Summer Hawks A playoff chances on life support

By JOHN McCALLUM

Editor

Time may have run out on the Cheney American Legion A team's playoff chances. The Summer Hawks lost four of their five games last week, all against teams ahead of them in the Spokane American Legion's A Southern Division.

Cheney's only win came in a split of a doubleheader Wednesday at Rathdrum, Idaho, losing the first game 2-1 but coming back for a 5-2 win in the nightcap against the Southern Division's third place team at 8-5. From there the Summer Hawks went on to lose three straight, beginning with a 10-7 loss Thursday to East Valley, tied for fourth with Freeman Prairie Pride at 9-6.

The Summer Hawks missed a chance to help out the Knights along with themselves against the Prairie Pride Friday, but wound up on the losing end of a sweep by the visitors from Freeman, 11-3 and 9-0.

Cheney's only runs in game one came in the third inning on a two-out single by Connor Pratt followed by a walk to Anthony Hartman. Casey Phelps then reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, with Pratt coming home to score. Both Hartman and Phelps then scored on wild pitches, with Kyle Krieger's fly out ending the inning.

Freeman tied the game in the fourth, the big blow coming on a two-out 2 RBI double to center against Cheney starter Cameron Marchand. The Prairie Pride took the lead with a run in the sixth, and blew the game open with seven runs in the seventh.

No results were available for the nightcap.

Cheney sits in eighth place in the Southern Division at 4-8, ahead of Ferris and Whitman County. The Summer Hawks have four scheduled games remaining, doubleheaders Monday at home against division-leading University, 14-1, and Tuesday at second-place Gonzaga Prep, 10-5.

The top four teams from each of the Spokane American Legion A divisions advance to play a true double elimination, with the top three from this playoff level advancing to state, played this year at University in the Spokane Valley.

Since the Titans are hosting the tournament they automatically receive a state bid. If they were one of the three teams advancing out of the double elimination playoffs then the team that finished fourth would get the bid.

Right now, the Summer Hawks would need to sweep their final four games at home for some help in order to have shot at qualifying for the post season.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.