Titans mark 10 wins in 11 games

University’s baseball team continued on track with a harrowing District 8 4A playoff-opening 4-3 victory over Gonzaga Prep.

The Titans (12-8) made it 10 wins in 11 games with the Wednesday night win in a game shortened to five innings because of rain.

Victory moved them into the double-elimination portion of the district tourney which qualifies two teams to state.

They played league champion Mt. Spokane Friday and return to action today at 11 a.m. in a loser-out game or at 2 p.m. in a district title game.

Ferris and Shadle Park played the other Friday game.

The Titans jumped on the Bullpups 2-0 in the first inning on winning pitcher Adam Smith‘s run-scoring double and an RBI single by J.D. Peterson.

Joe Cox drove in the winning runs in the third with a base hit and Smith hung on through the rainy fifth to improve to 5-1 for the year.

Central Valley’s season ended in the opener with a tough 3-2 loss to Ferris in the District 8 opener.

Jake Swantko pitched one-hit ball through four innings and the Bears (11-10), despite just three hits in the game, staked him a 2-0 lead in the third.

Number eight hitter Dale Beach singled, and Ryan Simmelink followed with a walk. A subsequent bunt by lead-off Ryan Maynes was thrown away at third allowing Beach to score, and Brad Johnson‘s ground out plated Simmelink.

Ferris scratched back into the game with solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings, the latter with two outs. Two were out in the bottom of the seventh when the Saxons strung together a single, walk and long blast by Chris Bozo for the win.

West Valley is playing for a State 3A berth in Selah today, and East Valley needs three wins to advance.

Eagle Mike Hauschild finished second in the GSL with a .440 batting average and led the league in doubles with 10, and Matt Peterson hit .414. CV’s Kris Henderson (.407) and EV’s Jye Lanphere (.404) finished among the league’s top 12.

Henderson was second with 25 runs batted in, doubles and third in home runs. Lanphere led the league in homers, was among the leaders in doubles, runs scored and stolen bases.

Knight Bret Riggin was second in the league with a 1.67 earned run average, led the league in strikeouts with 65 and improved on both with Tuesday’s playoff win over Sunnyside, his seventh. Offensively he was among the league leaders in RBIs and home runs. Michael Stewart led the league with six triples.

WV pitching ace Greg Bradley was 5-2 in league with a 1.77 ERA and third in strikeouts. Offensively he was second in league with three triples.

Valley golfers to state

Central Valley golfers Nick Grigsby and Patrick Norton were on their game, finishing second and third in the District 8 4A tournament to qualify for state.

Their trip will be short, but hopefully fruitful when Central Valley and University golfers compete, the girls at MeadowWood and the boys at Indian Canyon June 1-2.

Eight Greater Spokane League golfers advanced, including Grigsby who lost in a playoff with Ferris’s Dustin Poe after the pair had recorded a spectacular two-day total 138.

Teammate Norton finished with 145.

Valley girls state qualifiers are U-Hi’s Mandy Parsons, third with a two-round total 153, CV’s Nicole Barham, fifth at 159, and Titan Haley Parsons, sixth at 164.

CV’s Katie Sorenson (177) is an alternate.

CV softball season done

Central Valley’s softball team was thwarted in its bid for a third-straight regional appearance, losing 3-1 to Mt. Spokane.

A two-run first-inning home run proved the Bears’ (13-8) undoing. They had the potential tying runs in scoring position in the seventh inning, but could not score.

Brandle places in nationals

Amy Brandle medaled for the third straight year at the national Level 10 Junior Olympic Gymnastics Championships last week in Ontario, Cal.

The Northwest Gymnastics Academy performer and junior at University High finished tied for seventh with a 9.55 on floor exercise.

Brandle is a member of the Region 2 National Team and has been invited to compete in an international meet in Costa Rica in June and the Cancun Classic in Mexico.

NWGA’s 10-member Level 4 team competed at state in Kirkland.

Cortney Gilbert won the 12-plus age group vault with a 9.575 score. She was seventh all-around with a four-event total of 36.5.

Amber Demaine medaled all-around in the 11A age group with a 34.975.

Four others, Jennifer Power, Audrey Wadhwani, Courtney Swanson and Rebekah Hagreen had season high scores in their events.

SVJSA registration

Spokane Valley Junior Soccer Association for ages 5-18 is registering now for the fall season.

Fees range from $50 to $90 depending upon age and level. A late fee will be assessed after June 30.

For information, call 922-7910.