EV baseball enjoying successful run

Except for a couple of early season losses, East Valley’s American Legion AA South baseball team has taken up where it left off.

The young Knights last year won the U-16 portion of the Legion league. They’ve won five straight games in the higher division this year to improve to 6-2 and join leader Spokane Athletic Supply (10-2 Central Valley) and Kimmel Athletic (11-4 University) among the divisional playoff contenders.

Among the team’s recent wins have been 11-1 five-inning and 3-2 victories over Medical Lake and 8-7 and 6-5 triumphs over other divisional challengers Lewis and Clark and U-Hi.

A dozen EV players have contributed offensively during the recent run of success, including Todd Matsuda and Gerry Kelley with eight hits each. Three others, Cameron Rippee, Justin Tognocchi and Mark Lengyel, have also swung hot bats.

SAS also swept Medical Lake and beat Cheney on Monday to maintain its lead in the South Division. The team had plenty of offense in the wins, banging out 34 hits and scoring 24 runs. Stuart Harris and Kyle Renz had six hits each.

Pitching allowed just six runs in three games against the two schools.

Kimmel Athletic has just five games remaining on its divisional schedule, including one against the South leaders.

Legion July Fourth tourney next

Four of five American Legion Senior (AAA) teams will once more be hosts of the annual 12-team Fourth of July Tournament that will be played Friday through Monday at Rogers and Shadle Park.

The Spokane Valley Cannons play at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Al K. Jackson Field at Shadle, play at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Rogers and 3:30 and 6 p.m. Sunday back at Shadle.

The Bandits play 8 a.m. Friday at Rogers, at 3:30 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Al J. Jackson Field and at 3:30 and 6 p.m. Sunday at Rogers.

Top two finishers in each division will play for first through fourth places on Monday.

Besides the locals, teams from Montana, Idaho and Western Washington will participate joined by the annual visit from California’s El Segundo Blue.

Central Valley and West Valley will be host fields for the Junior (AA) Legion tournament.

Kimmel Athletic (WV) plays at home Friday at 6 p.m., again at 3:30 and 6 p.m. on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Kimmel Athletic (U-Hi) is also in the WV Division, opening the tourney at 8 a.m., playing at 1 and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and 3:30 and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Spokane Athletic Supply (CV) plays at home, 6 p.m. on Friday, 3:30 and 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 and 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Like the senior tourney, division champions play for the title Monday and second-place finishers play for third and fourth places at CV, 11 a.m. and 1:30 P.M.

Teams from Ferris, Walla Walla, Western Washington and Idaho fill out the 12-team field.

Member-guest event at Liberty Lake

Liberty Lake Women’s 18-Hole golf club hosted a member-guest tournament. Sixty-four golfers participated in a two-person best ball game.

Low gross first-place team was Patty Aunan and Michelle Murrell with a combined 80. Second were Rose Jones and Christie Querna with 81 and third were Jill Grover and Shirley Walker with 82.

Net champions were Jan Krogseth and Barb Midkiff with a combined 60. Finishing second were Carol Schultz and Lindsay Ehlers with 64. Third were Jean Hatcher and Lee Cook with 65.

Golf tourney for Hangman ladies

For the past three weeks, Hangman Valley Ladies Club golfers participated in their annual Hanging Tree tournament.

Winner was determined by scoring the best two net scores out of the three rounds.

Susan Crosby was overall champion with a score of 137.

First-flight leaders were Diane Joss with a 141 and Kitty Duval at 145.

Second flight was a tie between Louise Robeson and Frances Nord with a 144.

In third flight, Pam Anderson edged Priscilla Morrison 145 to 146.