The Spokane Cannons won where it really mattered last week, sweeping a Spokane American Legion AAA doubleheader from the Northeast 49ers, 11-2 and 18-3 at Al K. Jackson, June 22.
The Cannons feature West Plains’ players from Cheney and Medical Lake high schools. Cory Wagner of Medical Lake was 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI in the opener. Brayden Hale also went 1 for 3 with a run scored. Riley Jones was 1 for 4, scoring once and stealing two bases.
In the second game, Chance Gleave from Cheney went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored. Wagner had a hit in two at bats and scored two runs. Hale was also 1 for 2 with a run scored and also pitched an inning of hitless relief.
The Cannons improved their league record to 4-0 in advance of a first place showdown with the Spokane Bandits, also 4-0 and a team that has yet to give up a run in league play.
After their league wins the Cannons went to Tri Cities for a tournament, June 23–26 and dropped four consecutive contests with a shorthanded roster.
In the opener at Tri Cities, played June 23, Northern Lakes had an 8-3 win. Wagner was 2 for 3 and Gleave 1 for 4 with a double and a run scored.
“We didn’t play very good defense, and left 12 guys on base,” head coach Chad Ripke said.
Spokane faced the Missoula Prospects in the second game of the tournament, losing 4-2, June 24. Gleave pitched six innings in relief, giving up three unearned runs, allowed only three hits and struck out six.
“Errors again cost us,” Ripke said. “They only hit two balls out of the infield and scored three runs on an error in the bottom of the third.”
The Cannons lost to Kennewick 4-1 in their next game, June 25. Wagner went 1 for 3 with a walk. He pitched six innings, giving up one earned run and struck out seven. Jones was 1-2 and Hale was 1 for 3.
“He pitched well enough to win, again defense let us down,” Ripke said of Wagner.
The tournament concluded with a 6-5 loss to the Yakima Beetles, leading early but gave up the lead with four unearned runs in the fourth. Gleave was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
“We had our chances but couldn’t get it done,” Ripke said.
After their meeting with the Bandits, the Cannons play in the Ferris Pod of the American Legion Wood Bat Classic, opening with a rematch of their game last weekend against the Kennewick Outlaws, Friday, July 1 at 3:30 p.m.
AAA Wood Bat (Ferris Pod)
Friday, July 1, Spokane Cannons vs. Kennewick Outlaws, 3:30 p.m. Spokane Cannons vs. Spokane Dodgers, 6 p.m. Saturday, July 2, Spokane Cannons vs. Thurston Co., 3:30 p.m. Spokane Cannons vs. Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.
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