U-Hi blanks Central Valley

University proved superior when the lone Greater Spokane League baseball unbeatens and district rival Titans and Central Valley faced off in a Wednesday doubleheader.

U-Hi (7-0) owned every phase of the game during the 10-0 and 9-0 sweep.

“I thought we would hold them down,” said Titans coach Scott Sutherland following the easy wins. “I didn’t expect to score 19 runs.”

Both squads boast top-flight pitching, but the U-Hi duo of Danny Jordan and Billy Moon held a decided upper hand. Between them they struck out 26 batters and allowed but five baserunners in 14 innings.

CV’s Rusty Shellhorn matched Jordan for five innings in game one, trailing 1-0 when Jordan walked in the top of the fifth, stole second and scored on Moon’s second hit of the game. Shellhorn struck out 10.

But the wheels fell off the wagon for the Bears (5-2) over the next two innings when the Titans parlayed six walks and three miscues, including a misplayed two-run hit to left by Jacob Olsufka, into nine runs over the span.

Jordan allowed three baserunners on a walk and two hits – both by sophomore David Borgman, whose brother was a Titan. He struck out 12. Jordan got out of a third-inning predicament when Borgman ran into a ground ball with runners at first and third and one out, and he retired the final 14 batters he faced.

“I knew the game would be tight, and had to keep my team in the game,” Jordan said. “I had great defense behind me and it’s a huge relief when you know they’re going to gobble everything up.”

Olsufka at shortstop and Tyler Olson at first each made diving stops to deny hits.

“That’s routine for these guys,” said Sutherland. ” ‘Suf’ is the best shortstop around.”

No. 9 hitter Travis Clark had a clutch run-scoring single with two out in the sixth and walked with the bases loaded for an RBI in the seventh.

Moon was equally, if not more, effective pitching game two. He fanned 14 and allowed two baserunners on hits by Borgman and Fano Pau. He retired the final 13 Bears.

“We pitched the ball really well, and hit the ball well, too,” he said. “That takes a lot of stress off a pitcher. Sleeping in during spring break might have helped, too.”

U-Hi drove Trevor Shull off the mound in the third inning of game two, scoring five times. John Rapose led off the inning with a well-stroked home run to right center and three other Titans hit safely.

A wild pitch and passed ball plated two of the runs. In the sixth, Moon doubled in a run, his third hit of the day, and Olson followed with a two-run homer, his third of the year.

“Billy continues to be hot,” said Sutherland. “He’s such a tough out. And we got two great performances out of our pitchers.”

Leadoff hitter Jordan walked five times on the day and scored each time.

Today, the Titans are at Ferris as the week of GSL games and makeups continues.

In other league games, Robert Murphy‘s second-game, eighth-inning two-run double at North Central gave Mead (5-1) a 15-0, 7-5 sweep of the Indians (3-6). Murphy pitched the distance. Sean McNaghten was 4 for 7 in the doubleheader with a home run, three triples and four RBIs. Grant Fink was 6 for 8 with three RBIs. … At Ferris, Beau Brett hit a two-run homer in the sixth during a 13-3 Saxons (6-3) win over Gonzaga Prep (4-5). Brett, who drove in four runs, and Andrew Kittredge, who scored four times, were each 3 for 4. Evan Ewing blanked the Bullpups over the final six innings for the win. … Mt. Spokane (4-4) and Shadle Park (2-6) split a doubleheader at Shadle. Mt. Spokane won the opener 16-6 as Nate Blackham went 4 for 5 with two doubles and scored three times. Jordon Poynor had three hits and scored twice. Andrew McCanna hit a bases-loaded triple during the Highlanders’ five-run fourth. They won the second game 9-4, taking advantage of errors and scoring seven times in the second inning. Brian Thomas hit a two-run single for winner Ian Carlson…At Hart Field, Rogers (4-5) broke open a close game with five runs in the sixth inning for a 7-1 victory over the Tigers (0-8). Jacob Campbell hit a two-run homer in the decisive inning to finish with three RBIs. Andrew Durant and Jake Partridge each had two hits and two runs batted to back Partridge’s 11-strikeout three-hitter.