By John McCallum
Managing Editor 

Blackhawks shutout by West Valley to end season

 

Last updated 5/9/2019 at 5:48pm

Cheney High School’s baseball season came to an abrupt end Tuesday afternoon on the diamond at Pullman High School.

The Blackhawks managed only three hits in a 1-0 District 7 playoff semifinal loss to West Valley, sending the Eagles on to the district seeding game Tuesday night against Great Northern League champion Pullman, and Cheney home looking forward to next year.

The game was a pitching duel between Cheney ace Julian Chabot and West Valley’s Hunter Tiffany. Neither gave much ground through the first four innings, although both teams managed a couple threats early.

Cheney’s came in the bottom of the first when Luke Martin stroked a two-out single and Koby Holt reached on a fielding error. The threat died with Nick Berman’s strikeout.

West Valley threatened in the top of the second, loading the bases on a double, a Cheney error and a hit batsman. The Blackhawks subsequently turned a double play, and Chabot got the final out on fly ball to left.

Cheney threatened in the bottom of the fourth, getting two runners on before a groundout ended the inning, and again in the bottom of the fifth, getting a leadoff walk by Peyton McPherson and single by Jake Berman before a West Valley double play neutralized that threat.

The only run of the game came in the fifth when West Valley’s Tiffany stroked a two-out single, stole second and scored on a single by Bryan Andrews.

Cheney managed just three hits in the game, singles by McPherson, Jake Berman and Martin. Chabot took the loss, giving up one earned run on six hits, walking one and striking out three.

The Blackhawks advanced to Tuesday’s action in Pullman with a 4-1 opening-round win last Saturday at home over fifth-seeded, winless East Valley. Martin’s sacrifice fly gave Cheney the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Knights responded to tie the game in the top of the second on Sawer Tracht’s fielder’s choice.

Jake Berman got things going for Cheney with a one-out single in the bottom of the fifth, advancing to second on an error and third on a wild pitch. Martin subsequently reached base on an error by the East Valley shortstop, and both he and Berman eventually scored on a error by the Knights right fielder on a fly ball hit by Nick Berman.

Nick Berman then came around to score on another East Valley error and a passed ball, giving Cheney a 4-1 margin that starting pitcher Chabot made stand for the win. Chabot threw five innings, giving up one unearned run on three hits while walking none and striking out eight. McPherson pitched the final two innings in relief, giving up just one hit.

Berman was 2 for 4 to lead Cheney at the plate as the Blackhawks managed seven hits against East Valley’s Cole McDonald.

Cheney ends the season at 12-3 overall. The Blackhawks will lose eight seniors to graduation in head coach Rob Beamer’s first season.

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

Author Bio

John McCallum, Retired editor

John McCallum is an award-winning journalist who retired from Cheney Free Press after more than 20 years. He received 10 Washington Newspaper Publisher Association awards for journalism and photography, including first place awards for Best Investigative, Best News and back-to-back awards in Best Breaking News categories.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Our Family of Publications Includes:

Cheney Free Press
Ritzville Adams County Journal
Whitman County Gazette
Odessa Record
Franklin Connection
Davenport Times
Spokane Valley News Herald
Colfax Daily Bulletin

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024

Rendered 03/25/2024 16:48