7/27 What’s Happening

East Valley grad earns NRA award

Michael Schmits, a recent graduate of East Valley High School, has earned the Distinguished Expect Award, the National Rifle Association’s highest qualification for .22-caliber smallbore rifle marksmanship.

Schmits, a longtime member of the Tieton Junior Rifle Club, shot consistently high qualifying scores in four positions — prone, sitting, kneeling and standing. He has joined the Army and leaves for duty next month.

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Deadline for deer-hunt drawing set for Aug. 18

Hunters have until Aug. 18 to apply to apply for a limited entry deer hunt in the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area in Northeastern Okanogan County.

Eighteen applicants will be chosen during a random drawing on Aug. 19 and receive access permits to the Charles and Mary Eder Unit near Oroville.

For more information, call 360-902-2515 or visit the outdoors section of sportsyakima.com and click on “outdoor links.”

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Spade Creek Bridge closed to stock animals

Due to unsafe conditions, the Spade Creek Bridge on the Pacific Crest Trail has been closed to use by stock animals.

Hikers can still safely cross the bridge, located a quarter-mile northwest of Waptus Lake.

A detour is available. For more information, contact the Cle Elum Ranger District at 509-852-1100.

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Meetings will focus on fish elimination

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s plan to eliminate undesirable fish from several Eastern Washington lakes and streams will be discussed at three meetings this week.

The waters proposed for treatment, and the fish species that would be targeted, are: Beda Lake (sunfish and bass), Harris, Sedge, Tern, and Dune lakes (sunfish and bass), Heart, June, North-North Windmill, North Windmill, Windmill, Canal, and Pit lakes (sunfish, yellow perch, bass, and carp), North Teal, South Teal, Herman, and Lyle lakes (sunfish, yellow perch, bass, and carp), Upper Caliche, Lower Caliche, and West Caliche lakes and drainage (sunfish, yellow perch, and carp), Martha Lake (sunfish, yellow perch, and bass) and Cee Cee Ah Creek (brook trout).

The meetings will be at 6:30 p.m. today at the Kalispel Camas Wellness Center in Usk, at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the WDFW Region 2 office in Ephrata and at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Natural Resources Building in Olympia.

For more information, visit the outdoors section of sportsyakima.com and click on “outdoor links.”

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Woodcutting limits apply in state forest

Fire dangers has led the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest to institute woodcutting restrictions in parts of Yakima, Kittitas and Chelan counties.

Under the current restrictions, loggers must shut down chainsaws and other equipment by 1 p.m. and maintain a fire watch for one hour following shut down.

Personal-use woodcutting permit holders should check with their local ranger station for the current restrictions in the area.

Industrial Fire Protection Level maps are available by visiting the outdoors section of sportsyakima.com and clicking on “outdoor links.”

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BLM institutes fire closure in Spokane area

The Bureau of Land Management has instituted a regulated fire closure on lands administered by the Spokane district.

Counties effected by the closure are: Yakima, Kittitas, Klickitat, Benton, Grant, Chelan, Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla and Whitman.

Activities prohibited during the fire closure are:

• Operating motorized vehicles off developed roadways.

• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire or stove fire — including charcoal briquette fires. Liquefied and bottled gas stoves are permitted only in areas of at least 10 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.

Fires within BLM-provided steel rings in improved campgrounds are allowed in only the Yakima River Canyon, Coffeepot, Liberty, Copaka, Washburn, Pacific Lake and Twin Lakes sites.

• Smoking while traveling in timber, brush or grass areas, except in vehicles, boats on rivers or lakes, and cleared areas at least three feet in diameter.

For more information, call 509-536-1200 or visit the outdoors section of sportsyakima.com and click on “outdoor links.”

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Mount Rainier to host Keep Wildlife Wild

Mount Rainier will host its second Keep Wildlife Wild Day on Saturday in the Paradise area.

Interpretive rangers and biologists will present talks on native wildlife throughout the day.

For more information or to sign up to volunteer, visit the outdoors section of sportsyakima.com and click on “outdoor links.”

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State parks seek safety board members

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is seeking nominations to its Boating Safety Advisory Council.

The commission is looking for people to represent boating interests in the areas of safety education and fishing.

The deadline for submitting applications is Aug. 19.

For more information, call 360-902-8847 or visit the outdoors section of sportsyakima.com and click on “outdoor links.”

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BIRD ALERT

Fall hummingbird migration has already started. Five immature and one handsome male Black-chinned Hummingbirds have been visiting feeders at a house on the south side of the Yakima airport for the past few days. Several immature Rufous hummingbirds have been chasing each other around a yard southwest of the airport. A Calliope hummingbird visited a yard in Terrace Heights last week.

Years ago it was thought that hummingbirds migrated south on the backs of Canada geese. Surely a bird as small as a hummingbird couldn’t migrate south under its own power. They do, though, of course. One benefit for them migrating in July and August is that there are lots of flowers in bloom along their migration route.

The hummingbirds that nest in our area are heading for their winter territories in northern Mexico and south through Central America.  A small number of Rufous hummingbirds spend the winter on the Gulf Coast.

During the heat of the summer, it is important to clean your hummingbird feeders every three or four days.  The summer heat can cause mold in the sugar water, which is hazardous to the hummingbirds. Clean the feeders in hot water with a little bleach. Rinse them well to remove all of the bleach.

People sitting on deck at their house near Tampico watching the Cowiche fire on July 18 were surprised to see a flock of 15 gulls flying west over their house. These were quite likely California gulls, which migrate over the mountains to spend the winter on the coast.

Three common nighthawks were seen flitting along I-82 near milepost 13 Saturday morning. Nighthawks have been rather scarce in the Yakima area this summer.

A birder visiting the east end of Cowiche Canyon on Sunday morning was surprised to find three male lazuli buntings still singing. Most birds have quit singing by this time of the summer. Several yellow-breasted chats and canyon wrens responded to their song being played on an iPod.

Many birders carry iPods loaded with all of the North American bird songs. The iPods are hooked up to small, battery-powered speakers. When a bird song is played, that species may pop up to the top of a bush to give the birder a good view.

Please call your bird sightings in to the Yakima Valley Audubon phone line at 509-248-1963.
— Denny Granstrand

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On the Calendar

Today: The Cascadians’ Tuesday hikers group will be doing the Goat Lake Loop, a 13-mile hike with 1,900 feet of elevation gain. For more information, call Greg Wallace at 509-453-2374.

WEDNESDAY: The Mount Adams Cycling Club’s weekly 24-mile Naches Loop ride will begin at 6 p.m. 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 are planning a Thursday hike from Sunrise at Mount Rainier National Park to Burroughs and/or Emmons Vista, depending on the amount of snow in the areas. For more information call Marion Mann at 509-452-4263.

SATURDAY: The Cascadians’ Saturday hikes group will head to Norse Creek, an 81/2-mile hike with 2,900 feet of elevation gain. For more information, including meeting time and place, call Kim Hull at 509-452-0756.

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.

State Legion pairings, regional recap

BELLEVUE REGIONAL

Game 1: Kennewick 18, Bremerton 1.
Game 2: Lakeside Recovery 6, Spokane Cannons 5.
Game 3: Bremerton 10, Spokane Cannons 6.
Game 4: Lakeside Recovery 10, Kennewick 7.
Game 5: Kennewick 15, Bremerton 2.

Kennewick Bandits 102 020 011 — 7 13 1
Lakeside Recovery 200 030 14x — 10 12 3
Jackson, McKimmis (7), Marston (8) and Morfin; Lawhead, Gale (7), Sampson (8) and Altchech.
Highlights: Mike Paulson (LR) 3-4, HR, 4 RBI, 3 runs; Spencer Rogers (LR) 2-3, 3b, RBI; Reid Dilley (LR) 2-3, 2 RBI; Matt Mendenhall (K) 3-4, 2 RBI; Spencer O’Neil (K) 2-4, 2 2B, RBI.

CENTRALIA REGIONAL

Game 1: Spokane Blue Devils 18, Yakima 0.
Game 2: Centralia 6, Bellevue 2.
Game 3: Yakima 6, Bellevue 5.
Game 4: Centralia 8, Spokane Blue Devils 5.
Game 5: Yakima 15, Spokane Blue Devils 8.

Centralia Sobe-Toy 100 013 120 — 8 19 3
Spokane Blue Devils 001 021 001 — 5 8 3
Witters, Burgos (6), Gueller (7) and McAlpin; Sargeant, Scholer (7) and Pfeffer.
Highlights: Brennan Casteel (C) 3 hits; Cody Ray (C) 3 hits; Chris Bishop (C) 2 2b; Cole Housden (C) 2 hits, 2 RBI.

SELAH REGIONAL

Game 1: Bellingham 9, Spokane Bandits 6.
Game 2: Yakima Valley 22, Sumner 5.
Game 3: Spokane Bandits 8, Sumner 7.
Game 4: Yakima Valley 11, Bellingham 2.
Game 5: Spokane Bandits 11, Bellingham 6.

Bellingham 020 000 000 — 2 7 2
Yakima Valley 300 100 43x — 11 11 0
Tripp, Dallas (7) and Frost; Smith, Vetsch (9) and Snider.
Highlights: Thomas Wilcox (YV) 3-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI; Ethan Flory (YV) 2-4, 2b, 2 RBI; Cory Urquhart (YV) 2-4, 2 runs; D.J. Smith (YV) 8.1 IP, 5 K, 0 BB.

COLFAX REGIONAL

Game 1: Longview 12, Wenatchee 4.
Game 2: Twin City 13, Pullman 3.
Game 3: Pullman 11, Wenatchee 6.
Game 4: Twin City 10, Longview 9.
Game 5: Longview 9, Pullman 6.

Highlights: A.J. Griffiths (TC) 5-6, 2b, 6 RBI; Drew Oord (TC) 3-6; Josh Rapacz (TC) 3-5, 3b; Tyler Wolf (TC) 2-5, 2b, RBI; Dustin Petragallo (TC) 3-4; Mikey Murray (L) 4 hits, 3b; Nolan Enriquez (L) 3 hits.

Doing the job

Bears help eliminate Hawks ||

YAKIMA, Wash. — If the Bears were not in a giving mood on what was billed as Christmas in July, they at least seemed somewhat festive.

“Get a load of this guy,” pitching coach Doug Drabek said with a glance toward Greg Robinson. “He’s got more wins than he has innings (pitched).”

And while that wasn’t quite the case, it was the type of thing Yakima could kid about after its 8-2 thumping of Boise on Sunday night, a win that dealt a final blow to the Hawks’ first-half playoff hopes.

Spokane’s doubleheader split with Tri-City on Sunday secured the Northwest League East title for the Indians.

PHOTO GALLERY

Click here for more photos from this event

Before an announced 1,403 at sweltering Yakima County Stadium, the Bears (17-20) dealt Boise (19-18) its fourth straight loss while winning consecutive games for the first time since July 5-6.

And as has been the case in most Yakima wins, relief pitching played a pivotal role.

After starter Miguel Pena held the Hawks hitless for the first 52/3 innings, the 19-year-old right-hander yielded successive singles before Hawks first baseman Richard Jones tripled high off the center-field wall for a 2-1 Boise lead. Pena then walked Arismendy Alcantara.

Enter Robinson, who fanned Chris Huseby and then worked a 1-2-3 seventh for his fifth win in seven decisions.

With one game left in the Northwest League season’s first half, the sturdy 6-2 right-hander from Wright State has as many victories as Yakima’s 2009 season leader, Dan Taylor.

And for the record, Robinson has pitched 22 innings in 13 middle-relief appearances.

“Everyone knows his role,” he said. “We all just try to do our job, and when your starter goes almost six innings without giving up a hit, it’s easy to come in and pitch.”

Robinson’s earned run average would be much lower than 3.27 were it not for the grand slam he surrendered to Everett’s Kevin Mailloux in a 5-3 home loss on July 17.

“That was on my (23rd) birthday,” Robinson said. “But if you don’t have a short-term memory as a pitcher, things can snowball on you.”

They haven’t for him or the precious few other Bears’ bullpen members who’ve been touched up.

Kable Hogben followed Robinson with a hitless eighth that saw him hit the leadoff batter but then strike out Jones with a runner on to preserve a 4-2 Yakima lead.

“To me,” Bears manager Bob Didier said, “that was the game. That Jones kid (who’s batting .324 with four homers and a league-best 29 RBI) scares me to death.”

After Yakima cashed in on five eighth-inning walks (one intentional) to score four more runs, with Raoul Torrez’s opposite-field two-run double the big blow, Robbie Andrews posted the Bears’ pen’s eighth consecutive scoreless inning dating back to Saturday night’s 6-5, 11-inning win.

Jones’ hit was Boise’s last, and the Hawks totaled just three.

Yakima’s Roberto Ortiz, meanwhile, was 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles, three runs scored and his team-leading 14th stolen base. Zach Walters, given Saturday night off, singled twice, walked, stole a base and scored twice, and Henry Zabala had a two-out, pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth and drove in another run with a bases-loaded walk in the eighth.

While the Bears have struggled most of the season with runners in scoring position, they were 6 for 12 in such situations Sunday.

“The only guy I feel sorry for,” Didier said, “is Pena. He’s had four good-to-excellent starts now, counting tonight, and he’s 0-4.

“But I like the way we’re playing. And if we can continue that, we could have a nice second half.”

Boise’s Matt Szczur (pronounced SEE-zur) was 1 for 3, extending his hitting streak to 17 games.

7/26/10 Yakima Bears-Boise Hawks photo gallery

Photos from Sunday’s Northwest League East game between the Yakima Bears and the Boise Hawks at Yakima County Stadium in Yakima, Wash. All photos by Sara Gettys of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

7/26/10 Yakima Bears update

Next game

Opponent: Boise Hawks.

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, 6.53) vs. Boise RHP Matt Loosen (0-0, 4.15).

Notes

ANTI-THEFT DEVICE: Bears catcher Kawika Emsley-Pai has thrown out 14 of 22 would-be base stealers for a .636 percentage, which is extraordinarily high.

The Mill Creek native and Lewis-Clark State product missed a couple of recent games due to a death in the family.

ELBOW ISSUE: Yakima outfielder Evan Button has been slowed by an elbow injury. Manager Bob Didier said Sunday that Button would be available to pinch run, but not pinch it.

Shortstop Zach Walters didn’t play in Saturday night’s 6-5, 11-inning Yakima victory, but Didier said he was available to pinch hit if needed. He’d played in 32 of the Bears’ 35 games prior to Saturday, so Didier gave him the night off.

Box score

Click here for Sunday’s box score

NWL Standings

Click here for Northwest League standings

Pak powers its way to state

SELAH, Wash. — Thomas Wilcox knows his coaches won’t like it — the way they hate their players regarding any type of individual stat — but he can’t help it.

He’s counting home runs.

So it was with a satisfied trot around the bases Saturday night when he clubbed No. 10 for the season. But he was just getting started.

Yakima Valley’s veteran first baseman reached an even dozen on Sunday, sending two towering shots out of Carlon Park and catapulting the Pepsi Pak to an 11-2 victory over Bellingham and into this week’s American Legion state finals.

“I probably shouldn’t know this but, yeah, that was number 11 and 12 today,” said Wilcox, who drove in a total of five runs. “It feels great because I had kind of a slow start this the season. But I’ve been taking some good swings lately and the timing couldn’t be better.”

Good timing means late-season peaking, and the entire Pak squad has kicked in on that score. While Wilcox did the big damage at the plate, pitcher D.J. Smith was every bit as deserving of the limelight.

After giving up five singles and two runs in the second inning, Smith settled down in the sweltering afternoon heat and retired 20 of the next 21 batters he faced. The Ellensburg right-hander gave way to Jacob Vetsch with one out in the ninth inning and finished with five strikeouts and no walks.

“I wasn’t locating my fastball in the second inning, leaving most of them up,” he explained. “When that happens my curve doesn’t look as good and they took some good cuts.”

After pulling within 3-2 in the second, Bellingham managed only one baserunner against Smith, a two-out single in the sixth.

“It was a pretty simple fix,” he said of getting his fastball lower in the strike zone. Then, with a quick smile, he added, “I’m a pitcher. I try to do the least amount of thinking as possible.”

Wilcox’s first homer was a solo shot to lead off the fourth for a 4-2 lead. The game remained that tight until the seventh when the Pak got a pair of clutch two-out hits — Matt Snider’s RBI single followed by Ethan Flory’s two-run double.

The two-out rally theme continued in the eighth when Wilcox made Bellingham pay for back-to-back hit batters with a three-run homer to right.

“It was a tough, close game most of the way,” Wilcox said. “In these nine-inning games and in this heat, you have to keep your focus and be the tough team. We all pulled together today.”

The Pak (37-14) will take a 12-game win streak into the eight-team state finals, which open on Wednesday at Carlon Park. It will be an all-local 7 p.m. opener between Yakima Valley and the Yakima Pepsi Beetles.

The Spokane Bandits came back in Sunday’s nightcap to claim the second state berth from the Selah regional, ousting Bellingham 11-6.

Bellingham          020    000    000    —    2    7    2
Yakima Valley    300    100    43x    —    11    11    0
Tripp, Dallas (7) and Frost; Smith, Vetsch (9) and Snider.
Highlights: Thomas Wilcox (YV) 3-4, 2 HR, 2 runs, 5 RBI; Ethan Flory (YV) 2-4, 2b, 2 RBI; Cory Urquhart (YV) 2-4, 2 runs; Kurt Lindemann (YV) 2 runs, RBI; D.J. Smith (YV) 8.1 IP, 5 K, 0 BB; Zach Slesk (B) 2-3, run; Michael Dallas (B) 1-4, run, RBI.

STATE LEGION FINALS

Wednesday’s tentative first-round pairings

At Carlon Park, Selah

Game 1: Longview vs. Centralia, 9 a.m.
Game 2: Kennewick vs. Twin City, noon.
Game 3: Spokane Bandits vs. Lakeside Recovery, 4 p.m.
Game 4: Yakima vs. Yakima Valley, 7 p.m.

Beetles bounce back to state

CENTRALIA, Wash. — From an 18-0 shellshocking one day to a berth in the state tournament the next. That’s how crazy a weekend it was for the Yakima Pepsi Beetles.

After surviving a one-run loser-out game early Sunday, the Beetles avenged Saturday’s lopsided opener with a 15-8 victory over the Spokane Blue Devils to earn a spot in the American Legion state finals, which open in Selah on Wednesday.

Yakima (25-32-1) trailed Spokane 7-4 before erupting for 10 runs in the bottom of the sixth as 14 batters came to the plate.

T.J. Smith was 3-for-5 with a double, solo home run and three RBI, and Jens Jensen, Will Scott and Max Kovatch each contributed three hits and two RBI.

The Beetles edged Bellevue 6-5 in Sunday’s first game as Jens Jensen’s sacrifice fly scored Will Scott for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth. Michael Woodkey pitched a complete game with seven strikeouts.

Yakima will open play Wednesday at 7 p.m. against the host Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak.

Bellevue    001    101    200    —    5    7    1
Yakima     003    200    01x    —    6    9    0
Raine, Wagner (4), Bielaski (8) and Devlin; Woodkey and Lomardo, Reyes (6).
Yakima highlights: Michael Woodkey CG, 7 K; Tim Roddy 2-2, 2 runs; Travis Roybal 2-3, solo HR; Jackson Marquis 2-run 3b.

Spokane    102    220    001    —    8    13    5
Yakima      201    01(10)    01x    —    15    18    3
Moonee-Long, Scholer (6), Scott (7) and Pfeffer; Roddy, Clements (9) and Reyes.
Yakima highlights: T.J. Smith 3-5, 2b, solo HR, 3 RBI; Jens Jensen 3-5, 2 RBI; Will Scott 3-5, 2b, 2 RBI; Max Kovatch 3-6, 2 RBI, Damon Lybeck 2-4, 2 2b.

Local Report: Riddle rolls to Late Model win

YAKIMA, Wash. — Late Model series leader Owen Riddle added to his points lead by winning his fourth main event in six tries on Saturday at Yakima Speedway.

Riddle took the lead from Mike Longton on lap 47 of the 75-lap event. He would hold off Longton and his closest competitor in the season points Erick Hargraves for the victory.

Mike VanAmburg won the Super Streets main, while Terry Cook (Pure Stock), Greg Gargett (Hornets) and Donnie Stevens (Bump to Pass) won their respective main events.

Cars return to the speedway on July 31, with the Super Streets, Sportsman, Hornets, Youth Hornets and Bump to Pass divisions taking the track. The next Late Model event is scheduled for Aug. 7.

Super Late Model

Fast time: Erick Hargraves, 18.768 seconds. B dash: Tayler Riddle, Randy Marshall Jr., Ron Bemis, Christopher Kalsch. A dash: Joey Tanner, Mike Longton, Owen Riddle, Hargraves. Main: O. Riddle, Longton, Hargraves, Marshall, Bemis, T. Riddle, Kalsch.

Super Streets

Fast time: Mel Patnode, 21.630. Dash: Shawn Matthews, Mike VanAmburg, Rich Peters, Patnode, Dusty John. Heat: Patnode, Matthews, Peters, VanAmburg, John, E.J. Trujillo. Main: VanAmburg, Patnode, Peters, John, Matthews, Trujillo.

Pure Stock

Fast time: Kyler Conduff, 24.550. Dash: Joe Estep, Terry Cook, Conduff, Jay Younker. Heat: Estep, Cook, Younker, Conduff, Derek Raptcheff. Main: Cook, Estep, Younker, Conduff, Raptcheff.

Hornets

Fast time: Greg Gargett, 16.930. B dash: Joe Roberts, Julie Melville, Tyler Breshears, Michael Beck. A dash: Gargett, Keith Erickson, Dave Petersen, Tim Breshears. Heat: Gargett, Petersen, Eric Coble, Roberts, Chris Morrison, T. Breshears, Melville, Beck, Chris Marang, Erickson, Kyle Wade. Main: Gargett, Petersen, T. Breshears, Marang, Erickson, Roberts, Coble, Beck, Melville, Morrison.

Bump to Pass

Fast time: Josh Parmentier, 17.75. B dash: Wes Heigh, Ben Briggs, Julie McAlpin, Cody Denton. A dash: Parmentier, Francisco Rojas, Joe Stevens, Robert Albert. Heat 1: Heigh, Briggs, McAlpin, Eddie Abrams, Kevin Harper, Richie Strmiska. Heat 2: Rojas, Allen Reid, J. Stevens,  Albert, Donnie Stevens, Parmentier. Main: D. Stevens, Albert, Cody Denton, Heigh, Reid, Rojas, Abrams, Strmiska, McAlpin, Parmentier, J. Stevens, Briggs.

YOUTH FASTPITCH

Selah 16-U wins tourney

NEWBERG, Ore. — Sarah Bersing scored Kylee Morse on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Selah 16-U to a 3-2 victory over the Portland Riptide in Sunday’s championship game of the Newberg Summer Classic.

Selah was 8-1 in the season-ending tournament and had to beat the Riptide twice — 4-3 and 3-2 — to win the title.

SUNDAY’S GAMES

Portland Riptide 8, Selah 3 (Selah: Ashley Wilkey 3-4, run; Mary Graf 1-3, RBI; Morgan McCallister 1-4; Sarah Bersing 1-4; Bailey Turner 2-4, RBI; Kylee Fullerton 1-3; Brittany Adkison 1-3, run).
Selah 3, Oregon Silverbullets 2 (Selah: Wilkey 2-4, 2 runs, RBI; Graf 1-3, run; Bersing 1-3, RBI; Fullerton 1-3; Adkison 1-3, Kylee Morse 1-3, run; Carly Minnick-Sierra Weedin combined 3-hitter).
Selah 4, Portland Riptide 3 (Selah: Wilkey 1-3, Graf 1-2, run; McCallister 1-3, run; Bersing 2-3, 2 RBI; Fullerton 1-3, run; Taylor Rath 2-3, RBI, 2b; Adkison 1-3, run; Minnick 1-2).
Selah 3, Portland Riptide 2 (Selah: McCallister 2-3, 2 runs; Bersing 1-3, 2 RBI; Turner 1-2, run; Fullerton 1-2; Morse 2-3, run, RBI; Minnick-Weedin combined 5-hitter).

Stealers 18-U edged by Breeze

MOUNT VERNON — The Yakima Stealers 18-Us fell to the Lake Breeze 5-4 in eight innings  n an elimination game at the Super Skagit Invitational on Sunday.

Yakima finished in a tie for third place.

Monica Stout was 2 for 3 with a run, she also allowed just two earned runs and struck out nine batters.

Highlights: Haley Floyd 1-4, run, sb; Danielle Porter 1-3, RBI, sb; Jessica Harris 2-4, sb; Tori Slobig 2-4, 2b, run; Monica Stout 2-3, run, 2 ER, 9 K; Jessie Broderius 2-3.

YOUTH BASEBALL

WV juniors second in state

MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — West Valley fell just short of a state championship at the Little League Juniors state championship, taking second place after splitting a pair of games on Saturday.

West Valley began the day by defeating Central Whidbey 4-3 to stay alive, riding the pitching of Cory Hill — who allowed two earned runs in six innings — and the three RBI of Dillon Burlingame.

In the last game, Central Whidbey would need 10 innings to beat West Valley 10-9.

Team members include: Justin Bailey, Austin Bradford, Dillon Burlingame, Nolan Cookson, Robby Gunderson, Corey Hill, Jayson Mains, Sean McCormick, Wyatt Peckman, Zach Remsberg, KaNay Soderstrom, Devon Thomason. They are coached by Doug Hill and Steve Soderstrom

West Valley 4, Central Whidbey 3 (WV: Cory Hill 6 IP 2 ER, 5 Ks, Nolan Cookson 1 IP; Dillon Burlingame 3-3 3 RBI)
Central Whidbey 10, West Valley 9 (WV: Wyatt Peckman 6 2/3 IP, 2-3; Jayson Mains 2-4, Cookson 2-4).

7/27/10 Outdoor links

• For more information about the limited-entry deer hunt in Okanogan County, click here

• For more on the Spade Creek Bridge detour on the Pacific Crest Trail, click here

• For more on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s lake-treatment proposals, click here

• For more on woodcutting restrictions in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, click here

• For more on the Bureau of Land Management’s fire-closure plan, click here

• For more on Mount Rainier’s Keep Wildlife Wild Day, send an e-mail by clicking here. For more on volunteering in the park, click here

• For more information on the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission’s Boating Safety Advisory Council, send an e-mail by clicking here

Yakima Valley Paks ‘em in

SELAH, Wash. — As hot a team as it’s been for nearly a month, the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak don’t appear to have anything amiss.

Well, OK, so Trent Douglass’ pitching mechanics were a little out of whack for a couple innings Saturday night. Once he got that worked out the Pak train was back on the tracks and full of steam.

Douglass completely reversed his slow start with four innings of one-hit shutout pitching and Cory Urquhart’s relentless bat led an offensive charge as Yakima Valley defeated Sumner 22-5 in American Legion regional play at Carlon Park.

Winner of 11 straight games and 19 of its last 21, the Pak (36-14) will face Bellingham (30-12) today at 2:30 p.m. with a spot in the state finals next week on the line.

PHOTO GALLERY

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“That’s a tough game, Bellingham is a good team,” said Urquhart, who sprayed the field with a 5-for-5 effort that included six RBI. “We played them twice this season and we split. A close game on a hot day — the toughest team will win that one.”

The loser of today’s afternoon game — with temperatures expected today to near triple digits — will still have a shot at advancing in a 6 p.m. game against the survivor of today’s 11 a.m. loser-out game between Sumner and the Spokane Bandits.

Saturday’s postseason opener started out a bit ragged as the Pak committed two errors in the first inning and Douglass gave up six hits in the first two frames. Scuffling around, the Pak found itself down 5-3 early.

“I came out slow and wasn’t throwing my curve for a strike,” explained Douglass, who threw four innings against the Beetles on Tuesday. “I had to fix my mechanics, mostly my arm slot, and get it back to normal.”

The adjustment came quickly as the 6-foot-2 right-hander struck out the side in the third. From the third through the sixth, Douglass faced one batter over the minimum and racked up five of his eight strikeouts.

“That was frustrating at first but I worked it out,” he said. “Once I got it together it was all fun.”

Meanwhile, the Pak offense needed no adjustments, pounding out 19 hits with the 1-2-3 batters — J.R. Weigel, Alex Fickes and Urquhart — going 12-for-16 with 11 runs scored and 12 RBI.

As was the case last year, the Pak took its lumps during its annual trip to the Reno Invitational, losing five in a row. But since July 4, Yakima Valley is 19-2.

“We go down there and see a lot of good teams with a lot of good pitching,” said Urquhart, who also had two of the Pak’s six stolen bases. “It’s tough but it makes us better. It makes us work harder on everything.”

Fickes, batting ahead of Urquhart, was 4-for-5 with two doubles and Thomas Wilcox was 3-for-5 with three runs and a solo homer over the centerfield wall in the second inning.

Yakima Valley split with Bellingham, a 9-6 winner over the Bandits in Saturday’s opener, during Selah’s Hagert Tournament last month on back-to-back days.

The Central Washington League went 3-2 in Saturday’s regional openers. Twin City and Kennewick won in the same 10-run mercy-rule fashion as Yakima Valley, while Yakima and Wenatchee lost.

Sumner                  140    000    0    —    5    7    4
Yakima Valley    356    044    x    —    22    19    2
Steffey, Cooper (2), McClain (6) and Christensen, Carl (3); Douglass, Plath (7) and Snider.
Highlights: J.R. Weigel (YV) 3-6, 2b, sb, 5 runs, 4 RBI; Alex Fickes (YV) 4-5, 2 2b, 3 runs, 2 RBI; Cory Urquhart (YV) 5-5, 2 sb, 3 runs, 6 RBI; Kurt Lindemann (YV) 3b, 2 RBI; Thomas Wilcox (YV) 3-5, 2b, HR, 3 runs, RBI; Ethan Flory (YV) 1-3, 2b, sb, 2 runs, 3 RBI; Tyler Gallaway (YV) 2-4, sb, 3 runs, RBI; Trent Douglass (YV) 6 IP, 8 K; Gil Plath (YV) 1 IP, 3 K; Tanner Brinkman (S) 2-4, 2 runs; Evan Carl (S) 2-4, run; Braden Cordes (S) 3-run 3b.

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