The Spokane Cannons’ AAA American Legion season came to a close July 25 when Lakeside Recovery pushed across six runs in the game’s final three innings to earn a 9-4 victory.
Lakeside rallied after trailing 4-1 in a loser-out game for Spokane, scoring twice in the seventh to regain the lead and add to that with an insurance run in the eighth and padding the victory with a three-run ninth.
Pitching was thought to be the issue for Spokane, which features a number of Cheney players, plus one from Medical Lake. In the end, however, pitching was strong and numbers were weak.
The Blackhawks’ Julian Chabot, “Threw real well in seven innings of work,” head coach Chad Ripke wrote in an email. “He just ran out of gas,” Ripke added. Just nine players suited for the team in their finale.
Lakeside would earn a semifinal berth, but had to beat Hanford in a tie-breaking game to reach the state finals where they lost to Yakima Pepsi Pak 10-1.
Leading 4-1, Spokane gave up a pair of unearned runs in the fifth and held the lead until the seventh inning. Cheney’s Jacob Lauber came on in relief in the eighth.
“Regardless, I am so proud of this team and the fight and grit they showed during the course of the summer,” Ripke said. “Playing short handed tonight and pushing Lakeside Recovery to the brink, Lakeside is undefeated to this point.
The Cannons were the only one of four Spokane teams to make it out of the first two days of play in the double-elimination event and wound up No. 5 in the state.
“Not bad,” Ripke said of his team that finished 28-17, winning the prestigious Whitefish, Mont. tournament.
Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.
Reader Comments(0)