Titans pick off big win over Bears
University was clinging to a lead, but Central Valley had the winning runs on base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning when Titans coach Jon Schuh took a calculated risk.
“I called it,” said Schuh of catcher Alene Bethel’s bullet pickoff throw to first base that ended the game and preserved her sister Shelby’s 5-4 Greater Spokane League softball victory.
With Thursday’s win, the visiting third-place Titans (9-3) completed a two-day sweep for a two-game lead over the Bears (7-5).
“I said, ‘Go ahead and pick her off,’ ” said Schuh of his decision with Alyssa Erickson, the tying run, at second base and Hailey Saxby on first. “The key to the play was that Shelby got ahead on the first pitch.”
Alene said she just tried not to worry about making a bad throw. Her sister expressed relief at the outcome.
Shelby Bethel had pitched out of jams in six of the seven innings, stranding eight CV players in scoring position, although she never trailed.
CV’s Gen Aman led off the bottom of the first with a triple and scored on Chrystal Holt’s base hit, but Shelby ultimately left runners at second and third.
Aman, who also had an RBI double in the fourth, was stranded in scoring position three other times. In the sixth she reached third on a run-scoring three-base error with one out, but again Shelby got out of it.
“I take a deep breath, think about my pitch and try not to rush,” she said. “If I rush, I don’t do well.”
The Titans staked her to a 2-0 lead in the first. Riki Schiermeister hit the first of her two singles and scored on Ali Warren’s double. Ashley Moon followed with an RBI hit.
In the third, U-Hi made it 4-1 with alert baserunning and Warren’s RBI flyout.
Schiermeister plated the winner in the fifth on Alyssa Hawley’s single. Those two batters finished the CV series 11 for 16 and scored eight runs.
“We started off the game well. Having runs early is always nice,” said Schuh. “In a rivalry, anything can happen.”
Elsewhere, the host Mead Panthers (10-3) swept East Valley (3-7) 18-0 and 4-0, belting five home runs in an 11-run first inning of the opener. Jill Pecka, who was 4 for 4, started it and Breanna Lookabill capped it with a grand slam. Cey also hit a grand slam and double for eight RBIs. Tiffany Lookabill’s two-run single in the second game was enough for freshman Alisha Meade, who pitched both shutouts, allowed four hits and struck out 13. … Shadle Park (9-0) won 11-1 at Mt. Spokane (6-6) as Sam Skillingstad had a two-run double in the Highlanders’ six-run fifth inning. Skillingstad allowed one hit and struck out 13. … Rogers (3-10) scored three times in the final two innings to win 5-3 at Ferris (0-12). Nicole Hardin was 3 for 4. … Kim Hare hit two doubles and Porcher Schuller homered in North Central’s (11-2) 9-3 win at Gonzaga Prep (4-8).
Baseball
League-leading Mead (12-1) won 20-8 at East Valley (3-10) in six innings. Robert Murphy was 3 for 3 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs. Sean McNaghten was 3 for 5, homered twice and had six RBIs. Seth Peterson hit a grand slam in the first and finished 3 for 4 with five RBIs. … Host University (11-2) beat Mt. Spokane (7-8) 14-2 in five innings. Jacob Osulfka hit his third homer of the season and added two doubles, driving in three runs and scoring three times. … Lewis and Clark (3-12) won its second straight extra-inning game, 5-4 at Central Valley (7-6), when Jordan Kellogg singled and scored on a bases-loaded passed ball in the eighth. The Tigers trailed 4-1 before tying in the sixth inning. … North Central’s Nick Harris hurled a shutout in the Indians’ (5-8) 10-0 win over visiting Shadle Park (3-10). Taylor Hustad had three hits and RBIs. … Andrew Kittredge homered, and he and Shawn Stockton had five RBIs apiece as Ferris (10-3) won 21-6 at Rogers (6-9).