Locals compete in Mariners Cup

Four high school baseball players from Spokane performed under the watchful eye of Major League Baseball scouts at the 2007 Mariners Cup, held Aug. 8-10 in Everett and Seattle.

Playing for the Northwest Mariners squad, Ferris seniors Beau Brett and Andrew Kittredge, West Valley senior Bryan Peterson and Central Valley senior Rusty Shellhorn represented Spokane.

The Northwest Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 8-6 in the first game at Everett Memorial Stadium on Aug. 8. Brett had an RBI single, while Kittredge struck out four in three scoreless innings of relief.

The NW Mariners fell 8-1 to the USA Mariners in the second game of the doubleheader. Peterson’s RBI single gave the NW Mariners their only run and Shellhorn gave up just one hit in three innings.

On Aug. 9, the NW Mariners were defeated by the Chicago White Sox 6-4 at Safeco Field.

Brett went 2 for 4 and Peterson added a hit in the NW Mariners final game, a 3-1 loss to the USA Mariners on Aug. 10.

•The Spokane-based Oakley Monster Dogs got off to a bad start at the Under Armour 18-U Southwest Regional Tournament held Aug. 6-10 in Peoria, Ariz., but turned it around when it counted most.

The Monster Dogs lost all four of their pool play games and entered the single-elimination championship bracket as the tenth and final seed.

Oakley went on to win all four of its games in bracket play to win the tournament.

Monster Dogs lefty Rick Anton, who had two victories, including the win in the championship game, was named the tournament’s MVP while Trevor May was named to the Under Armour National Team.

Softball

The Northwest Wildfire, a team out of Coeur d’Alene, blazed through its competition to win the ASA 18-U B Fast Pitch Western Nationals at Franklin Park Aug. 1-5.

The Wildfire went 6-0 in bracket play, including a 12-4 win over the San Francisco Angels in the championship game.

University’s Alyssa Erickson, Coeur d’Alene’s Amanda Edwards and Freeman’s Casey Olson each went 2-0 for the Wildfire and Jordanna Walker had a .579 battting average (11 of 19).

•North Central senior Kelsie Vallies was a big part of the Washington Lady Hawks’ success at the ASA 18-U Gold Fast Pitch National Championships held Aug. 5-12 at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City.

Vallies had two wins as the Lady Hawks, a team out of Seattle, went 3-2 and finished ninth out of the top 64 teams in the country. Vallies allowed one earned run in 12 innings of work.

Golf

Five local golfers took first place in their age groups at the Idaho Golf Association Junior State Championships held Aug. 6-7 at Foxtail Golf Course in Meridian, Idaho.

Colbert’s Savana Bezdicek led the way, firing an 18-hole total of 69 and winning by four strokes among the 13-year old girls.

In the 12-year old age group, Kellogg’s Kaceelyn Pouttu shot a 76 to claim first place.

Post Falls’ Genna Dodge and Spokane’s Kaitlen Parsons each fired a two-round total of 163 and tied for first in the girls 15-year old age group.

Rounding out the local winners was Rathdrum’s Derek Bayley, who shot an 18-total of 66 to win by one stroke amongst the 11-year olds.

Local golfers finishing in the top five of their age group: Moscow’s Taylor Anderson (third, girls 13, 36-40–76); Post Fall’s Madeline Dodge (fifth, girls 13, 38-41–79); Colbert’s Sierra Bezdicek (second, girls 11, 37-40–77); Spokane’s Megan Haase (third, girls 14, 92-79–171); Viola’s Garrett Adair (second, boys 13, 82-77–159); Hayden’s Tylor Johnson (third, boys 17 and up, 70-75–145); Spokane’s Peter Gullickson (fourth, boys 14, 87-76–163); Post Fall’s Trevor Fedele (second, boys 11, 32-35–67); Spokane’s Justin Haase (third, boys 15, 77-75–152); Coeur d’Alene’s Alex Pounds (fourth, boys 15, 75-78–153); Spokane’s Hank Frame (fourth, boys 16, 73-79–152); Pullman’s Dillon Williams (T5, boys 17 and up, 77-72–149); Hayden’s Kyler Gable (T5, boys 17 and up, 80-69–149).

Swimming

Arizona State sophomore and Gonzaga Prep graduate C.J. Nuess has been selected to participate in the Japan International Grand Prix in Chiba, Japan Aug. 21-24. Nuess will race for the U.S. National team in the 400 Intermediate Medley.

Shooting

Landt Farm ‘Hot Shot’ team members Bryce Purdy and Chris Yarboro fared well at the 2007 Western Open, held Aug. 2-5 at the Top Gun Club in Mt. Vernon, Wash.

Purdy, 12, was the champion among ages 16 and younger in all seven events that he entered and was first among all ages in the 20-guage event.

Yarboro, 17, was tops in the 17-21 age group in the 200 targets main event.