Speed Establishes Area Softball Precedent

Sat., Aug. 1, 1998

The Spokane Speed broke through the barrier with quality over quantity.

The Speed is the first 18U girls fastpitch team from the Spokane area to qualify for the American Softball Association national tournament. The 16U River City Rivals of a few seasons back were the first overall to qualify for nationals.

The Speed (27-20 overall) finished second at last weekend’s regional tournament in Billings, Mont.

Success at the 68-team national tourney in Sacramento, Calif., will depend on good health. Just nine of the 11 roster players are injury free. Pitcher Tarrah Brown of Colville has a bad elbow and Deer Park’s Breanne Smith injured her knee.

Players are Keri Wagner, with a team-best 42 games; Kim McDonald, 32 runs, 56 hits and .397 batting average; Jenny Lytle, three home runs and 19 runs batted in; Mandy Lawson, four doubles and 18 RBIs; Mandy Christianson, four doubles; Jeri Huber, .441 on-base percentage; Megan McDonald, five sacrifice bunts; Angie Vulcano, 16 walks; and Cheryl Andrizzi, pitcher.

Randy McDonald is the head coach, with Craig Wagner and Chet Smith as assistants.

The teams leaves for Sacramento on Monday. The tourney begins Tuesday with two seeding games then moves into a double-elimination format on Wednesday.

Mead graduate Janessa Karstens, the Greater Spokane League’s most valuable player last spring, will compete in Sacramento with the Washington Fury from the Seattle area.

Karstens currently is playing at the National Softball Association’s World Tournament in Florida with the Washington Heat from Lacey, Wash.

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Speed Establishes Area Softball Precedent

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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