Title-Hungry Nc Tops In Baseball

North Central adopted a subdued tone for its celebration, so let somebody else announce the spring’s biggest surprise in Greater Spokane League sports.

NC, one generation after ex-Chicago Cubs icon Ryne Sandberg roamed the field that now bears his name, has finally won another GSL baseball championship.

Sophomore Patrick Donovan scattered five singles and improved to a league-best 6-0 Thursday afternoon as the Indians (12-2) topped host Ferris 10-4 to clinch at least a tie for the league title.

Ferris (11-4), the two-time defending champ, must win its final game and have NC lose its final two games to tie for the title.

“I knew we were going to be good,” Donovan said after the Indians clinched their first crown since 1978. “But I think we were the only people who thought we could be this good.”

“When we saw them the first game (NC’s 10-9 win on April 4), I recognized that they had two good pitchers,” said Ferris coach John Thacker. “We saw both Donovan and (Steve) Hare that day, and pitching is the name of the game in this league.”

Ferris starter Eric Everson baffled NC for much of the afternoon, retiring 18 of the 19 batters he faced after the Indians struck for two first-inning runs.

But Everson’s fastball started soaring high with one out in the seventh of a 2-all tie game. Joel Evans, a strikeout victim the first two at-bats against Everson, smoked a single to center field to begin a rally that saw 10 of the next 11 batters reach base.

“Throughout the game we asked the kids to make adjustments and stay away from his fastball, which appears to rise,” said NC coach Scott Harmon. “We needed to stay disciplined and avoid that pitch.”

Everson’s undoing was three walks, pinch-hitter Jason Hansen’s bloop single just over second baseman Shawn O’Brien’s glove, and John Petrie’s suicide squeeze.

Hare’s two-run double off reliever Nik Pringle highlighted the eight-run seventh.

Donovan, the league’s strikeout leader with 49, allowed Aaron Sedler’s two-run single in the seventh. But on the next play, Hare atoned for three earlier errors at shortstop by starting a game-ending double play.

“They’re a good fastball-hitting team and my fastball wasn’t that good today,” Donovan said. “I had to rely on my off-speed pitches.”

The league champion receives an automatic berth to the regional tournament against Big Nine Conference teams. The ‘78 Indians were one of just six GSL teams that has advanced beyond regional, to the state tourney, in the last 24 years. Ferris of ‘92 was the last GSL team to play at state.

Also in the league on Thursday, Ben Sorcinelli won his fourth straight, striking out three and walking none, and George Bell had three RBIs to guide Shadle Park (10-4) to a 6-4 win that sent visiting Rogers (6-8) into seventh place. Jerin Harper went 3 for 3 and had two RBIs for the Highlanders, who can tie Ferris for second place by beating U-Hi today… . Chad Mathison threw a three-hitter, striking out seven, and Patrick Valenzuela hit a grand slam during a seven-run first to guide East Valley (7-7) to a 12-2 win at Gonzaga Prep (2-13). EV’s Shae Lanphere also homered in the first… . John Madsen tied the game with a two-run homer in the sixth and John Cox doubled home the go-ahead run in the seventh, leading U-Hi (4-10) to a 7-3 upset at Mead (7-7). Mead is tied for fifth with EV and plays on the Knights’ field today… . Jeremy Smith struck out eight and walked none, as visiting Mt. Spokane (5-9) dealt Lewis and Clark’s playoff hopes a blow with a 5-4 win at Hart Field. LC, also 5-9, is two games behind the teams tied for fifth with two games left.

Erik Buford’s grand slam in the fifth snapped a two-all tie, and Lake City (7-11) defeated visiting West Valley 8-2 in the Border League. Lucas Hammond checked the Eagles (1-12) on five hits. … Also in the league, Darrin McCall had a two-run double in the third and Clarkston (7-6) held on for a 4-3 win at Moscow (8-11)… . Ryan Bradeen went 2 for 4, with a double and an RBI, and visiting Colville (9-4) edged Sandpoint 3-2 in a game rescheduled from Tuesday. Matt Scott had two hits for the Bulldogs (7-10)… . Matt Brown went 4 for 5 with three RBIs in the opener, and Ryan Holland hit a two-run homer in the second game to help Coeur d’Alene (16-3) to a 16-3, 11-0 sweep at Post Falls (5-13). CdA clinched at least a tie for the league title.

Alex Spanos struck out six in 4 innings, and added two hits and three RBIs as visiting Lakeside (15-3) defeated Deer Park 12-3 in the season’s final Great Northern League game. Lakeside tied Pullman for the title, but is the No. 2 seed to district because Pullman won the season series. Both teams have opening-round byes. DP (4-14), No. 6, plays at No. 3 Medical Lake in Tuesday’s loser-out opener.

Pat Thomas struck out 13 and walked none, and Robert Witherspoon had a two-run triple in the sixth as St. George’s (12-10) defeated visiting Cusick 7-1 as the Panorama League tournament opened. At Curlew, Shean Tedrow had an RBI triple in the third and an RBI single in the fifth to lead the host Cougars (14-6) to a 5-3 win over St. Michael’s. In loser-out games, Cusick edged Republic 7-5 and St. Michael’s stopped Inchelium 14-4. Cusick (8-12) will play St. Michael’s (13-7) at 1 p.m. today in Chewelah for a shot at the Bi-County League’s No. 4 on Monday. Also Monday, St. George’s will play North champion Northport (17-3) at 10 a.m. at Avista Stadium, followed by Curlew vs. South champion Northwest Christian (18-2).

Softball

Megan Owen struck out all nine batters she faced, and she and Vanessa Shelton were both 4 for 5 as visiting U-Hi (15-1) defeated Mead 10-2 to clinch at least a tie for the GSL title. Kalli McGilley pitched a two-hitter and went 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Mead is 4-13… . Also in the league, Jessica Murray pitched a two-hitter and struck out 12, and Katherine Boyd hit a threerun homer to lead Shadle (13-3) to a 4-1 win over visiting Rogers (9-7). Secondplace Shadle hosts U-Hi today. Rogers dropped to sixth place, the final spot for a district berth… . Ashley Bryceson went 3 for 5 with three RBIs and East Valley (4-12) notched a 10-3 win at G-Prep (5-12). April Skubinna struck out eight and Chrissy Sterling went 3 for 4 for G-Prep… . Jessica Huntley’s threerun triple in the seventh sparked NC (1-15) to a 7-3 win at Ferris that all but eliminated the Saxons (7-9) from playoff hopes.

Bobbi Darretta pitched a two-hitter and struck out six, and Brandi Brumley had a two-run single in the first to send Lake City (15-3) to a 5-0 home win over West Valley (6-6) in the Border League… . Also in the league, Blake Hoorelbeke struck out 12 in the opener and Amy Stranger had a three-run triple in the second game, leading Coeur d’Alene (16-3) to a 13-0, 11-6 sweep at Post Falls (4-12)… . Elsewhere, Kody Kinziger went 3 for 3 and pitched a onehitter, and Moscow (8-11) topped visiting Clarkston 3-1. The Bantams are 2-11.

Boys soccer

Matt Kirk scored an early goal and Trevor Allen made a diving save at 65 minutes to preserve West Valley’s 1-0 win over visiting Colville in a District 7 3A loser-out match. Allen stopped Micah Throop’s penalty-kick attempt. WV (10-5-2) qualified for the regional tournament and will play at Frontier League champion Cheney (10-4-2) on Saturday for seeding. Colville (9-7-1) was eliminated.

Tennis

LC’s boys and G-Prep’s girls wrapped up 10-0 seasons with wins in GSL play. G-Prep won its fourth consecutive title and is riding a 36-match league winning streak. LC won its third consecutive title.