One might say that the start to the Cheney High School softball team’s season has been explosive.
The Lady Blackhawks “exploded” for a total of 52 runs and 36 hits in wins over 3A North Central of the Greater Spokane League and 4A Sunnyside out of the Yakima Valley’s Big Nine League. Cheney’s defense and pitching has also allowed those two opponents to “explode” for a combined 20 runs on 24 hits.
Cheney has yet to trail in any game this season, scoring five times in the top of the first at North Central and then scoring runs in each of the next five innings in their 23-13 win on March 15. Head coach Gary Blake said it was the first time his squad had been on dirt, or in this case, “on mud,” and there was a little rust.
Meghan Krantz and Rachel Barsness did most of the damage at the plate, with Barsness collecting four hits, including a double and a home run, and Krantz five, which featured two round-trippers.
At Sunnyside on March 18, Cheney staked itself to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, 8-3 after two innings and blew the game open with 12 runs in the third en route to their 29-7 win. Alyson Dassow’s five hits, including two doubles, led the Lady Blackhawks, with Shelby Melton adding four singles and Kara Johnstone three hits. Maria Guglielmo got the win on the mound.
Cheney’s third game last week, a March 16 game with Medical Lake, has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 29.
While the hitting seems to be on track early on, Blake said the Lady Blackhawks pitching and defense needs some work, a likely product of bad weather and ground conditions that have limited practice time on their home field. Blake said that’s coming around though, citing the seven runs Cheney allowed against Sunnyside.
The Lady Blackhawks were scheduled to travel to Connell for a non-league game Tuesday, March 21, and return home to face Northeast A League Deer Park this Saturday.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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