Bandits In Running For Title

Someone said, after Ferris ended Mead’s long Greater Spokane League all-sports trophy run, that things would only be better athletically next year.

That someone will be right if summer baseball is an indicator.

The Browne Mountain Bandits, with four players who will return to the Saxons, are a contender for the Senior Legion American Legion baseball championship.

Kimmel Athletic, the school’s Junior Legion team, is currently part of a three-way first-place battle in the South Division of its league.

And the A League Ferris Boosters were leading their division with a 12-1 record heading into this week.

The Bandits were 9-6 in the Senior League headed into Wednesday’s doubleheader in Pullman against the league-leading Patriots.

Last week, following a 4-3 loss to the Blue Devils, the Bandits rode Adam Oakley’s pitching to a 9-3 win over the Royals and outlasted the Cannons 13-12 with Oakley getting two hits and Mike Robinson three, two of them doubles.

They then scored 10 runs in the sixth inning of a 13-1 win over the North Stars to move into second place.

Four Bandits on the Ferris, Freeman and University High combine are currently atop Legion hitting, including Saxon Justin Drake, who shares second with Joe Moll at .500 and Robinson, who is hitting .472.

Drake has seven triples and four home runs.

All they can do is wait

The regular season has ended for Kimmel’s baseball team. Now all the players can do is wait.

Kimmel entered its Wednesday finale against Grocery Outlet with a first-place 14-5 record, yet the title outcome of the South Division remained in doubt.

Other challengers - Spokane Olympic Sports (12-4) and Spokane Athletic Supply (11-5) - still have games remaining through Saturday, including two against each other.

The top four division finishers will be involved in best-of-three series between July 21 and 25, with the survivor advancing against the champion from the North Division.

Kimmel lost three of its last five games including Monday’s key game, 7-6 against Olympic Sports.

The team built a 6-1 lead, with help from cleanup hitter Aaron Sedler with a two-run homer in the first and RBI single in the third.

Sedler and No. 3 hitter Jared Roberts were a combined 6-for-6 with five runs scored and four RBIs at one point.

But Olympic clamored back into the game with a five-run fourth inning and won it with two runs in the sixth.

Eric Everson had three more hits, giving him 53 for the summer, a .495 average. He has scored 43 runs.

Sedler is hitting .568 with 28 runs batted in on seven doubles and four homers. Roberts is hitting .445 with seven doubles, four homers and 26 RBIs.

Evan Stancil continues as pitching leader with a 5-1 record and 53 strikeouts in 38 innings.

Hanging Tree tourney continues

The second round of the Hangman Valley Ladies Golf Club Hanging Tree tournament was conducted last week.

Net leaders are Carol Wagner with 146 in first flight, Fran Nord with 137 in second, Margaret Sims with 136 in third and Barb Hafner with 137 in fourth.

During concurrent medal play, Tammy Jensen shot low gross 87 in A flight, and Dorothy Womach had 96 in B.

Net leaders were Wagner with 69 in A, Sims with 69 in B, Kathy Thiesen with 66 in C and Hafner with 65 in D.