Dragons’ Hauff signs with Dons

Citing his desire to play at the college level, St. George’s graduate Trenton Hauff has signed to play baseball with the University of San Francisco.

“It has been my goal to be a college athlete since I started playing baseball,” the five-year starter for the Dragons said. “I aspired to get that opportunity.”

Hauff credits St. George’s coaches Scott and Bob Pate and former Gonzaga coach Steve Hertz with preparing him.

A preseason Under Armour All-American, Hauff hit 10 home runs, batted nearly .600 with a 1.300 slugging percentage and had a 6-1 record with a 2.30 ERA for the Dragons. He is, athletic director Ryan Peplinski said, the only baseball player at St. George’s to participate in state for four years.

Bob Pate began working with Hauff as a catcher after seventh grade when he filled in on a summer team.

“We brought him up to varsity to catch in eighth grade,” he said. “This year he had 40 hits in 18 games.”

Hauff currently plays for Hertz on the Bandits, which last weekend reached the American Legion July Fourth Wood Bat tournament semifinals.

Coaches from Santa Clara, USF and Division III colleges showed interest in him, Hauff said. He chose the Dons because of the coaching staff, school and environment.

“They said I have a chance to compete for a catching spot as a freshman,” Hauff said. “I reached my goal with hard work and determination.”

July Fourth results

No teams came out unscathed during the American Legion Senior Wood Bat baseball tournament last week.

The eventual champion Blue Devils won a tiebreaker with the Great Falls Electrics and Twin City Titans to earn its spot in the semifinals. All three had finished with 4-1 records in their pod.

The Bandits and Trail Jays finished 4-1 in their pod, with the Spokane team advancing to the semis by virtue of a 5-2 victory head-to-head. They lost 9-6 to the Billings Scarlets, which had also gone 4-1 in their pool to edge the Spokane Northstars (3-1-1) for the spot.

After scoring six runs in the first inning and leading 8-0 early, the Blue Devils hung on for an 11-9 victory over Medicine Hat in their semifinal. They edged Billings 3-2 for the championship, outhitting their foe 12-3.

Taylor Hustad, Jake Graham and Tyler Pfeffer were offensive constants during the tournament.

•Mead was the lone local team to reach the semifinals of the Wood Bat Junior tournament. The team went 4-1 in pool play and joined unbeaten teams Pride Bothell, Walla Walla and Yakima Valley Peppers, losing 8-0 to Walla Walla. Pride Bothell, after edging Yakima 11-10 in the semis, beat Walla Walla 7-1 for the title.

Pflugrath to Brewster

After 22 years and six state basketball trips, five as placers, Dwight Pflugrath is leaving Ritzville.

Pflugrath, who was athletic director and counselor there, will return to the classroom and become the new head coach at Brewster.

“It was hard to leave,” said Pflugrath, who was the senior boys basketball coach in the Bi-County League by his fifth season. “But it’s closer to where I grew up in the Wenatchee Valley and just a lot of things came together.”

He said officials were up front in telling him the cupboard is not stocked quite as well as it has been at a school that has made 31 state appearances beginning in 1958 and reached the finals 11 times, winning eight championships in either Class B or 1A tournaments.

Last year was the first in 11 seasons as a 1A school that the Bears didn’t qualify for state.

“They haven’t had anybody on (teaching) staff coaching for awhile and I know some are happy to have someone in-building who will be coaching again,” Pflugrath said. “It’s not much bigger of a school, but I’m looking forward to it.”

He said he’s hopeful 1999 graduate and current assistant coach Dustin Arlt will get the Lind-Ritzville job.

Viva, Las Vegas

A pair of recent Idaho high school graduates playing for a club softball team in Nevada helped the Las Vegas Lil’ Rebels softball team to a state championship.

Pitchers Blake Meredith (Post Falls) and Lela Work (Lake City) each won two games without loss and had a combined earned-run average of less than 1.00. They also contributed offensively, with Meredith batting 6 for 11 during the tournament and Work hitting two home runs.

All-star volleyball

East Valley’s Justine Simpson is the lone local currently listed on the Washington State Coaches Association All-State volleyball rosters.

Games will be July 18 at Fife with the 1A/2B game at 4 p.m., followed by the 1B/2A/3A game at 6 and the 4A at 8.