Mt. Spokane Continues Baseball Turnaround

Mt. Spokane lost 17 of the first 19 games it played in Greater Spokane League baseball.

Games 20, 21 and 22 have all been wins, vaulting the Wildcats into unaccustomed territory: first place.

Sophomore Todd Schutz’s bases-clearing double capped a five-run sixth inning Thursday as Mt. Spokane rallied for a 5-4 victory at University.

The Wildcats (3-1) are tied for first place with U-Hi, Ferris and North Central. Three teams are one game back.

Mt. Spokane finished 2-16 in 1998, its first season in the league. The Wildcats opened this season with an 11-10 loss to Gonzaga Prep, but have won three close games since.

Junior Jeremy Smith (2-0) settled down after U-Hi’s two-run first. Jon Ferrell pitched the seventh for a save, stranding a Titans baserunner at second.

Elsewhere, Nick Froscheiser, Steve Hare and Brett Pearson combined for seven RBIs to lead NC (3-1) to a 12-3 win over visiting Mead (2-2).

Pearson’s two-run double in the third was the game-winning hit. John Forness (2-0) scattered five hits and struck out five.

Aaron Sedler hit a two-run home run in the fifth, when Ferris (3-1) snapped a 7-all tie with five runs on its way to a 14-10 win at Lewis and Clark’s Hart Field.

Sedler, Adam Oakley and Justin Drake had three hits apiece for Ferris. Drake, who homered twice and tripled on Tuesday, doubled and tripled. Richard Schram homered for the Tigers (1-3).

Cameron Bowers (1-0) struck out six and visiting Rogers (2-2) pinned another loss on Central Valley (0-4).

Bowers, Jon Tibbetts and Chad Krebs all had RBI singles during Rogers’ five-run fourth. Losing pitcher Derek Woehlers had a two-run double in the third for a brief Bears lead. CV has had the lead in each of its four league games.

Derek Bishop hit a two-run home run and J.J. Johnson had a two-run double, both in the third, as Shadle Park (2-2) defeated visiting Gonzaga Prep 8-3.

Justin Karle started Shadle’s offense with a two-run double in the first. Ben Sorcinelli (1-0) struck out five in 6-1/3 innings. Ryan Thacker’s double was the only extra-base hit for Prep (1-3).

Softball

Kaylene Fountain, fresh off a nine-inning no-hitter, struck out 15 and threw a three-hitter as LC (4-0) defeated Ferris 9-0 at Hart Field to continue to set the pace in the GSL.

Fountain also had three hits and three RBIs. Her two-run single highlighted LC’s six-run first. Ferris (1-3) lost its third consecutive game.

Elsewhere, Megan Owen threw her third consecutive shutout, a one-hitter, and Nicki Meyer went 4 for 4 with two triples to lead U-Hi (3-0) to a 20-0 win over visiting Mt. Spokane (2-2).

U-Hi’s Jodi Schab added four RBIs. Terah Summers had Mt. Spokane’s hit.

The Titans have outscored league rivals 31-0.

Dorthea Gooch’s RBI single in the seventh lifted Shadle Park (2-1) to a 3-2 win over visiting Gonzaga Prep (0-4).

Shadle loaded the bases for Gooch with three consecutive singles. Winner Jessica Murray struck out 11 and walked three. Prep freshman Erin Naccarato had two hits.

Jamie Merrill pitched five no-hit innings and finished with nine strikeouts to guide Rogers (3-1) to a 5-3 win at Central Valley (2-2).

Rogers catcher Courtney Davis was 3 for 3, with two runs and two stolen bases.

Sara Rhodes singled in two runs during a five-run third and visiting Mead (2-2) downed NC 12-2 in five innings.

Mead starter Dawnice Fountain (2-1) pitched two hitless innings. NC (0-4) scored in the fifth to snap a string of 14 scoreless innings.

Boys soccer

Aaron Gomez, Mike Chappell and Curt Smith scored during a 3-2 shootout and visiting Medical Lake (2-2-0) edged Deer Park (3-2-1) 2-1 in the Great Northern League.

Gomez’s goal with 5 minutes left in regulation forced overtime. Neither team scored during during two OTs, forcing the shootout.

In other matches, Jason Remington totaled four goals and one assist as Riverside (5-0-0) defeated visiting Chewelah (2-2-1) 9-0.

Riverside’s Jake Moug had his fourth consecutive three-goal game.

George Souza had three goals and one assist, and Pullman (3-1-0) thumped visiting Colville 5-0 to move into third.

Souza scored on a penalty kick at 32 minutes, faking to the left and kicking to the right. The Indians are 2-3-0.