Sports notebook: Coach says U-Hi’s success started back in summer

University baseball coach Scott Sutherland doesn’t have to look beyond last summer to understand why the Titans are playing today in the State 4A baseball tournament.

“Basically,” he said via e-mail, “this year’s success started last summer. Going undefeated against high school opponents until the second game of the state tournament gave us amazing confidence.”

Bouyed by their performance, he said, most of the athletes played fall ball, were involved in Baseball Northwest events and in the winter attended hitting and pitching camps.

Those not involved in winter sports lifted weights and worked out at the school. The result was a second place varsity Greater Spokane League finish (plus first in the junior varsity and second in the freshman leagues).

Four seniors played key roles, led by catcher Aaron LaPlante. Kyle Barker and Ben Borgman were the corner outfielders and Chris Sothen played first base. LaPlante led the team with four home runs and shared runs batted in lead with 24.

“If our seniors supplied guidance, our underclassmen supplied the juice,” Sutherland wrote.

Two, pitchers Danny Jordan, junior, and sophomore Billy Moon were back from last year’s varsity.

“Danny is our emotional leader,” said Sutherland. “He competes as well as anyone in the league. Being our starting quarterback and a state placing wrestler speaks volumes.”

U-Hi’s leadoff hitter scored a team high 30 runs while batting .352. Moon led all hitters with a .418 average and 14 doubles. He was 9-1 pitching for the 15-7 team with 81 strikeouts and a 1.83 earned run average.

U-Hi had four sophomore starters, including Jacob Olsufka, who played second base and shortstop, hit .348, shared the RBI lead with 24 and scored 25 times.

Michael Holmes played infield, outfield and pitched. Craig Keeton moved into the lineup after junior Jacob Schnibbe was injured. Schnibbe was hitting .333 with 12 runs scored and 14 driven in before his season ended with a fractured hip.

“These aren’t your normal sophomores,” said Sutherland. “They all greatly participated last summer in our run to state.”

Newcomer third baseman, junior Brandon Shryock batted .357 with 21 runs and 16 RBI, was U-Hi’s cleanup hitter.

“He has quietly made a name for himself after playing JV ball last year,” said Sutherland. “He is as steady as they come.”

The Titans are in Richland in Region IV of state. They play at 10 a.m. against Moses Lake needing two wins to reach the state final four.

“Regardless of how we do, it has been a very successful season,” said Sutherland. “We never doubted ourselves.”

Softball teams compete

District champion U-Hi and surging CV are competing in Regional 4A softball tournament in Richland.

First round of games were last night (results in today’s Spokesman-Review sports page). The eight-team tourney resumes this morning at 10 with three teams qualifying for state.

U-Hi won district 1-0 over previously unbeaten Shadle Park on Ali Warren‘s home run.

CV won two of three games in district to finish third, including 5-0 over Mead on Alyssa Erickson‘s one-hitter. She allowed only three base runners in the game while striking out eight. Mickenzie Alden and Alexa Morales combined were 4-for-6 hitting, drove in five runs and scored three times. Each hit home runs.

Track meets for state

District 8 4A and 3A finals today at Spokane Falls Community College will advance three per event to next week’s state meet in Pasco.

CV and EV boys in their respective classifications (see list), have a large number of entries in the regional meet for their state bid.

West Valley competed in 2A state qualifying Thursday and Friday and Freeman was in the Regional 1A meet on Friday.

EV in quarterfinals

East Valley’s soccer team plays Camas at 1 p.m. today for a spot in the State 3A semifinals to be played next week in Tacoma. They beat Sunnyside 3-0 last Saturday.

State golf Tuesday

State golf is Tuesday and Wednesday in Bellingham. CV’s Tanner Robb and Katie Sorenson, U-Hi’s Hank Frame and Kaitlen Parsons will compete in 4A. Ashley Saffle and Jenny White from EV are in the 3A tourney. Freeman’s Dylan Maine, Max Riggs, Ryan McKinney, Tyler Barrong and Taylor Vold in boys, Darby Moberg in girls are in the 1A event.

Medal play for golfers

Five women’s league golfers were all involved in medal play during recent gatherings.

Liberty Lake Nine Hole: Leaders during this past week were Elaine Tai with a low gross 53 in first flight, Carol Maycock with 57 in second and Jane Tisthammer with 73 in third.

Both Maycock, on the 11th hole, and Tisthammer, on 16, had chip-ins.

Net leaders were Arla Beck with 39 in first flight, Nellie Auckerman with 39 in second and Wilma Capaul with 38 in third.

Trailhead: Marcia Rowley shot low gross 45, and had a chip-in, for the A flight win.

Joy Russell shot 56 in B, Penny Jones had 62 in C and Renee Begovich shot 55 in the no-handicap flight.

Net winners were Patty Haskins in A with 27, Mary Ann Evans in B with 31 and Myrlene Haskell in C with 28. Sandie Garberg also had a chip-in.

MeadowWood: Best low gross scores during the women’s club competition were by Suzi Stone with an 85 and Sandy McLaughlin with 88.

Net leaders were Noreen Sale, 72, Patsy Lynn, 73 and Lynn Smith, 73.

Liberty Lake 18-Hole: It was a two-win week for Jeanne Allemand, who shot 92 for low gross A flight score in this league and also won at Painted Hills.

Cathy Whitley shot 100 to win B flight, Alice Shattuck had 116 in C and Jean Fulks 112 in D.

Net winners were Jackie Shea with 74 in A, Connie Hatfield and Debbie West with 78s in B and Dorothy Womach with 84 in D.

Painted Hills: Allemand shot 43 in this weekly league while Betty Grassl netted 40 in A flight.

B flight winners were June Hathaway with gross 56 and Kathy Walker with net 36. In C flight, Pat Angove shot 57, and Judee Fowler netted 36.

D flight honors went to Jill Cobb with low-gross 59 and Shelby Cutter with net 35. Sharon Meyer had no-handicap 63, and Julie Harbison had a chip-in on 14.