9/2/10 Yakima vs. Tri-City photo gallery

Tri-City Dust Devils vs. Yakima Bears on Wednesday night at Yakima County Stadium. All photos by SARA GETTYS

Bears bats go cold

T-C jumps on Yakima ace to end four-game losing streak vs. Bears||

YAKIMA — They had been going in opposite directions, the surging, playoff-bound Bears and tailspinning Tri-City.

Especially against each other.

But Wednesday night at Yakima County Stadium the cellar-dwelling Dust Devils finally got their due, roughing up Bears ace Miguel Pena early and getting a two-run homer late en route to a 7-3 victory before an announced crowd of 1,588.

Yakima (22-12 second half, 40-32 overall), had beaten Tri-City (12-22, 29-43) four nights in a row and eight times in 10 games this season.

Despite the loss, the Bears saw their second-half East Division magic number reduced to two with Spokane’s loss to Boise.

“It’s hard to beat a team five times in a row,” Bears manager Bob Didier said. “They’re a professional ballclub, and they obviously have some good players over there.”

With starting pitcher Erik Stavert clearly among them. Stavert allowed only three hits and one run over 5 2?3 innings, striking out four and walking three to improve to 3-4.

Pena, who will start Yakima’s best-of-three playoff series opener with Spokane here Monday, yielded six hits and five runs — though only two were earned — over five innings. He walked four and struck out five.

“He just never seemed to get comfortable,” Didier said. “He was just a young, 19-year-old pitcher who wasn’t able to adjust on the fly. But he’s been our best starter, and I feel comfortable with him on the mound Monday.”

Roberto Ortiz had two of Yakima’s eight hits and Mike Freeman extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

Pena’s problems began early, with first-inning singles by Jeremiah Sammy, Bryce Massanari and Mark Tracy. Sammy came home on a passed ball while Tracy’s two-out single scored Reyes and Jared Simon after Simon had drawn a two-out walk and advanced when Sammy plated.

Errors by Zach Walters and Raoul Torrez, along with two base hits, then plated two second-inning runs for a 5-0 Tri-City lead.

Yakima’s offense finally broke through in the fifth against Stavert, using successive walks to Torrez and Westley Moss plus Ortiz’s two-out single to make it 5-1.

The Bears made it a two-run game in the seventh, scoring twice with two outs.

After  Freeman singled, Ortiz walked and Walters, the switch-hitter batting right-handed against T-C lefty Kraig Sitton, steered a bouncer between third and short for a two-run single.

But in the top of the eighth against Greg Robinson, who had worked two hitless innings in relief of Pena, Mark Tracy led off with a single and, with one out, Chad Jacobsen launched his second homer of the year to left-center for a four-run Tri-City cushion.

“The two-run homer broke our backs,” Didier said. “I felt like when it was 5-3, with two more at bats we could tie it or take the lead.”

Yazy Arbelo, the Northwest League’s RBI leader who also ranks second in homers, left the game after grounding out in the fourth inning.

Didier declined comment on the matter.

9/2/10 Yakima Bears update

Next game

Opponent: Tri-City Dust Devils.

When, where: Yakima County Stadium.

Radio: KUTI (1460).

Website: www.yakimaherald.com

Probable pitchers: Yakima RHP Enrique Burgos (1-1, 4.79) vs. Tri-City RHP Josh Mueller (2-2, 4.12).

Notes

PLAYOFF ROTATION SET: Miguel Pena will start Monday night’s East Division playoff opener here against Spokane, Bears manager Bob Didier said Wednesday.

The 19-year-old will be followed in the best-of-three set by, in order, Enrique Burgos and Kevin Eichhorn, the latter due in soon from Missoula.

Should Yakima advance to the Northwest League championships, also a best-of-three series, the starters will be Brad Wilson, Teo Gutierrez and Pena. All the starters are right-handers.

Justin Albert, who’s also coming from Missoula, will give the Bears another left-handed reliever to join all-star Eury De La Rosa. Didier said Albert will probably be available to pitch an inning here tonight against Tri-City in the Bears last regular-season home game.

FREE PARKING: As part of today’s Fan Appreciatiion Night, parking at Yakima County Stadium for the Bears game with Tri-City will be free.

Fireworks will follow the game.

DOWNTOWN RALLY TODAY: The Yakima Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a playoff rally today for the Bears, which is scheduled for a 11:30 a.m. at Performance Park downtown.

The team will be there at noon and players will later be available for autographs.

Emceeing the event will be Todd Lyons and Drew Bontadelli, the team’s Yakima County Stadium and radio voices, respectively.

Are you up to the challenge?

Pigskin Picks contest one of new items on our Website||

So, you think you can do better than us?

Here’s your chance to prove it.

If you’ve ever wondered how those numbskulls down at the paper could pick So-and-so to beat Such-and-such in prep football, show us that you know better.

And snatch some prizes along the way.

The Yakima Herald-Republic sports department is opening up its Pigskin Picks to its readers online. After quckliy logging in and creating an account, each week entrants will enter their picks and go against the Herald-Republic sports staff and other entrants.

The top picker of the week will not only earn invaluable bragging rights, but also a prize from Ron’s Coin & Book. The season winner will get an Xbox 360, also courtesy of Ron’s.

Log on to sportsyakima.com, click on the Pigskins Pick, sign up and start picking.

But that’s not all the winning we’re offering our readers.

We also will be debuting Prep Insider this week on sportsyakima.com. It will feature a short video giving you an inside look at the YH-R Sports department and what coverage will be coming in the upcoming week.

Insider will also feature Yakima Valley sports trivia. Viewers can log on to answer the question.

Of all the correct answers, one will be randomly picked to receive a gift card from the 2nd Street Grill in downtown Yakima.

It’s our hope that these contests as well as our online feature help supplement your reading experience.

Speaking of which, be sure to check out Kickoff 2010, our annual prep football preview in today’s newspaper.

And good luck picking.

Happy to be back in the saddle again

Healthy again, Martinat set for Ellensburg debut||

ELLENSBURG — As is the case every year, this weekend’s Ellensburg Rodeo’s performance schedule is overflowing with the biggest stars in professional rodeo.

Bryan Martinat will be there, too.

The 22-year-old saddle bronc rider is a household name in, well, his own household. You’ve probably never heard of him. But if the pride of Marsing, Idaho (pop. 945) can catch a break — as opposed to a broken bone, or another collapsed lung — you will soon enough.

“I’m just excited to be rodeoing,” said Martinat, who will make his Ellensburg Rodeo debut in Sunday’s matinee session. “Whether it’s a $55 purse rodeo or one that pays $10,000, it doesn’t matter to me — I’m just excited to be crawling down into the chute onto bucking horses with a chance to compete.”

He knows what it’s like not to have that chance.

In the autumn of his sophomore year at Western State College, Martinat was badly injured during a rodeo in Hamilton, Texas, suffering a collapsed lung for the second time. He spent three weeks in the hospital and doctors told his coaches he’d probably be out for five months.

Four months later — after having missed half of the college rodeo season — he was back in the saddle.

“We had five spring rodeos, and for me to have a chance (at reaching the collegiate regionals) I had to win three of those rodeos and place in the top three in the rest of them,” recalled Martinat, who did precisely that. He placed second in the regional finals, earning a trip to the 2009 College National Finals (CNFR), where he won the average.

This summer, now riding for Blue Mountain College — coached by Yakima-area favorite Chance Dixon — Martinat reached the CNFR again and tied for the win in the saddle bronc short (championship) round.

But his big year wasn’t quite over. Splitting his time between college rodeos and two professional circuits — the Wilderness and Columbia River — Martinat didn’t win enough money to earn a trip to either circuit finals rodeo. But when the Columbia River Circuit finals found itself with an open spot, Martinat got the call.

And boy, is he ever glad he answered that call. He ended up drawing Spring Planting, Flying Five’s reigning world champion bucking horse, in the CRC Finals’ Saturday night session.

“That was awesome just to get a chance to get on a horse like that,” Martinat said. “You know if you can ride him, you’re going to go to the pay window. My coach, Chance, was there, and he just kept me calm. I didn’t overlook the horse, I went at him just like I would any other horse and it paid off.”

Only time will tell if Martinat be able to replicate the career of say, Cody DeMers, another CNFR saddle bronc champion who two years after his college victory used a win at Ellensburg to springboard to the first of three straight trips to the National Finals Rodeo.

But Martinat is certainly happy for the chance.

“There’s going to be so many good animals in stock there (at Ellensburg) — it should be a pretty even pen of horses,” Martinat said. “I’m just going to treat it just like any other rodeo.”

And, perhaps, add a new star to that already glittering Ellensburg lineup.

Ellensburg Rodeo information

Rodeo performance times: 6:45 p.m. Friday, 12:45 p.m. Saturday, 12:45 p.m. Sunday, 11:45 a.m. Monday finals.

Slack sessions (timed events only): 10 a.m. Friday, 8 a.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. Sunday.

PRCA Xtreme Bulls: 8 a.m. Saturday.

Who’s coming: Almost everybody who’s anybody in the PRCA, including:

• the top 37 competitors in the steer wrestling money standings, all vying to be the top 15 to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo;

• the top 30 bull riders in the standings, a remarkable number this late in the season in such a rugged, injury-riddled event;

• the top 18 bareback riders, with Washington native Ryan Gray of Cheney making a strong bid to earn his first world championship;

• 19 of the top 20 team-roping duos, including the Ellensburg brother duo of Riley (the header) and Brady (the heeler) Minor, who are on pace to earn their third straight NFR appearance as a team (and Brady’s fourth overall);

• and 26 of the top 27 saddle bronc riders.

Online information: www.ellensburgrodeo.com

Rodeo/ticket office: 800-637-2444

Whitaker fourth in Northwest Open

YAKIMA — Dan Whitaker had a pretty good finish, but it wasn’t quite as well as he had played to that point and the Ellensburg golfer wound up fourth in last week’s Northwest Open at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla.

Whitaker entered the final round of the 54-hole event tied for the lead with Brandon Kearney, but Whitaker closed with an even-par 72 to finish two shots behind Brian Thornton.

Thornton closed with a 66 to finish at 12-under 204.

Kearney and Michael Haack tied for second at 205, with Whitaker, who opened with rounds of 68-66, fourth at 206.

Jeff Bender, the former head pro at Black Rock Creek, tied for sixth (71-66-72—209).

Other local golfers included Justin Bos (46th, 72-73-75—220), Keith Crimp (46th, 73-74-73—220), and Barry Walters (58th, 74-72-77—223).

Woodard gets ace at Westwood

Barry Woodard recorded a hole-in-one Saturday on the second hole at Westwood West Golf Course.

Woodard used an 8-iron on the 145-yard hole. It was witnessed by Tim Gamache, Tom Fisher, Doug Parrish and Mike Adams.

9/2/10 Yakima Valley Golf Scorecard

Apple Tree

WOMEN’S DIVISION

Best Nine, Aug. 25

Low gross: Nancy Eglin 73. Low net: Pene James 61.

1, Betty Gilmore 26; 2, (tie) Claudette Haubner 271?2, Linda Lenseigne 271?2; 4, Helen Tweedy 281?2; 5, Lynda Matthews 29; 6, (tie) Carol Hammermeister 301?2, Judy Rozelle 301?2; 8, Connie Wilson 321?2.

Card Game, Sept. 1

Gross: Betty Gilmore 84. Net: Claudette Haubner 72.

Linda Lenseigne-Connie Wilson-Cricket Callarman-Betty Gilmore 81; Carol Hammermeister-Sara Keefe-Claudette Haubner-Connie Wilson 83.

Mount Adams

MEN’S DIVISION

Old Nine, Aug. 26

First Flight — Gross: 1, Turk Holford 36; 2, (tie) Mike Chambers-Tye Barrett 40. Net: 1, Bob Bergeron 351?2; 2, (tie) Mike Pollock 36, Joe Hoptowit 36, Connie Besel 36.

Second Flight — Gross: 1, (tie) Vern Stephensen 44, Gary Hyatt 44; 3, Doyle Wilson 47. Net: 1, (tie) Dick Jones 34, Keith Fowler 34; 3, Earl Greene 35.

Individual Play, Aug. 28

First Flight — Gross: 1, Mike VanWingerden 68; 2, Aaron Louis 79; 3, Louis Alcala 81. Net: 1, Tyler Jensen 65; 2, Jim Wabaunsee 68; 3, (tie) Joe Hoptowit 73, Scott Karr 73.

Second Flight — Gross: 1, Gary Hyatt 80; 2, Monty Carl 82; 3, Brad Story 85. Net: 1, Clifford Moses 65; 2, Todd Miller Jr. 67; 3, (tie) Dave Barnes 68, Kim Parker 68.

WOMEN’S DIVISION

Best Ball/Scramble, Aug. 25

1, Connie Rogers-Betty Carl-Elsie Pearson-Gloria Hintze 55; 2, Sharon Hedden-Ursula Pond-Carlisle Ibatuan-Ronnie Bradbury 56; 3, Maria Frank-Carrol Storkel-Sheila Whitaker 58.

COUPLES DIVISION

Chapman, Aug. 27

Gross: 1, Randy & Debbie Anderson 42. Net: 1, Jim & Ronnie Bradbury 291?2; 2, Todd Lenseigne-Sylvia Vancleave 32; 3, James & Connie Rogers 321?4; 4, Kim Parker-Sharon Hedden 321?2.

SunTides

WOMEN’S DIVISION

Best 9, Aug. 31

A Division — Gross: Claudette Haubner 45, Linda Plummer 47. Net: Lori Thomas 38, Grace Wagoner 40.

B Division — Gross: Bev Morgan 49. Net: Lynne Willard 381?2.

C Division — Gross: Helen Gallagher 52, Kathy Thomas 54. Net: Vi Bond 37.

Westwood West

MEN’S DIVISION

Final Wednesday League

Tim Troy Construction 149, Valley Lab 146, Foot Wedges 136, Kyani 135, 3 HC 134, Shuels Lumber 132, Foreplay 130, Albatross 97, Hellieson Lumber 85.

Final Thursday League

No Name 183, Advance 151, AB Transmission 142, Semo 134, T&M 129, Westwood 128, Green Attack 119, Albatross 113, Four Hookers 63.

WOMEN’S DIVISION

Team Play, Aug. 25

1, Bernice Snyder-Ellen Matich-Judy Ann Vetsch-Dorothy Cooke 27; 2, (tie) Trudy Ledwich-Shirley Rogstad-Marnie Finney-Elsie Gamache 28, Adrienne Quinnell-Judy Ponto-Gaye Pryse-Betty Gifford 28.

COUPLES DIVISION

Step Aside, Aug. 26

1, Don & Sylvia Brule-Jim & Janie Richartz 35; 2, Al & Shirley Rogstad-Gary & Pam Kingsboro 36; 3, Gale Sanders-Jan Stohr-Adrienne Quinnell 37.

Yakima Elks

MEN’S DIVISION

Aug. 28

4-Man, 2-Net: Aaron Adams-Mark Littleton-Jim Eglin-Dusty Frontis 121, Steve Slaven-RD Dalebout-Dan Marples-Gary Germunson 121, Ron Gunner-Ben Graf-Jamie Morford-Mark Peck 122.

2-Man Bestball — Gross: Dusty Frontis-Aaron Adams 64, Dusty Frontis-Mark Littleton 65, Dusty Frontis-Jim Eglin 66, Doug Hearron-Don Capps 69, Jim Page-Don Capps 69, Perry Page-Don Capps 69. Net: Mark Cuneo-Jim Smith 60, Al Rouse-Jim Smith 61, Ben Graf-Ron Gunner 61, Ben Graf-Mark Peck 61.

Best 15, First Flight — Gross: Dusty Frontis 56. Net: Ron Gunner 55. Second Flight — Gross: Joe Folk 65. Net: Paul Sugden 58, Jim Page 58. Third Flight — Gross: Bill Halsey 69, Gary Germunson 53.

Sept. 1

4-Man, 1-Net: Bob Sewell-Bill Poulin-David Uhlman-Jack Lee 56; (tie) Terry Matthews-Mark Mochel-John Mills-Jim Blevins 58; Gary Germunson-Robert Weiss-Paul Sugden-RD Dalebout 58; Lee White-Jack VanVleck-Lee White 58.

2-Man Bestball — Gross: (tie) David Uhlman-Bill Poulin 71; Jack VanVleck-John Jamieson 71; (tie) VanVleck-Lee White 72; Mark Mochel-Jim Blevins 72. Net: Ted Stone-Jack Lovell 59; Uhlman-Jack Lee 61; Dick Dreher-Lyle Reis 62.

Back Nine, First Flight — Gross: David Uhlman 36. Net: Jack VanVleck 341?2. Second Flight — Gross: Jack Lee 40. Net: Ron Capps 35. Third Flight — Gross: Robert Weiss 43. Net: John Jamieson 35.

WOMEN’S DIVISION

Eclectic Tournament, Aug. 17-19

Low gross: Nancy Eglin 70. Low net: Olive Ruff 63.

First Flight — Gross: 1, Susie DeShaw 77; 2, Shelly Yarbrough 82; 3, Linda Plummer 89. Net: 1, (tie) Nancy Graf 68, Christy Fordyce 68, Dorothy Brink 68.

Second Flight — Gross: 1, Judy Gano 92; 2, (tie) Judy Stone 98, Shirley Markland 98. Net: 1, Lois Schaap 65; 2, Nyda Damaskos 66; 3, Evva Lange 67.

COUPLES DIVISION

Indian Summer Warm-Up, Aug. 29

Gross: Gary Pero-Susie DeShaw 75, Tim & Barb Fortier 77, Dan & Shelly Yarbrough 82, Lou & Janet Bassell 83, Warren & Nancy Pollock 85. Net: Don & Sandy Capps 631?2, Mike & Torrie Melton 67, Rod & Ruth Wilkins 67, Dale & Christy Fordyce 671?2, Herk & Barb Hannon 691?2, Ron & Lo Donaldson 691?2.

9/2/10 Rec Notes — Xtreme win 2 hoop tourneys

YAKIMA — The WV Xtreme girl’s basketball team participated in the Spokane Hoopfest in June this summer and won the 3rd Grade Division.

The same foursome also won the 3rd grade girls division this past weekend in the Yakima Hot Shots Tournament.

The team members are Lillie Fetzer, Tai Brennan, Ariel Winslow and Mary Teske.

• Conner Turner, Aaron Updike, Tru Allen and Chaska John won the 4th grade boys Lakers division at the Hot Shots 3-on-3 tournament this past weekend.

9/2/10 Bulletin Board

BASKETBALL: AAU and the Yakima Valley Sports Authority is conducting the 2010 Early Fall Youth Basketball League. The league will run on Sundays starting Sept. 26 through Nov. 7. All teams will play 6 games and is for boys and girls in grades one through high school. Early registration deadline is Sept. 10 and the cost is $220. Late registration deadline is Sept. 15 and the cost is $250. Entry forms and more information is available online at www.ieaau.org or by calling the AAU office at 509-453-2696.

• There will be a free basketball and soccer camp featuring former Harlem Globetrotter Seth Franco, and taught by Adventure Soccer and former college and professional athletes. The camp will be from 12:30 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 18 at the Madison House, at 302 S. 4th St. Registration forms are available at the YMCA, the Southeast Community Center and the Madison House. For more information, contact Jeff Arkills at 509-961-3663.

SOFTBALL: The fifth annual Women’s One-Pitch Tournament will be Sept. 11-12 at Carlon Park in Selah. Each team is guaranteed 10 games. Entry fee is $250. For more information, contact Ric Phillips at 509-952-0998 or ricphillips69@yahoo.com.

SOCCER: Grandview Parks & Recreation will host a soccer skills competition on Monday, Sept. 13 at Euclid Park. The competition, which starts at 6 p.m., is for ages 5-12 and the cost is $1 per child. Sign-up on site at 5:45 p.m. For more information, please contact the Grandview Parks and Recreation Department at 509-882-9219.

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