July 30-Aug. 3.

“This group is really good,” said Steve Fountain, who coaches the Cougars with his wife, Pat. “They can finish in the top 10 if they get the right breaks.”

Nationals will be the 11th tournament this summer for the Cougars, who have compiled a 39-11 record and at one time had won 12 straight games.

Included was a 6-0 record in the national qualifier, during which they outscored the opposition 74-2.

“All our players can hit,” said Fountain. “We average 8 to 9 runs per game, usually.”

Most of the players are South Side athletes, including Kaylene Fountain and sisters Justine and Maria Ruddell, who have been with the team since its inception.

Fountain pitched for Ferris and Lewis and Clark last year. Justine caught for Ferris. Maria is a middle school outfielder.

This will be their third national tournament.

Other South Siders on the team are LC athletes and outfielders Katie Maehl, Candice Powers and Jackie Parrott.

Completing the team are shortstop Haley Henry, catcher-third base-outfielder Jessica Hahn, first baseman Shawna Powell, second baseman Anna Vagstad and pitcher Kayla Adams.

Fountain has been coaching for a decade, and his initial national team, in 1989, placed fifth in the 12-U event.

“Fast pitch has come a long way since then,” he said.

“My pitcher, Alana Klaus, was exceptional. A lot of our success was due to her.”

Klaus, a Gonzaga Prep graduate, is currently pitching at a college in Florida.

“The more it’s grown, the more it’s become a team game,” Fountain continued. “You can’t have a weak spot on defense.”

This year’s Cougar team, Fountain said, has refined its game and is improved over last year, when the team finished 55th in nationals.

“It’s the best team I’ve ever had,” he said.

Legion playoffs under way

South Side teams Browne Mountain Bandits and Spokane Royals both qualified for the first round of the American Legion AAA baseball playoffs.

Winner of two best-of-three series will advance to the Senior State Legion tournament in Selah, Wash.

The Bandits play the second game, and third, if necessary, in a best-of-three series against the Valley Cannons tonight at Shadle Park’s Al K. Jackson Field.

Those two teams shared second place in league during the regular season.

The Royals hoped to take their series against the league champion Blue Devils to a third game tonight at Gonzaga University.

Winners of these best-of-three series then meet July 27-28 in another series to determine the state entrant.

In reported games overall, the Bandits, made up of players from from Ferris, Freeman and University high schools, had a 21-9 record.

Included was last week’s 8-7 and 6-0 sweep of the Royals, with both wins credited to Chris McMurtrey.

McMurtrey came on in relief in the first game, which the Bandits won with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. He then pitched a no-hitter in the second contest.

Jeff Dahmen (Ferris) had three hits. He, Josh Sheffield and Chris Beeler (both Freeman) all hit home runs.

Coach here for gymnastics camp

UCLA gymnastics coach Anton Calderon will be a part of Spokane Elite Gymnastics competitive camp July 28-Aug. 1 at the SEG gym, 1030 N. Lake in the eastern Spokane Valley.

Calderon’s team won this year’s NCAA women’s championships.

He will be joined by Oregon’s Tina Welle and the SEG coaching team of Bob and Nancy Ito, Steve Von Ebers, Jenne Kissell, Adriane Leithauser and Theresa Murphy.

The camp is for levels 4-10 and high school gymnasts in the area.

Bob Ito was gymnastics coach at the University of Washington from 1980-90. Welle has coached nationallevel athletes.

Von Ebers is a recent transplant to Spokane from the Seattle Gymnastics Academy.

The camp will run from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at a cost of $175.

For information call 533-9646.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: American Legion Baseball

(Final Standings) W L T AAA League Blue Devils 16 8 0 Bandits 13 8 0 Cannons 13 8 0 Royals 7 13 0 North Stars 6 18 0

AA League South PAC of Clarkston 18 2 0 Eagle Hardware (Shadle) 15 5 0 Olympic Sports (U-Hi) 12 8 0 Spokane Athletic (CV) 12 8 0 Future Shop (EV) 11 9 0 Kimmel Athletic (Ferris) 10 10 0 Spokane Fed CU (Cheney) 8 12 0 LC Boosters 7 13 0 Grocery Outlet (Freeman) 4 16 0 Strike Zone (WV) 3 17 0

AA League North Hess/Wheeler (Mead) 16 4 0 Panorama Twins 15 4 0 B&C Tel/Dix (Lakeside) 13 6 0 Deer Park Eagles 12 8 0 Downtown Toyota (NC) 11 9 0 Washington Trust (G-Prep) 8 12 0 Granny’s Buffet (Mt. Spo) 6 14 0 Rogers 4 16 0 Riverside 3 15 0

A League South Tony Roma (Shadle) 14 2 0 Groc/Carstens (CV 1) 14 2 0 Wycoff Hydraulics (EV) 13 3 0 Ferris A 10 6 0 McDonald’s (Cheney) 8 8 0 Dimensions (U-Hi) 7 8 0 Doc’s Muffler (LC) 5 10 0 Grocery Outlet (Freeman) 5 11 0 Raven Roofing (WV) 3 13 0 Spokane Insulation (CV 2) 0 16 0

A League North McDonald’s (Mt. Spo. 2) 10 4 0 Panorama Twins 10 4 0 Deer Park Eagles 9 5 0 Arby’s (G-Prep) 8 6 0 Diamond Sports (Mt. Spo. 1) 8 6 0 Houk Chiropractic (Mead) 6 8 0 Quantum Financial (NWC) 4 10 0 Imperial Data Supply (NC) 2 12 0