Five teams in Giants League go after four playoff spots

Spokane Valley Baseball Giants League has become a five-team battle for four playoff berths with five games left to play.

After tying Grocery Outlet, Blasingame Insurance (Centennial) is clinging to a half-game lead over American On-Site Services (Bowdish) and Home Run Construction (East Valley).

Two other teams – Valley Electric (Evergreen) and Mountain View 1 – are still in the picture two-thirds of the way through the season.

Blasingame and Grocery Outlet (North Pines) went eight innings, each scoring twice in the extra frame after Centennial had rallied from a 7-2 deficit entering the bottom of the sixth. The team scored three times in the seventh.

Cody Role was 4-for-5 and scored four runs. Riley Benton was 3-for-4 with a double, and Barry Yount‘s double tied the game.

Benton was 6-for-8 during the week, and Ben Ward had 15 strikeouts in the two games.

American On-Site Services didn’t capitalize, losing 3-2 to Hurliman Heating, but the team did beat Autocraft 9-5, Ethan Bishop with a couple of hits.

Home Run Construction outscored two foes 23-3 to share second place.

Midget League teams Gibson’s Nursery and Realty Rangers continued unbeaten in their respective divisions and lead by two games with four remaining.

Realty Rangers beat second place Valley Instant Printing for the second time, 15-5, to open its two-game bulge in the National Division. The University Elementary team led 9-2 after two innings.

Valley Instant Printing had won earlier in the week 9-6, Tommy Matsuda with an RBI base hit. He struck out three of four batters he faced while pitching.

Realty scored 19 runs in the top of the six for a 26-6 victory after trailing Merit Electric 6-3 entering the fifth inning.

Merit’s Zach Lundmark had three doubles and two triples in two games.

A 10-run first inning against Conley’s Place and eight-run third inning against Outback Steakhouse settled Gibson’s wins in the American Division. It leads two teams, Banner Fuel and River City Pizza by two games.

River City lost 9-8 to Banner in a key game after scoring five times in the top of the sixth inning to tie.

Among other Midget highlights, Wells Fargo’s Ryan Jacobsen was 5-for-5 in one game and made three outs in one inning of another, including an unassisted double play.

McDonald’s Erik Buchler had 14 strikeouts in two games and against Adams had a hand in 14 of the 18 outs.

Pee Wee League American Division leader Tom’s Barber Shop ran its record to 8-0 last week, one game ahead of the Spokane Indians.

The Indians’ Brandon Anderson hit two singles, a double and triple, and Brandon Stalker singled and tripled, and between them they had 11 strikeouts in five innings of an 18-4 win. They were a combined 6-for-6 in a 12-0 victory.

Schmitz Construction and Blasingame Inusrance remain tied at the top of the National Division after Blasingame outlasted third-place White Elephant 11-8.

Colin Deyarmin hit a triple and home run to drive in three runs in Schmitz Construction’s 10-1 win over Mark Spear Homeselling.

Among other highlights, Angelo Gonzales struck out four in two innings and hit a game-winning two-run homer as A-L Compressed Gases beat Walt’s Mailing 6-4. Ty Laboy hit a grand slam home run for El Katif Shrine, as did Chris Covillo for Econ Landscaping.

Trailhead in form

Joyce Jacobs was in good form during weekly Trailhead Ladies Club golf, the Red, White and Blue Tournament.

Jacobs shot low gross of the field with an A flight 44, though B flight golfer Bev Johnson wasn’t far back with her 48. Patty Haskins shot 55 in C flight, and Eileen Couper shot 56 for the no-handicap win.

Net winners were Dee Elder with a 31 in A, Wilma Capaul with 24 in B and Grace Libby with 23 in D.

Libby informed club members that’s she’s only 88, not 90, as was reported earlier. No wonder her golf game is so good.

Incidentally, Libby and her husband Wallace are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary next month.

Strauss right at Liberty

Karen Strauss continued to lead the way during Liberty Lake Ladies 9-Hole Golf Club competition.

She shot low gross 47 in A flight, while Deanna Hauser shot 61 in B, Lu Benjamin had 62 in C and Alice Vaughn 75 in D.

Net winners were Arla Beck with 34 in A, Carol Maycock with 39 in B, Ethel Rankin with 37 in C, while Emma Long and Kathy Cooney shared D honors with 45.

Linda Barry and Andrey Vanos had chip-ins.

Liberty Cup contested

Play of the day for Liberty Lake 18-Hole Women’s Golf Club was the monthly Liberty Cup and concurrent awards for putting expertise.

Connie Hatfield shot low net 64 to win the July round of the Cup on the strength of her 27 putts in B flight, also the best of the field.

Other putting leaders were Billie Etter and Patti Aunan with 29s in A flight, Marion Jordan, Veda Hoglen and Jody Cantrell tied at 28 in B and Jan Hussey had 29 in D.

Captain’s Cup at Hangman

It was also monthly Captain’s Cup and putting for Hangman Valley Ladies 18-Hole golfers.

Deanna Smith with a net 70 was the July victor and shared fewest putts honors with Pam Anderson at 28.