Tigers earn state berth with rout of Springdale

Zach Gianukakis hit a walk-off grand slam in the fifth inning Thursday as Republic qualified for the State B baseball tournament with an 11-1 win over visiting Springdale in a District 7 sub-district.

Tommy Swank of the Tigers (15-3) added a two-run homer in the fifth. Tyler Orestad (7-1) held Springdale (11-11) to four hits. The Chargers were eliminated.

Republic will play Wilbur-Creston (16-5) at 12:30 p.m. Monday at Avista in a district semifinal. Four games at Avista that day will determine state seeding.

Springdale began the day at Republic with a 6-3 win that eliminated Almira/Coulee-Hartline (13-9). Mike Whitney (7-5) of the Chargers scattered six hits, and David Dituri and Kevin Triplett had two-run singles during a six-run seventh. Bronson Baker doubled twice for the Warriors… . At Davenport, Sam Burke (10-2) pitched a five-inning one-hitter, struck out seven and drove in two runs to carry Northport (16-3) to a 6-0 win that eliminated Reardan (8-13). Willy Cope of the Mustangs went 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Rain postponed Northport’s winner-to-state game against Davenport. The teams will attempt to play today, probably at a different site.

Boys soccer

Mike Thomas beat a defender and scored to the right-hand corner at 14 minutes, and Logan Rubenthaler recorded a shutout during his first full-time match as goalkeeper as Pullman (13-3-1) qualified for state with a 1-0 win at Riverside in the District 7 2A playoffs. Thomas scored after a through ball from Nick DeGraffenreid. Pullman will play Medical Lake (12-5) for the district championship at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mead High. The outcome will determine seeding to state. At 11 a.m. that day at Mead, Riverside (9-5) will meet Deer Park (6-11) for the third and final state berth… . In the other district semifinal, Craig Kitti’s rebound goal early in the second half snapped a tie and led Medical Lake to a 3-1 win over visiting Deer Park. Jason Gomez added an insurance goal at 44 minutes, his 18th of the season.

Softball

Sarah Kennedy (7-4) struck out six and had a two-run double to lead Republic (11-8) to a 7-4 win over visiting St. George’s (7-15) at the Panorama League tournament. Winter Galvin added a two-run double and J.J. Koontz an RBI triple for the Tigers. The tourney shifts to Kettle Falls on Saturday. Republic will play top-seeded Curlew (19-1) for a berth in the championship game. St. George’s will play the loser between Selkirk (19-1) and Inchelium (17-3).

Tennis

District 8 4A tournament semifinals at Mead and Mt. Spokane were rained out and rescheduled for today. The district finals, originally scheduled for today, were pushed back to Monday.