Spokane Valley Baseball under way

Spokane Valley Baseball season got under way and despite the dreary spring, virtually every game got played.

East Valley (Home Run Construction) won a pair of one-run contests to take the early Giants League lead, 6-5 over North Pines (Grocery Outlet) and 7-6 in eight innings over Centennial.

Ronny Ruiz and Curtis Lura combined on the pitching, Lura with 11 strikeouts in five innings of work. Tyler Matsuda had four hits including two doubles for the week and scored three times against Centennial.

Mountain View 2 won its opener and Mountain View 1 split games, Nick Bellomy 5-for-8 with four runs scored and two driven in for the latter. Max Arbacauskas was 3-for-4 in its win over Greenacres (Autocraft).

Four teams got off to 2-0 starts in the Midget League, two apiece in each division. Opportunity (Gibson’s Nursery) piled up 47 runs and allowed just one in its victories in the American Division. East Farms 1 (River City Pizza) outscored its two foes 29-2.

In the National Division University (Realty Rangers) won by 8-0 and 21-4 scores, while Ness 2 (Leo’s Photography) beat a pair of teams 9-4 and 9-7.

Rory Langford hit a grand slam home run, and Krew Cunnington was 4-for-4 in Gibson’s 36-1 win over McDonald (Conley’s). Tyler Crawford, who pitched two no-hit innings in that game, hit a home run and double among three hits, scored three times and drove in two in an 11-0 shutout over Adams.

River City Pizza’s Kramer Stevens was 3-for-3 with three RBIs in one victory, and Tyler Jacobs struck out six during a two-hit shutout and drove in five runs, including a home run in the other.

Among other Midget highlights: Erik Buechler struck out 10 for Liberty Lake (Spokane Athletic Supply). Sunrise (Wells Fargo) got 4-for-4 hitting, including a triple, two doubles and five RBIs from Josh Naasz.

Trentwood (Valley Instant Printing) had a bases-loaded home run by Dustin Dach, and a triple and double by Matt Stewart.

Pee Wee League unbeatens also include four with 2-0 records.

In the American Division University (Tom’s Barber Shop) won 4-0 and 2-1 games, four pitchers, including T.J. Thies and Tyler Dixon, allowing just four hits and striking out 29. Derek Marcus and Thies led the way offensively.

Liberty Lake 1 (Ginno Construction) shares the lead after rallying for a 12-5 win over Chester 1 (Leo’s Photography) and beating Greenacres (Jim Frazier Pro Shop) 16-2. Janson Badinger was 7-for-8 with a double and three runs batted in. Nick Rhengans and Taylor Downey each had seven strikeout outings.

In the National Division Pasadena Park (Blasingame Insurance) won twice, as did Otis Orchards (Mark Spear Home Selling).

K.C. Ourada helped pitch Otis to the wins and hit a home run.

Among other Pee Wee highlights: Alex Harper hit a grand slam home run and tripled driving in two runs for McDonald 2 (White Elephant) during its week. Teammate Colin McDonald pitched no-hit, nine-strikeout ball in White Elephant’s win.

Trent Ferster struck out seven and was 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs for McDonald 1 (A&L Compressed Gas). Ponderosa (Spokane Indians) pitcher Brandon Anderson struck out all 18 batters in six innings last week and hit a home run. Teammate Nick Young hit a grand slam homer.

The coach’s coaches

The recently completed Greater Spokane League sports season produced more than its share of Spokane Valley coaches of the year, including the choice of East Valley soccer coach Jeff Rose twice.

Rose, a 1992 Central Valley graduate and former Whitworth soccer standout, was named GSL Coach of the Year while guiding the Knights girls into the state 3A tournament last fall and the boys to a share of their first GSL championship in the spring.

EV had three other coaches of the year, Dave McCarty in boys track, Mike Smith in girls tennis and Grady Emmerson, the defensive football coach of the year. Emmerson is leaving EV to become North Central’s head coach.

McCarty also coached EV to third place in state cross country.

University had six coaches of the year; retiring teacher Steve Llewellen, girls cross country, Amanda Velasquez, volleyball, Don Owen, wrestling, Tracy Duncan and Karen Renner, gymnastics, and Julene Osborn, girls tennis.

Duncan and Renner, in their second year in the revitalized gymnastics program had five state qualifiers last winter, including fourth-place bars standout and seventh-place all-around finisher Kayla McGahey.

President’s Cup settled

Liberty Lake 18-Hole Women’s Club golfers finished their President’s Cup competition in the rain.

Gloria Cash was the overall winner with a three-round net score of 230 and with 87 putts.

Flight winners were: first – Patsy Lynn with 237, a stroke better than Billie Etter; second – Connie Hatfield with 232 and a five-stroke lead; third – Linda Dreher with 254, two better than Alice Shattuck; fourth – Myrna Neubauer with 233.

Trailhead to Grassl

Weekly Trailhead Ladies Golf Club winner was Betty Grassl, who had a chip-in on the way to an A flight low gross 45 score.

Harriet Carbon shot 50 to win B flight, Joy Russell shot 63 to lead C flight, and Bobbie Parent shot 58 in no-handicap.

Net winners were Carolyn State with 33 in A flight, Bev Johnson with 33 in B, and Grace Libby with 31 in C.

Second flight is winner

Second flight golfer Joanne Ruddell produced the winning score during Thursday’s Liberty Lake Ladies 9-Hole golf competition.

Ruddell shot 58, a stroke better than first flight winner Lorraine Martin. Third flight produced a three-way tie at 68 among Betty Trembly, Wilma Capaul and Lee King.

High scores, said Martin, were a reflection on windy conditions.

Net winners were Nancy Lampe with 44 in first flight, Joan Rassley with 39 in second, and Alice Sturman with 40 in third.

Tucker tops field

Kim Tucker came out on top during weekly Painted Hills Ladies League golf competition.

Tucker shot 50 in A flight to lead a field that included Julie Quillin‘s 51 in B, Bobby Fey‘s 55 in C, a 58 by newcomer Betty Grassl in no-handicap and 63 by Linda Shupe in D.

Net winners for the week were Arlene Koth with 37 in A flight, Beth Zehm with 33 in B, Rita Baker with 35 in C, and Candy Blackmer with 36 in D.

Linda Garves had a chip-in on the 12th hole.