Bears don’t balk at victory
July 30, 2010 by YH-R Sports
KEIZER, Ore. — One night after letting a game slip away in the latter innings, the Yakima Bears turned the tables on the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.
After pulling even with a three-run sixth inning, Yakima would eventually earn a 7-6 victory when Volcanoes pitcher Shawn Sanford balked home Raoul Torrez with two outs and the bases loaded in the 10th inning.
Jake Hale sealed the victory with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th, striking out Devin Harris and then getting both Kyle Mach and Jeff Arnold on flyouts to center.
With the victory, Yakima evens its second-half record at 1-1.
Things didn’t look particularly good for the Bears early on, though, as Salem-Keizer scored four runs in the first, three coming on home run by Carter Jurica, and then stretched its lead to 6-3 with two more in the fifth.
But Yakima immediately answered that latter rally with a three-run sixth.
Kawika Emsley-Pai smacked a double to center, scoring Henry Zabala and sending Torrez to third. A wild pitch to the next batter scored Torrez and moved Emsley-Pai to third. Following a walk, Michael Freeman delivered a sacrifice fly that scored Emsley-Pai.
Yakima wound up outhitting Salem-Keizer 12-11, with Freeman collecting three hits, and Justin Hilt, Zach Walters and Torrez getting two apiece.
One of Walters’ hits was a two-run double in Yakima’s three-run third.
Salem-Keizer got a three-hit night from Ryan Scoma, who also scored twice, with Jose Medina adding two hits, two runs scored and two RBI.
The series continues through Sunday, with Yakima then returning home for a five-game set with the Eugene Emeralds that begins Monday.
7/30/10 Yakima Bears update
July 30, 2010 by YH-R Sports
Next Game
Opponent: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.
When, where: 7:05 p.m. today, Volcanoes Stadium.
Radio: KUTI (1460).
Website: www.yakimabears.com
Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Andrew Berger (1-1, 6.14 ERA) vs. Salem-Keizer RHP Taylor Rogers (3-2, 3.57).
Box Score
NWL Standings
West Valley 11-12s stay alive
July 30, 2010 by YH-R Sports
ELMA, Wash. — And then there were three — which includes West Valley.
Wyatt Martz allowed a run in 4 2/3 innings, and he also had an RBI single in helping West Valley beat Mill Creek 4-1 in a loser-out game in the 11-12 Little League state tournament Thursday.
Eli Valdez and Kasey Wyckoff finished up, with the latter getting the final two outs with the tying run at the plate. Jake King went 3-for-3, and Justin VanDeBrake homered for the winners.
West Valley faces Mercer Island in a loser-out game tonight, with the winner advancing to face Auburn for the champ-ionship Saturday. Should Auburn, which beat Mercer Island 5-2 on Thursday, lose Saturday, a second title game would be Sunday.
West Valley highlights: Wyatt Martz 42/3, 1 run, 2 hits, 7 Ks, RBI; Jake King 3-3, 2b; Justin VanDeBrake 1-3, HR.
A wait at state for Pak, Beetles
July 29, 2010 by Dave Thomas
Yakima Valley stumbles early but rallies past Yakima ||
SELAH, Wash. — Just as the thunderstorms slowly faded away from Carlon Park, the gloomy clouds above the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak dugout eventually parted, giving way to a sunny finish.
Steadily chipping away after falling into a four-run hole after a sloppy sixth inning, the Pak completed the comeback when Gil Plath’s hustle helped force a Yakima throwing error that allowed the winning run to score in a 9-8 victory to cap the first day of the Senior Legion State Tournament at Carlon Park.
The Pepsi Pak's Alex Fickes, left, congratulates pitcher Lukas Hinton after Hinton struck out the side during the 2nd inning of their American Legion State tournament game at Carlon Park in Selah, Wash., on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. (Sara Gettys/Yakima Herald-Republic)
“We were out of synch in every aspect, but as we told the kids, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” Yakima Valley coach Mike Archer said after the weather-delayed 3-hour, 15-minute marathon ended close to midnight. “We were lucky, but we made our luck.”
Particularly in the ninth.
| PHOTO GALLERY |
| Click here for more photos from this event |
With two outs and runners as first and second, the right-handed hitting Plath skewed a slow roller wide of first. First baseman Jens Jensen got to the ball, but with Plath hustling down the line, the first baseman’s hurried throw to pitcher Guy Hartwig was off line, allowing not only Plath to reach safely, but also sending Cory Urquhart home from second with the winning run.
“That was a hustle play by Plath,” Archer said. “I knew as soon as it came off his bat, it was spinning like crazy, and as hard as Gil was running, I knew it was going to be a close play.”
And by that thin margin, Yakima Valley (38-14) beat the Beetles for the sixth time this season and earned a shot at another Central Washington League foe, the Twin City Titans, tonight at 7 p.m.
Yakima (25-33-1) falls into an elimination game at noon against fellow CWL member the Kennewick Bandits.
The Beetles seemed in control after cashing in on Pak mistakes to take an 8-4 lead, the last four coming in the sixth after a two-out throwing error with the bases loaded plated the first two of those tiebreaking runs.
At that point, seven of Yakima’s runs had come with two outs, and only two of them wound up being earned.
But the Pak didn’t panic, getting a run back in the sixth on Thomas Wilcox’s second sacrifice fly of the game, and another in the seventh on J.R. Weigel’s groundout.
Then, after misfiring in the clutch all night, Yakima Valley finally got a key two-out hit when Tyler Gallaway laced a two-run double down into the right-field corner to tie the game in the eighth.
Prior to Gallaway’s hit, the Pak failed to capitalize fully on 10 walks, a hit batter and five wild pitches by Yakima starter Bobby Clements, stranding 12 runners, including eight in scoring position.
“With these guys … they really believe we’ll eventually put up a crooked number,” Archer said. “There wasn’t any panic. Some frustration, but then Tyler got that big hit.”
Yakima Valley got a big lift from the last two hitters in the order as No. 9 hitter Gallaway and No. 8 man Ethan Flory were a combined 4-for-6 with two doubles, a triple, four runs scored and three RBI.
The reverse was true for Yakima, with its top three hitters, in order, Jackson Marquis, Max Kovatch and Will Scott, combining to go 4-for-9 with five runs and four RBI.
Yakima 101 204 000 — 8 9 3
Yakima Valley 110 111 121 — 9 10 3
Clements, Hartwig (8) and Reyes; Hinton, Vetsch (6) and Snider.
Highlights: Will Scott (Y) 2-3, run, 3 RBI; Max Kovatch (Y) 1-3, 2 runs, RBI; Jackson Marquis (Y) 1-3, 2 runs; Jens Jensen (Y) 2-5, RBI; Damon Lybeck (Y) 2-5; Tyler Gallaway (YV) 2-3, 3b, 2b, run, 3 RBI; Ethan Flory (YV) 2-3, 2b, 3 runs; Thomas Wilcox (YV) 2-3, run, 2 RBI; Cory Urquhart (YV) 2 runs; J.R. Wiegel (YV) 1-4, run, RBI.
7/29/10 Pak-Beetles photo gallery
July 29, 2010 by YH-R Photo
Photos from Wednesday’s Senior American Legion state tournament game between the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak and the Yakima Beetles at Carlon Park in Selah, Wash. All photos by Sara Gettys of the Yakima Herald-Republic.
Rocha Golden again
July 29, 2010 by Jerrel Swenning
YAKIMA, Wash. — This time Jose Rocha got to box for a National Junior Golden Gloves championship.
And this time — just like last — he’s a champion.
Jose Rocha poses with the belt he won as champion at the National Junior Golden Gloves competition. (Gordon King/Yakima Herald-Republic)
A year after a walkover in the title bout and a would-be exhibition stopped because of an injury in an adjacent ring, the Selah High junior-to-be on Saturday earned a unanimous decision over Damian Howard of St. Louis to win the 15- to 16-year-old 176-pound division in Mesquite, Nevada.
“I felt like I earned it a little more, definitely,” Rocha said. “I didn’t get it (in a contested manner), I got it by winning.”
Rocha of the Evans Boxing Club won in the same weight class a year ago for 13 and 14 year olds. He was the only boxer from Washington to win a belt this year.
Also qualifying from Yakima were Isaiah Najera (101 pounds), Efrain Garcia (114), Eric Ocampo (125) and Fabian Gomez (154). Ocampo advanced to the championship round before falling.
The title comes several months after Rocha, who wrestles and runs cross country and track at Selah, fell in the championship of the Silver Gloves in Kansas City, Mo., in February. That defeat and the chance to repeat fueled his training.
“This time he worked out twice as hard, he wanted to make sure he was twice as ready,” said his father and one of his coaches John Rocha. “He knows the training regimen and how it needs to be done.”
The younger Rocha also was ready psychologically.
“I was a little more confident in my abilities,” he said. “(The second title) was more mental than anything.”
Rocha, who turns 16 on Saturday, plans to jump up to the Senior Golden Gloves level next year. He will again turn out for three sports for the Vikings this school year, and has began a new venture — mixed martial arts.
“I want to give that a shot,” said Rocha, who wrestles at 171 for the Viks. “I’m a good boxer and a fairly good wrestler … we’ll see what happens.”
Bears let one slip away
July 29, 2010 by YH-R Sports
KEIZER, Ore. — The Yakima Bears started the second half of the season doing something they hadn’t done all season — but it definitely wasn’t a pleasant first.
The Bears suffered their first loss of the season Wednesday night when leading after seven innings as the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes rallied for a 6-4 victory at Volcanoes Stadium.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Salem-Keizer loaded the bases on a pair of singles and Eury De La Rosa’s hit batter.
Carter Jurica then hit a two-run single to give the Volcanoes their first lead of the game, and Devin Harris followed with a double off Yakima reliever Kable Hogben to knock in two more runs.
Mike Freeman’s RBI double plated one more for the Bears in the ninth, but Yakima’s hopes were soon dashed.
De La Rosa (0-1), who had given up just one run in 25 innings this season, was roughed up for four runs in two-thirds of an inning Wednesday.
Jake Dunning (1-0) gave up a run on three hits in three innings of relief to earn the win for the Volcanoes.
Yakima’s Raywilly Gomez hit his third home run of the season in the second inning to open scoring. Freeman and Raoul Torrez each added three hits for the Bears.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth and already leading 3-1, the Yakima missed a chance to build on its lead when Volcanoes center fielder Chris Lofton robbed Freeman of extra bases with a diving catch.
Before Wednesday, the Bears (0-1 second half, 18-21 overall) were 12-0 when leading after seven innings.
7/29/10 Yakima Bears update
July 29, 2010 by YH-R Sports
Next Game
Opponent: Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.
When, where: 6:35 p.m. today, Volcanoes Stadium.
Radio: KUTI (1460).
Website: www.yakimabears.com
Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Miles Reagan (1-4, 6.11 ERA) vs. Salem-Keizer RHP Kevin Couture (3-2, 3.49).
Box Score
Standings
Newmans among guests at concussion summit
July 29, 2010 by YH-R Sports
YAKIMA, Wash. — Nine families of high school athletes who have suffered sports-related concussions and traumatic brain injuries, including that of Highland High School’s Matthew Newman, will participate in the Team 7:15 Sports Concussion Summit and Dinner from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Comfort Suites Hotel in Tukwila.
The event is designed to educate and bring together the athletes and families to work towards changes in standards and protocols.
Newman, a quarterback and defensive back for the Scotties who was hurt during the second week of this past fall’s football, is one of several athletes slated to attend.
Two of the attending families lost their sons on the football field in the past six months — high school junior Drew Swank of Spokane and Eastern Oregon University’s Dylan Steigers of Missoula.
The keynote speaker will be University of Pittsburgh professor and doctor Mark Lovell, who is the founder of ImPACT concussion testing.
There are remaining seats for Hawaiian family style dinner, which is $25.
T-shirts also will be available, and the Team 7:15 group will be accepting donations.
LITTLE LEAGUE
WV 11-12s advance to final four
ELMA, Wash. — West Valley earned a 1-0 victory over Northeast Seattle at the state 11-12 tournament to clinch a berth in the final four.
West Valley scored its run when Jake King scored on a passed ball in the fourth inning.
King also pitched a complete game for West Valley, allowing four hits and three walks and tallying eight strikeouts.
West Valley will play Mill Creek today at 5:30 p.m.
West Valley Highlights: Jimmy McDonald hit; Justin VanDeBrake hit; Noah Morrow, hit.
SENIOR LEGION
State Tournament
Wednesday at Carlon Park, Selah
Kelso 14, Centralia 3
Kelso 015 041 03 — 14 17 0
Centralia 001 020 00 — 3 6 2
Hamilton, Gillam (8) and Giles; Gueller, Hancock (4) and Castella.
Highlights: Mickey Murray 4-5 (K), Nolan Denriquez (K) 4-5 2 RBI.
Twin City Titans 9, Kennewick Bandits 0
Kennewick 000 000 000 — 0 3 4
Twin City 060 012 00x — 9 6 1
Bowe, Leatherwood (5) and Morfin; Cecil, Minnich (6) and Turner.
Highlights: TC: Zach Rapacz 2 run double. A.J. Griffin 2-4.
Spokane Bandits 8, Lakeside 6
Spokane 000 041 210 — 8 13 1
Lakeside 004 100 010 — 6 5 2
Neilson, Hawk (4) and Muelheims; Yarnell, Wiper (5), Paulson (5) and Altchech.
Highlights: Garrick Little (S) 2-run 2b go-ahead to break tie in 7th, 3-5, 2 RBI; Josh Martin 3 hits; Gerhard Muelheims (S) 2 hits; Jordan McInnis (S) 2 hits; Brandon Mahovlich (L) Grand slam in 3rd.
Curley wins another lefty tourney
July 29, 2010 by YH-R Sports
YAKIMA, Wash. — Will Curley continued his amazing streak in the Oregon Left-Handers Tournament, winning the Senior Division title in this year’s event at Juniper Golf Course in Redmond, Ore.
This is the seventh time in 10 years that Curley has won the Senior Division title.
This is the 10th straight year Curley has won either the senior division (seven times) or the overall title (three).
Curley shot 76-77 for a 153 total this year. That score was just three shots behind overall winner Marv Seelye from Whidbey Island.
Junior Amateur this weekend
YAKIMA, Wash. — Local golf courses are attempting to forge a city tournament for junior golfers.
The inaugural Yakima Junior Amateur will be played Monday and Tuesday, just after this year’s Yakima Amateur Invitational, the former men’s City Tournament.
Golfers ages 8 to 17 will compete in a 36-hole tournament, with Monday’s play at Apple Tree Resort and Tuesday’s round at SunTides Golf Course.
