RiverHawks bust out
The Spokane RiverHawks picked up right where they left off at the end of last season.
The defending regular-season West Coast Collegiate League champions led early and never trailed, defeating the visiting Kelowna Falcons 11-4 in the season opener for both teams at Gonzaga University’s Patterson Baseball Complex.
The RiverHawks took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first when second baseman Brian Yardley (CC Spokane/Gonzaga University) reached first on a liner to shortstop Jordan Kimball.
Yardley advanced to third on a Shawn Wayt (GU) single and Kelowna pitcher Andrew Wright walked Chris Bozo (CCS) to load the bases.
Shawn Gizynski knocked in the first run for Spokane on the ensuing at-bat with an RBI single to short. Max Navalinski drove in Bozo on a stand-up double that dropped in short center and Wright walked Tyson Vanwinkle to load the bases for the second time in the inning.
Brian Embery (Oregon State) drove in two more runs on a single before the inning ended on Greg Biagi’s deep-hit ball to center.
“It’s pretty exciting that we came out and swung the bat as well as we did,” said Spokane coach Barry Matthews. “A lot of these guys have had two or three weeks off and (some) haven’t swung a bat all year against live pitching – they’ve just taken a lot of batting practice.”
The RiverHawks added one run in the second inning and four in the third to extend their lead to 9-0.
Spokane starting pitcher Cory Powell (GU) worked three solid innings before giving up four runs in the fourth inning.
The Falcons’ Tyler Johnson singled to left to lead off the fourth and Ryan Mantle reached base when Spokane shortstop Biagi bobbled a grounder. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Ryan McMillan walked to load the bases.
Kyle Schultz singled in two runs and scored two batters later, along with McMillan, for the Falcons’ final runs.
Aaron Guinn came in for Powell in the fifth and pitched four shutout innings.
The RiverHawks reliever faced three batters in the top of the fifth, striking out Mantle and coaxing two grounders to short.
He gave up two hits in the sixth before the RiverHawks turned a double play to retire the side.
Guinn struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth and the RiverHawks ended the game with a double play.
“We did a great job,” Guinn said. “We came out and scored some runs early and Powell did a great job out there for us on the mound.
“I just went out there and tried to have confidence and throw some strikes and it ended up working out. I got into a little trouble here and there, but my guys picked me up, so overall it was a great game – it’s nice to win the first one.”
The three-game series against Kelowna resumes tonight at 7 at Patterson Baseball Complex. The series concludes Saturday at 1 p.m.
Spokane begins a three-game home series Sunday against Kitsap.