Tri-Cities Gets Nwl Rockies

The Northwest League continued its metamorphosis with Monday’s announcement that the Portland Rockies will move to the Tri-Cities for the 2001 season.

The Rockies and the Pasco City Council agreed to a 10-year contract that allows the Rockies to supplant the Tri-City Posse of the independent Western Baseball League.

Posse Stadium, the Posse’s home since 1995, will be renamed when the Rockies relocate.

Portland is leaving the NWL for the third time because the Triple-A Albuquerque Dukes of the Pacific Coast League will be moving to Portland for the 2001 season.

The eight-team NWL has changed significantly in the last four years. Bellingham moved to Salem-Keizer for the 1997 season, and Southern Oregon relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia, for this season.

NWL owners have discussed realigning divisions for the 2001 season. Instead of having North and South divisions, the NWL may shift to an East/West setup.

The East would likely include the Spokane Indians, Boise Hawks, Yakima Bears and Tri-Cities. Vancouver, Everett, Salem-Keizer and Eugene would play in the West.

Golf

Mark Rypien and Tracy Hanson will participate in the Relay For Life Golf Tournament Saturday at Twin Lakes Village.

Proceeds from the tournament benefit the American Cancer Society. The tournament field is full, but the public is encouraged to attend.

The scramble begins Saturday at 9 a.m. Hanson, taking a break from the LPGA Tour, will hold a kids clinic on Friday at 3:45 at the Twin Lakes driving range.

Baseball

Pitcher Brent Dayton and outfielders Pete Doumit and Chad Keefer, all of the Community Colleges of Spokane, have been named to the NWAACC Eastern Region all-star team.

Teammates Kevin Richardson (catcher), Josh Turrell (infielder), Beau Mathiason (pitcher) and Eric Waltermeyer (reliever) are second-team selections.

Right-hander Eric Hayden, a 1997 Shadle Park graduate, was named to the NCAA Division III Western Regional all-star team while helping Chapman win the title and a berth in the national championships.

Hayden pitched a four-hit, complete-game shutout as Chapman defeated Cal Lutheran 4-0 Sunday to advance to this weekend’s NCAA Division III World Series in Appleton, Wis.

Hayden moved into the starting rotation at midseason and posted a 6-0 record.

Administration

University of Idaho president Bob Hoover has notified the state board of education that he wants to boost athletic director Mike Bohn’s pay check, with the help of Vandal Boosters.

Hoover is working on a package that would give Bohn $5,000 for media duties and a $5,000 raise over his current $100,000 base salary. The kicker is a $100,000 annuity if Bohn stays three more years, that would be paid by Vandal Boosters.

College general

Pacific Lutheran again won the Northwest Conference all-sports trophy. The Lutes have won the trophy every year but one since the award’s inception in 1986. Willamette, second this year, won the award in 1994. Whitworth finished fifth in the nineteam conference.

This sidebar appeared with the story: GOLF CCS takes title

Chana Bonnett and Shannon Thomas of the Community Colleges of Spokane finished 1-2 to lead the Sasquatch women to the NWAACC golf championship in Tacoma on Tuesday.

CCS finished at 485 to outdistance second-place Lower Columbia (509) and the remainder of the seven-team field.

Bonnett, a freshman from Rogers High School, shot a final-round 82 for a 155 total. Thomas, of Moscow, Idaho was five strokes back.

In the men’s tournament, CCS finished fifth at 601 with Camosun first at 582. Billy Thompson finished in a tie for fifth at 146 to pace CCS, four strokes back.

Indian Canyon pro Gary Lindeblad faltered with a 78 on Tuesday to fall 12 strokes off the pace after two rounds of the BMW Washington Open golf tournament being played on the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge course in Snoqualmie, Wash.

Lindeblad was two strokes off the pace after the first round but is now tied for 14th at 147. Todd Erwin of Performance Golf leads at 135.

Spokane-area golfers Steve Prugh (Manito) and Clint Wallman (Wallman-Lindeblad Golf School) were at 150 and Mark Gardner of The Creek of Qualchan was another stroke back to make the cut that included the low 65 scores.

The tournament concludes today.