Skillingstad, Shadle Park earn district title

Sammy put an end to the whammy.

Shadle Park pitcher Sam Skillingstad’s two-run fourth inning double broke a 1-1 tie and she did the rest on the mound for an 8-2 District 8 4A championship softball victory over Central Valley Tuesday at Whitworth College.

The title win was the first for the Highlanders since 2001 and ended at three their jinx of 1-0 title losses at Marks Field.

To the sing-song chant of “S-a-m-my, W-h-a-m-m-y” by her teammates, a cheer they use each time she bats, Skillingstad lofted a towering blow to the right-field fence, the third consecutive hit in the top of the inning.

“I needed to,” she said. “I hadn’t hit one for a while.”

She had fallen behind the Bears in the first inning on an error and Alexa Morales’ single. She retired 15 of the next 16 hitters and Shadle worked its way back into the game.

Freshman first-baseman Megan Skillingstad singled and scored to tie the game in the third and nearly upstaged her older sister when she crushed a two-run home run in the sixth.

“It’s awesome as a freshman,” Sam said. “She hit a shot.”

In between, Tressa Predisik helped Shadle distance itself with a base hit to drive in two runs in the fifth.

“I’m proud of them,” said Shadle coach George Lynn. “I think that we finally have some momentum going into regionals and that’s always a plus. I think being down 1-0 woke them up right away. I think it shows character.”

CV (17-6) had been on a roll, winning 10 straight games. The Bears were hot right off the bat with pitcher Alyssa Erickson setting the Highlanders down in order in the first and second innings. They drew first blood on offense with a leadoff hit by Gen Aman and Morales’ hit.

Over the next four innings, however, Shadle (22-0) began hitting with a consistency lacking in previous outings. The Highlanders had three hits in the third inning, including an infield single by China Frost that tied the game. Danielle Lynn led off the third with a double, and Predisik singled prior to Sam’s two-run double. Her seventh-inning squeeze bunt plated the final run.

“We haven’t been ourselves lately and I think this was a good step forward,” said Shadle’s four-year star.

Along the way she fanned a dozen CV batters, although Morales doubled to end her putout string in the bottom of the seventh and eventually scored.

“We collectively hit today,” said Lynn of Shadle’s 10 total. “It was nice in the fourth to have three hits in a row. If you can put three together, you’re doing OK”

CV coach Jeff VanHorne was not displeased with the effort of his team, although he said the girls were unhappy because they expected more of themselves.

Next for four GSL teams is the regional tournament beginning at 6 p.m. Friday at Franklin Park.

In the game for third and fourth, University’s Titans (17-7), unable to come up with a clutch hit with runners in scoring position, trailed 3-0 after four innings but won 13-3. Aided by three errors on balls hit back to Panthers (14-9) pitchers, they sent 15 batters to the plate in the fifth, scoring nine times on six hits and two bases-loaded walks. A four-run sixth provided the 10-run cushion and ended the game early. Riki Schiermeister and Alyssa Hawley each scored three times. Ali Warren had three hits driving in two runs and Alene Bethel had three RBIs.

District 8 3A

In the seeding game for Saturday’s regional at Franklin, pitcher Kelsie Vallies struck out 14 and pitched a two-hitter in North Central’s (17-4) 9-0 win over Mt. Spokane (10-11). Lynde Peterson drove in two runs in the second inning and Katherine Lively another.

District 7 2A

Colville and Pullman reached Saturday’s noon district finals at University with home victories. The Great Northern League champion Colville Indians blanked Clarkston 10-0 on two hits as Mikayla Carr improved to 11-1 for the year. Michell Ching’s three-run double in the sixth ended the game. … Pullman’s Greyhounds held West Valley to one hit behind pitchers Erika Hanson and Bri Fisher to win 3-1. Hanson homered in the fourth to break a tie. WV and Clarkston meet for the league’s third state berth.

1A regional

Colfax beat Brewster 8-4 to claim the final berth to the state-qualifying tournament that begins Thursday. Rachel Eng doubled and tripled to drive in four runs and scored twice.

District 7 2B

Selkirk and Lind-Ritzville qualified for state and will play Saturday for the district championship in Kettle Falls. Selkirk beat Reardan 2-1 and Davenport 3-2, and L-R blanked St. George’s 17-0 and beat Liberty 7-2 at Medical Lake. Reardan faces Liberty and Davenport plays St. George’s in loser-out games for a chance to earn the district’s third state berth.

District 9 1B

Garfield-Palouse and LaCrosse-Washtucna won first-round games.