Blackhawks flatten East Valley for league win

Cheney High School’s baseball team continues to cruise through its so far abbreviated season.

The Blackhawks had little trouble with East Valley in their only game last week. Cheney was up 9-3 heading into the sixth inning in the March 26 game when head coach Rob Beamer issued a challenge to his players.

“I said, ‘hey, let’s get four (runs) and hold them so we can go home early,” Beamer said. “We just took off. Every ball fell in.”

The Blackhawks got four runs — and seven more as Cheney 10-runned the hosts in the 20-3 win. The big blows in the sixth came from Koby Holt and Luke Martin, the former getting his only hit in the game, a bases-clearing three-run double while the latter smacked his second two-run home run of the afternoon.

Martin, who went 3 for 3 at the plate with four runs and four RBIs, hit his first home run in the fifth inning.

“Luke, he’s just seeing the ball well,” Beamer said.

Peyton McPherson also had a good afternoon at the plate, going 5 for 6 with four RBIs and four runs.

Julian Chabot (2-1) got the win on the mound, allowing three earned runs on three hits while walking one and striking out nine. Beamer said Cheney’s pitching has been very good so far this season, thanks to some experienced arms on the mound and in the bullpen.

“That’s the bright spot, having a bunch of seniors on the team,” he added.

Cheney goes to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in Great Northern League competition. The Blackhawks only loss has been game one of a doubleheader with West Valley, which was moved to the Millwood school’s field due not to weather but the fact that new dirt for Cheney’s ballpark had not yet been installed.

That dirt was being laid down and smoothed out on Tuesday, April 2, getting the field ready for an April 9 game with league-leading Pullman, 2-0, 5-1.

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