Cheney Baseball drops season openers

CHENEY-The Blackhawks are off to a bit of a slow start for the 2021-22 season, dropping back-to-back games to West Valley and Pullman.

Cheney hit the road on March 15 to take on the West Valley Eagles but could not generate a run and were shutout 4-0.

Goose eggs dotted the scoreboard through the first three and a half innings. West Valley brought two runners across the dish in the bottom of fourth and another two in the home half of the fifth for the only runs of the game.

Cheney outhit West Valley 3-2. Both teams posted an error on the board. Quinn Hubbs got the start on the bump for the Blackhawks, pitching four solid innings, giving up two hits, two earned runs, walking one and fanning eight. Eli Chabot pitched one inning of relief, gave up two runs, walked three and stuck out two Eagles.

Pullman 6

Cheney 2

The Blackhawks were looking for a bounce-back win when they took to the diamond at home on March 17. But it wasn't in the cards and Cheney fell to the Greyhounds on a cold, windy Thursday afternoon.

The ball game was scoreless through the first three innings. Pullman put runners on the corners with no outs in the top of the fourth on a deep shot to left-center field. An infield single brought one run home. The Greyhounds loaded the bases on a bunt.

Cheney's starting pitcher Isaac Nesbitt fanned the next batter but then gave up a single to left field that produced two more runs. Nesbitt then got the hook and was relieved by Tate Heuschkel. Pullman touched Heuschkel with two RBI and the Greyhounds increased their lead to 6-0.

The Blackhawks Carson Jeffries led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and then stole second base. A ground out moved him over to third. Jeffries scored on a deep fly out to center for Cheney's first run of the game. The Blackhawks added another run in the bottom of the sixth.

Both teams posted four hits on the board, but seven Cheney errors proved costly for the home team.

Nesbitt was tagged for the loss.

"We hit into three double-plays in the game against West Valley and that sort of kills things for ya," coach Rob Beamer said. "Tonight (game vs. Pullman), our defense let us down big time."

Cheney was back on the diamond Tuesday for a home game with Lewis & Clark, but the results were not available at press time. The Blackhawks travel to Lewis & Clark on Thursday, March 24 and then return home Friday for a game with Central Valley at 4 p.m.