Bears keep rolling with yet another comeback
June 30, 2010 by Roger Underwood
Yakima has won three straight, four of last five||
YAKIMA — Momentum, Earl Weaver once said, is only as good as your next day’s starting pitcher.
Had the former Baltimore manager worked in the Northwest League he might have amended that statement.
“Our bullpen,” Bears skipper Bob Didier said, “has been magnificent.”
And that was before Tuesday night’s 5-2 win over Vancouver, Yakima’s third straight over the Canadians, which came before an announced 1,187 jacket-wearing, blanket-hugging fans at Yakima County Stadium.
A night after Bears relievers allowed only one run over eight innings in a 6-5, 14-inning triumph, Keith Cantwell and Kable Hogben threw blanks over the final 31?3 frames.
Helping mightily was the first 52?3 innings, over which 19-year-old Miguel Pena authored clearly the best of his three starts this season. Add clutch hitting by Tom Belza and Westley Moss, and Yakima has won four of its last five.
Each victory has also seen the Bears rally from behind, and Tuesday’s secured Yakima’s first series win of the season with the finale of this five-game set scheduled for tonight.
“You usually like to see a team play 20 games before you come to any conclusions,” Didier said, “but to this point our strength looks like our defense and bullpen. Good things happen when you throw strikes.”
As Cantwell did when summoned with the bases loaded and two out in the sixth.
He struck out Dan Petitti to end that threat, then allowed but one hit through the seventh and eighth to get the win. Hogben yielded a leadoff double in the ninth before retiring the next three hitters for his second save.
“What you have to do is come into those situations and do whatever it takes to strand the runners,” said Cantwell, who fanned three and walked none. “Throwing strikes is the most important thing. It’s what we’re supposed to do.”
Down 2-0 starting the bottom of the seventh, the Bears (5-7) bunched three hits along with four walks to score four runs off Dan McDaniel and Drew Tyson.
An RBI double by Tyson, the No. 9 hitter, and a run-scoring single by Moss were the key blows. Two more runs scored on passed balls.
Moss drove in Yakima’s final run with a two-out single in the eighth. He and Jimmy Comerota, who played first base while Yazi Arbelo got a night off, had two hits each.
“Their first pitcher (Kyle Christensen) was tough,” Didier said. “He handcuffed us for the first five innings or so, but we were patient and finally put up that four-spot. Belza’s hit (which tied the score and put runners on second and third with no outs) was the key.”
Another was a rare 6-4-2 double play that helped Pena escape a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the second.
After Michael Fabiaschi took a called third strike, Zach Hurley grounded to Zach Walters at short. Walters tossed to second baseman Belza, who then saw A.J. Kirby-Jones break from third and threw him out at the plate.
Vancouver (6-6) did score twice in the fifth when Fabiashci led off with a single and took third on Hurley’s chopped double over Comerota’s head.
Fabiaschi scored on a groundout and Hurley followed on a sacrifice fly.
6/30/10 Yakima Bears update
June 30, 2010 by YH-R Sports
Next game
Opponent: Vancouver Canadians.
When, where: 7:05 p.m. today, Yakima County Stadium.
Radio: KUTI (1460).
Website: www.yakimabears.com
Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Enrique Burgos (0-0, 7.71) vs. RHP Jonathan Joseph (0-0, 0.96).
Notes
A DAY LATER: Yakima manager Bob Didier said Tuesday he didn’t necessarily find out anything about his team during its 11th game that he hadn’t learned during the first 10.
But he was quick to add that Monday night’s 6-5, 14-inning victory over Vancouver had at least reinforced some things he had hoped were collective characteristics of the 2010 Bears.
“I’ve been trying to get through to them, saying keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll be fine,” Didier said. “We’re 4-7 and we could be 7-4. But that game last night, going the way it did and having the Cinderella ending was an awfully good one to get and hopefully it’ll have an impact.
“We’re starting tonight again 0-0, but to win a game like that, I would hope, would help with some character and confidence.”
After tying the score 4-4 in bottom of the eighth on Westley Moss’s RBI single, Yakima fell behind 5-4 in the top of the 14th before scoring twice in the bottom of the inning.
Pinch hits by Henry Zabala and Jhoan Pimentel, respectively, drove in the tying and winning runs.
“Those guys had sat for a long time,” Didier said, “but when they were called on they were both ready.”
REINFORCEMENTS: The Bears got another pitcher Tuesday, with right-hander Andrew Berger joining the squad.
Berger is a 6-foot-3, 210-pounder who was signed as an undrafted free agent out Lehigh University. He is not related to Arizona Diamondbacks director of player development Mike Berger.
“If he comes in and starts striking everybody out, that might change,” Didier quipped.
Infielder Raoul Torrez, a 21st-round draftee from Arizona State, meanwhile, might be activated in time for tonight’s game.
Pitchers Cody Wheeler and Mike Bolsinger, who arrived in Yakima last weekend, have been placed on a preparation timetable by D-backs minor league pitching coordinator Jeff Pico.
“Both of them threw on the side today,” Didier said, “but it’s up to Jeff as far as when they’ll be ready to actually pitch.”
— Roger Underwood
Box scores
Bears 5, Canadians 2
VANCOUVER YAKIMA
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Bercume cf 4 0 0 1 Moss cf-lf 5 0 2 2
Leyja 2b 3 0 0 0 Weber 3b 4 0 0 0
Affinito dh 4 0 1 0 Hilt rf 1 0 0 0
Kir.-Jns 1b 4 0 1 0 Walters ss 4 0 1 0
Landaeta rf 4 0 2 0 Zabala dh 3 0 0 0
Thmpsn 3b 3 0 0 0 Button lf 3 1 1 0
Fabischi ss 3 1 1 0 Emsly-Pai c 0 0 0 0
Hurley lf 4 1 3 0 Pimentel c 2 0 0 0
Petitti c 4 0 0 1 Inciarte cf 2 1 1 0
Comerta 1b 3 2 2 0
Belza 2b 2 1 1 1
Totals 33 2 8 2 Totals 29 5 8 3
Vancouver 000 020 000 — 2
Yakima 000 000 41x — 5
E—Hurley. DP—Vancouver 2, Yakima 1. LOB—Vancouver 9, Yakima 9. 2B—Hurley 2, Button, Belza. SF—Bercume. SB—Comerota, Hilt.
IP H R ER BB SO
Vancouver
Christensen 5 1-3 2 0 0 4 3
McDaniel L,1-1 2-3 3 4 4 2 0
Tyson 1 1 0 0 2 0
Vidal 1 2 1 1 0 0
Yakima
Pena 5 2-3 6 2 2 4 3
Cantwell W,1-1 2 1-3 1 0 0 0 3
Hogben S,2 1 1 0 0 0 1
McDaniel pitched to four batters in the 7th.
Umpires—Mike Terry, Chris Gonzalez. T—2:56. A—1,187.
MONDAY’S LATE BOX SCORE
Bears 6, Canadians 5 (14)
VANCOUVER YAKIMA
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Bercume cf 5 0 1 0 Moss lf 5 1 3 1
Leyja 2b 6 1 1 0 Inciarte cf 6 0 0 1
Kirkland ss 7 0 3 0 Ortiz rf 6 1 2 0
Affinito 1b 6 1 3 1 Walters ss 7 1 3 0
Kir.-Jns dh 6 2 0 0 Hilt dh 7 0 1 2
Thmpsn 3b 7 0 2 0 Arbelo 1b 5 0 0 0
Landat lf-rf 6 1 4 2 Zabala ph 1 0 1 1
Lipkin c 6 0 2 0 Gomez c 4 0 0 0
Crisotmo rf 4 0 1 2 Emsly-Pai c 2 0 0 0
Fabischi ph 0 0 0 0 Pimentel ph 1 0 1 1
Hurley lf 1 0 0 0 Weber 3b 5 2 2 0
Belza 2b 4 1 1 0
Comerta 2b 1 0 0 0
Totals 54 5 17 5 Totals 54 6 14 6
Vancouver 000 202 000 000 01 — 5
Yakima 003 000 010 000 02 — 6
E—Affinito, Leyja, Kirkland, Walters, Weber. DP—Vancouver 1, Yakima 4. LOB—Vancouver 13, Yakima 15. 2B—Thompson, Landaeta, Bercume, Leyja. SF—Inciarte. SB—Landaeta, Ortiz 2, Weber, Moss. CS—Landaeta.
IP H R ER BB SO
Vancouver
Jimenez 5 5 3 3 1 3
Vidal 1 1 0 0 2 1
Tenholder BS,1 2 3 1 1 1 3
Doolittle 4 1 0 0 0 7
Quigley L,0-2 1 1-3 3 2 2 1 1
Brown 0 1 0 0 0 0
Yakima
Wolcott 6 10 4 4 2 2
Davisson 1 2 0 0 0 0
Hale 2 1 0 0 1 1
De La Rosa 2 1 0 0 1 1
Andrews W,2-0 3 3 1 1 0 3
WP—Quigley, Davisson. IBB—Arbelo (by Tenholder). HBP—Weber (by Jimenez). Umpires—Chris Gonzalez, Mike Terry. T—4:30. A—1,284.
NWL standings
EAST DIVISION
W L Pct. GB
Boise (Cubs) 7 5 .583 —
Tri-City (Rockies) 6 5 .545 1?2
Yakima (D-backs) 5 7 .417 2
Spokane (Rangers) 4 7 .364 21?2
WEST DIVISION
W L Pct. GB
Everett (Mariners) 8 4 .667 —
Salem-Keizer (Giants) 6 6 .500 2
Vancouver (Athletics) 6 6 .500 2
Eugene (Padres) 5 7 .417 3
Tuesday’s results
Spokane 6, Everett 2
Salem-Keizer 11, Tri-City 4
Boise 5, Eugene 2
Yakima 5, Vancouver 2
Today’s games
Everett at Spokane, 6:30 p.m.
Tri-City at Salem-Keizer, 6:35 p.m.
Vancouver at Yakima, 7:05 p.m.
Boise at Eugene, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday’s games
Salem-Keizer at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Eugene at Vancouver, 7:05 p.m.
Yakima at Boise, 6:15 p.m.
Spokane at Tri-City, 7:15 p.m.
Local report — Eglin retains lead in Women’s City golf
June 29, 2010 by YH-R Sports
YAKIMA — Nancy Eglin remained in front, but a familiar name moved into contention after Tuesday’s second round of the Yakima Women’s City Golf Tournament.
Eglin, the three-time defending champion, followed up an opening-round 73 with a six-over 77 at SunTides Golf Course, giving her a 36-hole total of 150.
That’s two shots ahead of Pat Martin, with the eight-time winner of this event moving within striking distance after a 73 Tuesday.
Robin Cole is third at 156 after shooting 81 Tuesday, and Christine Cook is fourth at 157 following a 77 at SunTides.
Lynda Mathews is the low-net leader at 128, six shots ahead of Olive Ruff.
After an off day today, the final round will be Thursday at the Yakima Country Club. Play begins at 8 a.m. and the public is welcome to attend.
SECOND-ROUND RESULTS
Low gross: Nancy Eglin 150.
Low net: Lynda Mathews 128.
First Flight
Gross: Eglin 150, Pat Martin 152, Robin Cole 156, Christine Cook 157. Net: Cole 137, Martin 142, Betty Gilmore 145, Terri Schaake 145.
Second Flight
Gross: Pat Sugden 167, Nancy Slinkard 172, Dorothy Brink 174, Olive Ruff 174, Shelly Yarbrough 174. Net: Ruff 134, Judy Rozelle 135, Sugden 136, Brink 137.
Third Flight
Gross: Lynda Mathews 170, Nancy Graff 184, Carolyn Henyan 189, Kris Sterns 193. Net: Mathews 128, Graff 142, Henyan 144, Sterns 151.
Fourth Flight
Gross: Carol Judy 191, Torrie Melton 192, Sandy Morris 193, Pat Mosley 198. Net: Judy 139, Morris 144, Melton 145, Carol Hammermeister 147.
LEGION BASEBALL
Twin City sweeps Beetles
RICHLAND — Jens Jensen drove in two runs in the opener, and Travis Roybal homered in the nightcap, but the Yakima Pepsi Beetles still lost a Central Washington League Senior Legion doubleheader to the Twin City Titans on Tuesday night.
Twin City won the opener 6-5, and took the second game 7-3.
Jensen was 2-for-4 with a double, and Will Scott also had two hits in the opener for Yakima (8-4, 17-17-1). Roybal scored twice in the nightcap.
The same two teams meet again today in another doubleheader, this time at Parker Field.
Game 1
Yakima 001 200 2 — 5 9 2
Twin City 004 110 x — 6 5 2
Walton and Reyes; Fuller, Dunford (7), Drury (7) and Turner.
Highlights: Will Scott 2-3; Jens Jensen 2-4, 2b, 2 RBI.
Game 2
Yakima 010 101 0 — 3 5 1
Twin City 201 301 x — 7 8 2
Calderon and Lombardi; Cecil, Jensen (7) and Wolf.
Highlights: Travis Roybal 1-2, HR, 2 runs.
Pak lose on walkoff homer
RENO, Nev. — A three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh sent the Oklahoma Travelers to a 7-4 victory over the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak in the opening game of the Josh Anderson Memorial Tournament.
Down 4-3 entering the top of the seventh, Yakima Valley scored a run to tie the game.
Cory Urquhart went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI, and teammates Alex Fickes and Thomas Wilcox both went 2-for-4 with a RBI for the Pak.
Yakima Valley will play Chaffey of Seattle at 3 p.m. today.
Yakima Valley 001 200 1 — 4 10 1
Oklahama 012 001 3 — 7 7 1
K. Fickes, Smith (6) and Snyder; Jackson, Ruzzoto (5) and Cobb.
Highlights: Cory Urquhart 3-4, 2b, 2 RBI; Alex Fickes 2-4, 2b, RBI; Thomas Wilcox 2-4, RBI.
YOUTH BASEBALL
Tuesday’s result
Moses Lake 9, Cadet Baseball Club 6 (CBC: Mike Sawyer 1-2, 2 RBI; Josh Fansworth 2-3, 2b, 3b, 3 sb; Brice Kukes 2-2.)
Kennewick Phantoms 9, Yakima Junior Beetles 1 (YJB: John Piper 1-3.)
Kennewick Phantoms 15, Yakima Junior Beetles 2 (YJB: Jacob Sanders 2-3; Josh Piper 2-3; Lavonte Allen 1-2; Avery Mottet 1-1, 2b.)
Monday’s results
Yakima Rookie Beetles 18, Walla Walla Griz 8 (YRB: Jared Ziegler 2-4, 3b, RBI; Dan Kloster 2-4, 2 RBI; Parker Stohr 2-3, 2 2b, 3b, RBI.)
Walla Walla Griz 15, Yakima Rookie Beetles 14 (YRB: Kevin Smith 3-5; Richard Haas 2-5, 2 2b, 4 RBI; Stohr 2-3, 2b, 3b.)
Kids reel in fishing knowledge
June 29, 2010 by YH-R Outdoors
YAKIMA, Wash. — Caitlin Strand has a fishing story that’ll probably stick with her for a while.
Five-year-old Caitlin Strand, left, and Declan Mullinax, 3, watch intently as Bill Ewing cleans Caitlin’s bass at Walden Lake, north of Othello, on May 29. (TJ Mullinax/Yakima Herald-Republic)
On a sunny day along the bank of Walden Lake, the precocious 5-year-old learned that a bass tugging at her line was the beginning of an important outdoor lesson: Care for the wildlife and it will take care of you.
What’s more, Caitlin’s catch was the only bass she reeled in that day at Walden Lake, about 16 miles north of Othello.
“That’s her fish and it’s a special deal,” said Bill Ewing, who took the kids aside and taught them how to clean the fish.
Ewing, an avid outdoorsman who works for the U.S. Forest Service, wanted to pass on a beginner’s biology lesson to the group.
“When you catch a fish, take care of it. Don’t just throw it in a bag for hours,” Ewing said afterward.
“Some kids who are interested should learn. Teach them that we’re taking (the fish’s) life and we are using them for food.”
Lessons like these are taught by parents, family and friends. They are also taught every year by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department through their Go Play Outside program.
With the summer beginning to heat up, it may be the perfect time to take a young novice out to enjoy Northwest fishing and learn to love the outdoors.
“You want to make it an enjoyable thing,” Ewing said. “As adults, we’ve got to be stewards to the land — and (children) can start learning that.”
There are a number of online resources for parents who want to get their kids out fishing. A good place to start would be at www.wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/kids.
There, you will find out where to fish, what can be caught and some useful tips for parents. WDFW encourages families around Yakima to go to the ponds at Sarg Hubbard Park and Yakima Sportsman State Park, which are open year round to kids.
Pimentel’s pinch-hit single wins it in 14th
June 28, 2010 by Roger Underwood
YAKIMA, Wash. — Bears fans were treated to a second seventh-inning stretch Monday night.
And thanks to pinch-hitting heroics from Henry Zabala and Jhoan Pimentel, those remaining from the announced 1,284 at Yakima County Stadium were rewarded for their persistence with a 6-5, 14-inning Yakima victory over Vancouver.
Zabala’s pinch single scored Roberto Ortiz to tie the score 5-5, after which Pimentel, also summoned from the bench by manager Bob Didier, punched an opposite-field hit down the right-field line to bring home Zach Walters with the winning run.
Ortiz had started the inning with a walk, after which Walters dropped a bunt single down the first-base line.
Justin Hilt lined out to right. But Zabala, a right-handed hitter who replaced league home run leader Yazy Arbelo, a lefty who would have faced Canadians’ southpaw Jacob Brown, followed with his hit to right-center.
The win was Yakima’s second straight and third in four games, improving its Northwest League record to 4-7. It also gave the Bears a 2-1 lead in the five-game series, which continues tonight.
Vancouver (6-5), after being held scoreless for seven innings by the Bears’ bullpen, took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 14th when Nino Leyja led off with a double, took third on Wade Kirkland’s bunt single and scored when Chris Affinito’s hard shot bounced off Yakima third baseman Michael Weber and into left field for an RBI single.
Robbie Andrews, the fifth Bears pitcher, got A.J. Kirby-Jones to bang into a third-to-second-to-first double play, then struck out Tony Thompson to complete his three-inning stint and get the win (2-0).
Walters and Westley Moss had three hits apiece to lead Yakima’s 14-hit attack. Ortiz and Justin Hilt, who had a two-run single in the third, extended their hitting streaks to seven games for the Bears, who fanned 15 times.
Moss’s two-out RBI single tied the score 4-4 in the eighth.
If not for two outfield assists, however, Moss’ hit wouldn’t have mattered.
In the fourth, Landaeta hammered a bases-loaded double to the gap in right-center off Yakima starter Andrew Wolcott. The first two runners scored, but the relay from center-fielder Ender Inciarte to shortstop Walters to catcher Raywilly Gomez was perfect, nailing the third.
In the seventh, with runners at second and third, Inciarte tracked Kirby-Jones’ drive to the warning track, then fired an on-the-fly strike to Weber at third to get Affinito, who had tagged at second. The out was recorded before Wade Kirkland, who’d tagged at third, reached home plate, thus costing the Canadians a run.
Doug Landaeta had four of Vancouver’s 17 hits.
The teams stranded 28 baserunners — 15 by the Bears and 13 by the C’s — and the side was retired in order only five times all night. Yakima went 1-2-3 in the second, 10th and 12th innings while Vancouver went three up, three down in the third and 12th.
Corey Davisson, Jake Hale and Eury De La Rosa held the Canadians scoreless from the seventh inning through the 11th, after which Andrews blanked them during the 12th and 13th. Bears relievers Andrea Pizziconi and Kable Hogben combined for 4 2/3 shutout innings in Yakima’s 4-3 Sunday night win over the C’s.
Local report: Eglin leads after first round of City Tournament
June 28, 2010 by YH-R Sports
YAKIMA, Wash. — Nancy Eglin improved on her first-round score from last year’s Yakima Women’s City Tournament on Monday.
Eglin shot a 73 at Apple Tree Golf Course, improving on her 76 from a year ago, to take the lead after the first round.
Robin Cole was in second with a 75, Pat Martin shot a 79, and tied for fourth were Pat Sugden and Christine Cook at 80.
Sugden had the low net score on the first day of play, finishing with a 64. Cole was second with a 65, Lynda Mathews had a 66 and Dorothy Brink shot a 67 for fourth-place.
The second round of play will begin at 8 a.m. at SunTides Golf Course.
******
FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
Low gross: Nancy Eglin 73. Low net: Pat Sugden 64.
First flight — gross: 1, Robin Cole 75; 2, Pat Martin 79; 3, Christine Cook 80. net: 1, Robin Cole 65; 2, (tie) Nancy Eglin 71, Terri Schaake 71; 4, Betty Gilmore 72.
Second flight — gross: 1, Pat Sugden 80; 2, Dorothy Brink 86; 3, Judy Rozelle 89. net: 1, Pat Sugden 64; 2, Dorothy Brink 67; 3, Judy Rozelle 68; 4, Judy Callerman 69.
Third flight — gross: 1, Lynda Mathews 88; 2, Nancy Graff 95; 3, Linda Lenseigne 97. net: 1, Lynda Mathews 66; 2, Nancy Graff 73; 3, (tie) Linda Lenseigne 74, Melissa Keeter 74.
Fourth flight — gross: 1, Sandi Morris 100; 2, (tie) Carol Judy 101, Torrie Melton 101; 4, Pat Mosley 106. net: 1, (tie) Carol Judy 74, Sandi Morris 74; 3, Torrie Melton 76; 4, Helen Wendt 77.
******
Senior Legion Pak beat SunDevils in Reno
RENO, Nev. — The Yakima Valley Pak defeated the Sierra SunDevils 9-6 in a warm-up game for the Josh Anderson Memorial Tournament.
With a one-run lead going into the seventh inning, the Pak added three more runs in the top of the inning.
Tyler Gallaway delivered the big hit for Yakima Valley, driving in two runs on a pinch-hit double.
Sierra was able to get one run back in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Cory Uqruhart went 2-for-3 with a double, a solo home run, two runs scored and two RBI for the Pak, and Kyle Fickes went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Yakima Valley will start the Josh Anderson Memorial Tournament today against Oklahoma at 2:30 p.m.
Yakima Valley 002 301 3 — 9 9 1
Sierra SunDevils 040 001 1 — 6 8 2
Flory, Vetsch (6) and Smith; Dufer, Eshevaria (4), Stroberg (6) and Velasquez.
Highlights: Cory Urquhart (YV) 2-3, 2b, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Tyler Gallaway (YV) 1-1 2b, 2 RBI; Kyle Fickes (YV) 2-4, 2 runs.
********
Beetles sweep Hanford
Travis Roybal pitched a complete-game, giving up two runs and seven hits while striking out five to lead the Beetles to a sweep of their league double-header with Hanford at Parker Field. Yakima won 16-15 and 9-2.
In the first game, Roybal went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, and teammates TJ Smith, Max Kovatch and Jens Jensen all drove in two runs as well for the Beetles (8-2, 17-15-1).
In game two, Smith went 3-for-5 and scored three runs, Nick Lombardi went 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Markus McClurkin went 2-for-3 with a RBI for Yakima.
The Beetles will travel to play the Twin City Titans today starting at 5:30 p.m.
******
Game 1
Hanford 600 320 4 — 15 16 2
Yakima 122 260 3 — 16 17 3
Manderbach, Polke (5), Becker (7) and Eastman; Hartwig, Klingele (5), roddy (7), Jensen (7) and Lombardi.
Highlights: Travis Roybal 3-4, HR, 2 RBI; TJ Smith 3-5, 2 RBI; Max Kovatch 2-3, 2 RBI; Jens Jensen 2-5, 2 RBI.
Game 2
Hanford 020 000 0 — 2 7 0
Yakima 021 042 x — 9 11 1
Wood, Wagner (6) and Eastman; Roybal and Reyes.
Highlights: TJ Smith 3-5, 3 runs; Markus McClurkin 2-3, RBI; Nick Lombardi 2-3, 2 RBI; Max Kovatch 2-4; Travis Roybal CG, 5 K.
********
Youth Baseball
Kennewick Dusters 7, West Valley Baseball Club 6 (WVBC: Derek Thomason 3-4, 2 runs; Jake Nell 3-3, 2 runs; Steven Wagar 2-4; Jim Nagle 2-3.)
West Valley Baseball Club 2, Kennewick Dusters 1 (WVBC: Jake Nell 2-3, 3b; Tyler Ueltschi 2-3; Trevor Hunter 7 IP, 6 K.)
Yakima Valley Peppers 11, Wenatchee 7 (YVP: Cody Ergeson 3-5, 2 runs; Andrew Gonzalez 3-5, 2 RBI; Jake Monson 4-5, RBI; Garrett Fife 2-4, 2 runs; Jack Cavanaugh 3-4, 2 runs; John Cruz 2-4, 2 RBI.)
Yakima Valley Peppers 14, Wenatchee 3 (YVP: Chris Keller, 2-2, 2 GS, 8 RBI; Allen Noble 3-4, 2 run, 2 RBI; Cody Ergeson, 2-2, 3 run, RBI; Andrew Gonzalez, 3-4, 3 RBI; Garrett Fife, 3-4, run).
********
Youth Softball
Sunday’s Late Result
Sunshine State Warmup Tournament at Selah
Tigers Fastpitch 7, Spokane Mudhens 6 (8). (Tigers finished the tournament with a record of 5-1.)
********
ADULT FASTPITCH
Gamblers drop 2 in tourney
MOUNT VERNON — The Yakima Gamblers dropped two games in the Mount Vernon Invitational, falling to Old Growth Lumber of Portland 4-2 and 9-2 in five innings.
Shane Jones was a combined 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI for Yakima.
********
OGL Portland 4, Yakima Gamblers 2
Yakima 001 010 0 — 2 5 0
OGL Portland 400 000 x — 4 9 0
Seward and Scheibner; Soule and Sitis.
Highlights: Shane Jones (Y) 2-3, HR, 2 RBI.
OGL Portland 9, Yakima Gamblers 2
Yakima 001 10 — 2 2 4
OGL Portland 013 32 — 9 11 1
L. McCauley, S. McCauley (4) and Ward; Durbin and Meacham.
Highlights: Shane Jones (Y) 1-2; Trent Steele (Y) 1-1.
Rimrock fishing never disappoints
June 28, 2010 by YH-R Outdoors
A favorite fishing spot for many anglers in the Yakima Valley is Rimrock Lake. Over the years the big reservoir that sits along Highway 12 near White Pass has provided some hot fishing for the landlocked salmon that swim the waters there. This year’s looking like it might be one of those good years for Rimrock kokanee.
Eric Anderson, biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, reported late last week that the kokanee are biting at Rimrock, and this year the fish are running a respectable 9 to 11 inches in length.
The kokanee, or silvers as many locals call them, are normally on the small size in Rimrock. Some years a big silver there will be eight inches. This year they are trending a little bigger. That’s good news when you consider the limit on kokanee at Rimrock is 16 fish per angler, per day.
Some anglers fish for the silvers at Rimrock strictly for their table quality. And the little salmon are excellent eating. But they are also quite fun to catch. When the silvers go on the bite, the action can be fast and furious.
The other nice thing about fishing for Rimrock silvers is you can catch them both from a boat, or from the bank. Normally the best bank fishing can be found on the south shoreline of the lake.
Bank anglers will catch the silvers with small flies, tipped with a maggot, set at fairly shallow depths below a float. Anglers fishing from a boat should have luck both trolling small spinners or baited flies, or still-fishing with the same gear that the bank anglers use.
Chumming is legal in Rimrock, so boat and bank anglers will make a mixture of bran, salmon egg extract, with egg shells or rock salt added for a little sparkle. Then they just spoon it out into the water periodically. You can buy the chum ingredients at most local tackle shops.
Trollers will use pop gear or 0000 dodgers ahead of a small spinner tipped with a maggot. A Silver Magic or Wedding Ring spinner will work, as will small lures such as Triple Teazers or Needlefish.
There has been a good natural spawning population of kokanee in Rimrock in recent years and so the WDFW hasn’t had to do any supplemental planting.
The kokanee fishing season is open year round at Rimrock, but the best fishing occurs in the summer when the plankton bloom gets the fish concentrated and closer to the surface.
Rimrock Lake is located about 10 miles east of the summit of White Pass. A public boat launch is located at the east end of the lake.
Anderson said that another good option right now for kokanee is Lake Keechelus. The lake sits adjacent to I-90 near the summit of Snoqualmie Pass but is often overlooked by anglers. It also has a 16-fish-per-day limit on kokanee and chumming is allowed.
Anglers looking for a place to fish for some larger fish might want to check out Dog Lake or Leech Lake. Both of these lakes are located above Rimrock on Highway 12 closer to the summit of White Pass.
Anderson said that the WDFW hatchery crews just recently planted both of these lakes with triploid rainbow trout that are approximately 1.5 pounds in weight. Dog was also planted not too long ago with several thousand rainbows of catchable size.
The regulations at Dog Lake allow anglers to use bait, lures and flies for the trout there. Leech Lake is a fly fishing only lake.
At Dog Lake most anglers will fish from the shorelines. Others will, via access from the campground next to the lake, drop a small cartopper boat, rubber raft or pontoon boat into Dog to allow them to cover more water.
Standard trout gear such as the different dough baits, salmon eggs, marshmallows and nightcrawlers will work. Trollers will catch fish pulling small FlatFish in natural colors or flies of assorted colors and sizes. The limit on trout at Dog is five fish per day but only one fish over 14-inches may be kept.
The temperatures in the Valley are heating up. And so is the fishing at some of the higher elevation lakes in the region. If you are looking for a cool spot to wet a line try for a kokanee at Rimrock or Keechelus, or head even higher for a trout at Dog or Leech Lake.
• Rob Phillips is a freelance outdoor writer and partner in the advertising firm of Smith, Phillips & DiPietro. He can be reached at rwphillips@spdadvertising.com.
6-29 What’s Happening
June 28, 2010 by YH-R Outdoors
Fireworks banned on public lands
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is reminding people that despite our wet spring, there is still fire risk, and fireworks are prohibited on state-protected and other public lands.
So far, there have been more than 71 wildfires on the public and private lands that DNR protects from wildfire.
The DNR says unattended campfires, fireworks, faulty vehicle or motorcycle mufflers, careless disposal of cigarettes, and outdoor burning are among the common sources of wildfire starts in Washington state.
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Special-hunt permit draw results available
Results for special hunt permit drawings are now available on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website.
The results of the random, computerized drawing were verified June 18 and are now available for viewing at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wa/specialhuntlookup.
WDFW is notifying applicants about the results of the drawing by e-mail and postal mail. Successful applicants will receive their special hunt permits by mail by mid-July.
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Parks committee nominations needed
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is looking for nominations for positions on both the agency’s snowmobile and non-motorized advisory committees.
The committees meet at least two weekends a year, and members may serve up to two, three-year terms.
Both committees are comprised of a combination of snowmobilers and individuals involved in non-motorized winter sports.
For more information, call 360-901-8684.
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Outdoor program for women planned
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will be offering a outdoors skills workshop for women in September.
The workshop is planned for Sept. 17-19 at Camp River Ranch in Carnation. The workshop is coordinated by Washington Outdoor Women, a non-profit program dedicated to teaching women outdoor skills and natural resource stewardship.
The workshop fee is $235 and covers the cost of lodging, meals and equipment. A limited number of partial scholarships, provided by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, are available for first-time participants.
For more information, go to www.washingtonoutdoor women.org or call Ronni McGlenn at 425-455-1986.
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Interpretive walks slated at Snoqualmie
Forest Service interpretive walks on Snoqualmie Pass began last week, and three programs are being offered this summer.
The first walk is around picturesque Gold Creek Pond located just east of Snoqualmie Pass. These walks will be every Sunday through the summer at 12:30 p.m. Gold Creek pond is fully accessible, paved and flat.
The second is an Old Growth walk to Twin Lakes The trail, located east of Snoqualmie Pass is 2 miles round-trip in length, gains 500 feet in elevation while passing through old-growth area. These walks are slated for 10 a.m. each Saturday.
The third program is aimed at children. An interpretive guide will take groups of children and their families to various locations throughout the summer. The Kids in the Woods programs will be at 1:30 p.m. on the following Saturdays: July 10 and 24, Aug. 7 and 21, and Sept. 4.
Special walks may be available on an as-requested basis outside the scheduled walks. Call the Snoqualmie Pass Forest Service Visitor Information and Education Center at 425-434-6111 to reserve your group outing.
To offset the costs of the program, the Forest Service we ask for a $10 donation per person for the outings. Dress appropriately for the weather; dress in layers and wear clothes that insulate you when wet.
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Lake Roosevelt campers advised to be careful
The Bureau of Reclamation is advising visitors planning to camp along the Lake Roosevelt shoreline this weekend to be aware of potential dangers that could exist due to rapidly rising lake levels.
Officials say that due to the holiday weekend and lower than normal power demand, lake levels are likely to rise as water is stored in the reservoir for use at a later time.
Campsites close to the water’s edge could potentially become flooded and boats should be anchored or tied securely to the shoreline to avoid having them drift out into the lake and becoming a safety hazard.
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BLM taking comments on management plan
The United States Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input as it begins revising its resource management plan for 445,000 acres of public lands in Eastern Washington and the San Juan Islands.
Comments will be accepted through July 12 after recently holding open houses in Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Pasco, Davenport, Tonasket and Friday Harbor.
Comments may be submitted online at www.blm.gov/or/districts/spokane/plans/ewsjrmp or by e-mail to OR_Spokane_RMP@blm.gov.
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Bird Alert
A black-and-white warbler was heard singing regularly in a wet alder meadow on the south side of the Tieton Road near Rimrock Lake this week. At Fort Simcoe, a possible common poorwill was heard and a gray catbird was spotted singing in the thick shrubs near the Mool Mool pools.
A trip to Hardy Canyon by two visiting birders from the west side of the mountains, produced a good list of birds including western wood peewee, two least flycatchers calling back and forth, Pacific slope flycatcher, western kingbird, eastern kingbird, western bluebird, yellow warbler, western tanager, black-headed grosbeak and Bullock’s oriole.
Their next stop was Black Canyon, where they found northern harrier that was chasing a coyote, a calling sooty grouse, chukar, long-eared owl, Lewis’ woodpecker, rock wren, Brewer’s sparrow, vesper sparrow, and lazuli bunting. On the way home they added harlequin duck on the Tieton River and at Oak Creek they noted white-throated swift and a golden eagle.
In the Nile area this week, a poor fledgling great-horned owl was taking the brunt of a northern goshawk’s fury, apparently having come too close to its nest. It wasn’t long before an adult great-horned owl flew in and started hooting repeatedly. Then, the adult owl made a loud snapping noise that really startled the goshawk.
Please call your bird sightings into the Yakima Valley Audubon phone line at 509-248-1963
— Kerry L. Turley
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Around and About
SOCKEYE CHANGES: The WDFW has announced that anglers can keep sockeye salmon caught on the Columbia River between the Astoria-Megler Bridge and Priest Rapids Dam through July 31.
Anglers will also be able to retain adult sockeye salmon in the Columbia above Priest Rapids Dam and in the Okanogan and Similkameen rivers beginning July 1.
For the latest information and more details, call the WDFW fishing hotline at 360-902-2500.
STURGEON CHANGES: Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon agreed to extend the white sturgeon fishery between the mouth of the Columbia River and the Wauna power lines near Cathlamet until at least July 11.
TONASKET CLOSURES: Two recreation facilities on the Tonasket Ranger District are closed temporarily as a result of winter damage.
Salmon Meadows Campground has more than 120 dead snags, which threaten structures in the campground. The campground will be opened after the dead trees are cleared.
A bridge along the Beth Lake Trail is also closed until repairs can be made, which is estimated to be in August.
For more information, visit www.fs.fed.us/r6/oka or call 509-486-2186.
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ON THE CALENDAR
TODAY: The Cascadian “Tuesdays” and guests will take on an 8-mile, uphill haul (3,800 feet of elevation gain) to the Granite Peak Lookout. The “Tuesdays” meet at 7:30 a.m. at the 40th Avenue Bi-Mart parking lot, break into faster and slower groups and carpool to the trailhead. Bring lunch, plenty
of water and sturdy shoes.
WEDNESDAY: The Mount Adams Cycling Club’s weekly 24-mile Naches Loop ride will begin at 6 p.m. — yes, 6; the switch was made from 5:30 because of the longer days — at the Fred Meyer/Key Bank parking lot. For more on the club and its ride schedule, go to www.mountadamscycling.org.
THURSDAY: The Cascadians’ Pokies group will go up White Pass and Bethel Ridge Road and hike Burnt Mountain. For information, call Nancy Hein at 509-698-3547.
SATURDAY-MONDAY: The Cascadians’ backpacking group plans a hike to Navaho Pass in the Teanaway. Snow conditions may result in destination changes. Call Ethan Schrank at 509-972-2677 to sign up or for more information.
MONDAY: Mount Adams Cycling Club members and guests will take off at 5:45 p.m. from Yak Fitness (formerly Gold’s Gym, on Keys Road in Terrace Heights) for the first outing on the club’s newest weekly ride. Unlike the Wednesday Naches Loop rides, the Monday routes will vary, typically either a flat, Moxee-area loop ride of 20 to 25 miles or a more rigorous Konnowac Pass loop of about 30 miles. Pace will be 14 to 16 mph. Guests are welcome, but will need to sign a liability waiver.
Bears try their luck with legends
June 28, 2010 by Roger Underwood
Team is 2-for-2 when leaving tickets for Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner ||
YAKIMA, Wash. — Attention, Honus Wagner. Attention, Ty Cobb.
If either or both of you is in the area tonight and would like to see some baseball, stop by Yakima County Stadium. Andrew Wolcott has you covered.
“We left their names on the pass list for our last game in Everett,” said Wolcott, a Bears pitcher, “and we left them on the pass list again today. So …”
So their names will be on the pass list yet again, since the Bears’ 4-3 conquest of Vancouver on Sunday night left them unbeaten when the aforementioned immortals have been given free access to their games.
It was not immediately known if either Hall of Famer was among the announced 1,308 who watched Yakima’s second win in three games, although veteran manager Bob Didier described both afterward as “guys I played with.”
They would no doubt have been impressed, however, with the Bears’ lockdown relief pitching and seamless defense. Each element both pleased and relieved Didier while frustrating the Canadians, who saw a four-game winning streak snapped.
“We won a one-run game,” said Didier, whose squad has lost four such contests en route to its 3-7 record, and which was especially disheartened by a 6-3 loss to Vancouver (6-4) on Saturday night. “Hopefully that will get the worm turned around and headed in the other direction.”
Key to such a reversal were Andrea Pizziconi and Kable Hogben, who combined for 4 2/3 innings of scoreless, three-hit relief.
Pizziconi was summoned to replace struggling starter Miles Reagan, who had walked six and hit two during his 4 1/3 innings, and who left trailing 3-2 with the bases loaded and one out.
He retired his first six hitters and gave way to Hogben at the end of the seventh frame having struck out three and walked none for his first win. Hogben allowed only a one-out single in the ninth, and fanned two with no walks en route to his first save.
“Both of those guys,” pitching coach Doug Drabek said, “throw strikes. They don’t throw real hard, but they change speeds well, move the ball around and they aren’t afraid to pitch to contact.”
Abetting their work was a Yakima defense that included two spectacular plays among its errorless performance.
With two on and two out in the top of the second, catcher Jhoan Pimentel moved quickly in pursuit of a pitch that had skipped to his right, and while still skidding on one knee, threw to Reagan at home to get the runner coming from third.
“Huge play,” Didier said. “It saved a run and killed an inning.”
In the eighth, second baseman Tom Belza then charged a ball that had glanced off Hogben’s glove and threw an off-balance strike to retire the C’s leadoff hitter.
Providing just enough offense were Henry Zabala, who followed a two-run homer by Vancouver’s Tony Thompson in the top of the second with a solo shot in the bottom of the frame, and Justin Hilt’s RBI triple followed by Zach Walters’ RBI double in the sixth.
Yakima scored an unearned run in the first.
Roberto Ortiz, who had two hits, and Hilt extended their respective hitting streaks to six games.
And if you’re interested, Mr. Wagner or Mr. Cobb, Wolcott is scheduled to start for the Bears tonight.
6/28/10 Yakima Bears update
June 28, 2010 by Roger Underwood
Next game
Opponent: Vancouver Canadians.
When, where: 7:05 p.m. today, Yakima County Stadium.
Radio: KUTI (1460).
Website: www.yakimabears.com.
Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Andrew Wolcott (1-1, 2.77) vs. Deyvi Jimenez (0-1, 2.45).
Notes
NEW ARRIVALS: Yakima got three new players over the weekend, with pitchers Cody Wheeler and Michael Bolsinger arriving Saturday night and infielder Raoul Torrez hitting town Sunday.
Neither pitcher be immediately available, however, as manager Bob Didier said each must first pass a physical examination. Pitching coach Doug Drabek will then evaluate each pitcher’s status, and will then determine when and how much each player can work.
Wheeler, a left-hander, was a fifth-round draft pick earlier this month from Coastal Carolina. He was 12-0 with a 3.64 earned run average as a junior for the Chanticleers of Myrtle Beach, S.C., who lost to South Carolina in the NCAA Super Regionals. In 17 starts and 1111/3 innings, the 6-foot, 170-pounder from Spotsylvania, Pa. struck out 113 and walked 41.
Bolsinger, 6-2 and 212, was drafted in the 15th round after going 6-5 with a 4.81 ERA for a Razorbacks team that defeated Washington State in the Fayetteville Regional before falling to Arizona State in the Super Regional. In 13 starts and 86 innings, the McKinney, Texas native fanned 114 and walked 36.
Torrez was a 21st-round selection from the Sun Devils, who finished 52-10 with a loss to South Carolina in the College World Series. The 5-10, 180-pounder hit .268 with three homers and 45 RBI.
PARENTAL SUPPORT: There probably weren’t many Bears fans in the Memorial Stadium stands late Friday night in Everett when Yakima’s Michael Weber stepped to the plate in the top of the 11th inning.
But one who was, and who no doubt cheered loudly when Weber singled home two runs to help the Bears win 11-5 was his mother.
“She was still there,” the O’Dea High School and Washington State University product said Saturday. “She’s not a fair-weather fan. It felt good to contribute like that, especially since I was having a bad game (0 for 5 to that point).”
