Shadle makes its district pitch

Are two arms better than one?

The long haul of the Greater Spokane League season seemed to support an affirmative answer, especially when those arms belong to Shadle Park High right-handers Stephanie Trudeau and Sam Skillingstad.

The two combined for 19 wins, including four perfect games and two more no-hitters. They lifted the Highlanders to the GSL regular-season crown, their second in the past five years. Now they will try to carry Shadle into the regional tournament.

The senior Trudeau tried to do it alone last year, but stumbled after a toe injury suffered in the first district game.

So along comes the freshman Skillingstad to pace the GSL in earned run average and strikeouts per inning pitched.

“Right now they are both pitching incredible, spectacular,” said Shadle coach George Lynn, who said both will be used in districts. “When you have two ace chuckers, you cannot go wrong.”

But there are two regional spots up for grabs starting today at Whitworth (Shadle and second-place U-Hi are already assured berths and will play for seeding), and four teams who want them.

There’s Mead, the defending district champion with last year’s league Most Valuable Player, Kim Watson, in the circle. There’s Mt. Spokane, led by senior catcher Jackie Purser, which handed Shadle its only loss. There’s Central Valley, which might still be a year away with only one senior (Katee Nauert) on the roster. And there’s Gonzaga Prep, which overcame a midseason hand injury to pitcher Michelle Tully to earn the final district berth.

Shadle and U-Hi have earned regional berths with their 1-2 regular-season finish, and will play for seeding.

“Isn’t that great,” said Lynn, whose teams, though favored, didn’t get out of districts the past two years. “The funny thing is I did not allow my girls to know that. I kept that to myself.

“The regional berth is something they’ve earned, but they still understand a No. 1 seed is probably the easiest way to get through the regional.”

The 3A district tournament, to be played at U-Hi on Saturday, will winnow four teams down to two. The loser of the Clarkston vs. West Valley game will be eliminated, while the winner will play North Central and East Valley loser for the second seed.