Wa-Hi Blue Devils baseball team pounds top Spokane teams

Wa-Hi Blue Devils baseball team pounds top Spokane teams

Blue Devils now play Richland in the regional final on Saturday in Kennewick

Big Nine overwhelms GSL in 4A/3A baseball
Greg Lee The Spokesman-Review
May 11, 2011

It was a clean sweep by the Columbia Basin Big Nine in 4A and 3A Regional baseball Tuesday.

Adding to the misery of the 4A Greater Spokane League teams, Ferris, Mead and Gonzaga Prep were shut out by a combined 21-0.
CBBN 4A champ Walla Walla administered a 12-0 shellacking to GSL and District 8 champ Ferris as the Blue Devils secured a state berth. Walla Walla (19-6) takes on perennial power Richland (18-5) Saturday in Kennewick.

Ferris (18-3) can still earn a state berth. The Saxons play host to Moses Lake (10-16), which fell 14-0 to Richland, at noon Saturday in a winner-to-state, loser-out game.

"I told them (the Saxons) the bonus was what we did in league and the district tourney allows you a hiccup and let's take advantage of that on Saturday," Ferris coach Jim Sharkey said. "I told them, 'Let's flush this game and move on."

 In a pair of loser-out openers, Walla Walla blanked Gonzaga Prep (15-9) 4-0 at Ferris and Moses Lake shut out Mead (12-10) 5-0 at Richland.
In 3A, visiting CBBN fourth-seed Hanford hammered GSL top seed University 20-5 and CBBN No. 3 Kamiakin tripped GSL No. 2 Mt. Spokane 3-2 in a loser-out game at Southridge.

U-Hi can still earn a state berth, but the Titans will have to go to Southridge on Saturday. U-Hi faces Kamiakin (19-5) in a winner-to-state, loser-out noon game. Southridge (19-2) meets Hanford (13-11) in the regional final.

4A regional
Walla Walla 12, Ferris 0: After district play, the 10-run mercy rule is no longer in effect.
By the time the top of the fourth inning had been completed - and all the scoring had taken place - this game needed a merciful, premature ending.
The Blue Devils got after previously unbeaten Ferris starting pitcher Spencer Ansett like no other team this season. Walla Walla sent 12 to the plate and three Blue Devils hit homers.

Ansett (8-1) had allowed just one homer previously and it came in the second game of the season.

"I was amped up and the ball was up again," Ansett said. "Against a good team like that, they hit mistakes real well, and it seemed like every pitch was a mistake."

WW took a 4-0 lead when Matt Watson, on a 0-2 pitch, hit a three-run homer and Jake Campeau followed with a solo homer. Perhaps the most telling moment came moments later when the No. 9 hitter, Connor Holbrook, hit a three-run homer.

Before Ferris had its first at bats, it was 7-0.

"When it was 4-0 it was bad, but when the No. 9 hitter hits a 3-run homer, it was pretty deflating right there," Sharkey said.

WW believes it has the makings of a state title team.

"We thought we were going to be pretty good all year," WW coach Keith Gradwohl said. "I don't want to get cocky and I don't want to jinx us, but these kids have seen themselves as state champions all along."

Walla Walla 4, Gonzaga Prep 0: The Blue Devils got the first of two stellar pitching performances when Campeau tossed a three-hitter, striking out 12.

Nine of the Bullpups' final 12 outs were by strikeout. Campeau retired the last 14 batters he faced.

G-Prep coach Brian Munhall didn't want to look too far ahead, but he knows the majority of his young team returns next year.

"We've got some good ingredients coming back," Munhall said. "As long as we keep doing what we're doing and everybody is learning the game we'll be fine."

Moses Lake 5, Mead 0: The Chiefs scored four runs on two hits in the first innings, taking advantage of two walks and two hit batters.
Ryan Roberts led Mead with two hits and reached base three times.

3A regional
Kamiakin 3, Mt. Spokane 2: The Wildcats scored two runs in the first, but the Braves got all they needed with three in the second.
Braves pitcher Garrett Anderson (10-0) recorded 14 strikeouts. Wildcats pitcher Kelly Fitzpatrick (5-5) went the distance.
Alex Allard went 2 for 4 for Mt. Spokane, driving in Preston Van Doren in the first after he reached on a triple.

Hanford 20, University 5: The Falcons hit early and often, finishing with 21 hits.
Blake Eastman led the way with four hits, four runs and six RBIs. Colin Young led U-Hi with two hits and an RBI.

1A Bi-District
Colville 7, Cascade 2: The Indians advanced, winning the loser-out game at Moses Lake after building a 5-0 lead through two innings.
The Indians (17-6) meet Freeman (13-6) when the tourney concludes Saturday at Central Valley.

Chewelah 4, Chelan 1: Nick Naccarato pitched a two-hitter and struck out 14 as Chewelah (17-8) defeated visiting Chelan 4-1 in a loser-out game at Moses Lake. Chewelah will play the Caribou Trail's No. 1 at 1 p.m. Saturday at West Valley.