Cannons drop games at Bat Classic

MEDICAL LAKE-The Cannons are finding things difficult in the Spokane Wood Bat Classic, having dropped their first four games. The teams lost a close opener, 8-6, to Bellingham Post 7 on Friday afternoon on July 1 and then were turned back that evening by the Saskatoon Diamondbacks 9-4.

The Cannons ran into a buzz saw in the Withnell Dodgers on Saturday afternoon, July 2, dropping an 11-0 contest at Medical Lake High School. Things looked promising initially for the Cannons as they loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the first inning, but the team was unable to capitalize and left the runners stranded.

The Dodgers posted two runs on the board in the bottom of the frame and then blew the contest wide open with seven runs in the bottom of the second. Withnell then added two more in the bottom of the third.

Cheney's Eli Chabot got the start and the loss on the bump, lasting just two innings, giving up six runs off two hits.

"Eli didn't have his best stuff-it was really his first rough outing of the summer," Coach Austin Sharp said. "We had an opportunity to score early, but couldn't come up with the clutch hit. The outcome may have been different had we been able to put a couple of runs on the board and gain the early momentum."

Spokane Crew 9

Cannons 3

Things didn't get much better in the second game of the day as the Cannon fell to the Crew, 9-3. Spokane jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first and then added five runs in the fourth to make it 7-0.

The Cannons responded with three runs in the home half of the inning, but that's all the team could muster. The Crew outhit the Cannons, 12 to 2. Four Cannon errors didn't help matters much either.

Medical Lake's Eugene Hass was tagged with the loss. He gave up seven runs, two unearned, off seven hits, including a two-run dinger in the top of the fourth.

"It was a close game until the fourth inning against one of the better teams in the Spokane Region," Sharp said. "Eugene didn't have his best stuff but did throw a couple of good innings and picked off three runners at first base."

Spokane Expos 5

Cannons 4

Goose eggs dotted the scoreboard the first two innings of the game as both teams left runners stranded on base. The Cannon threatened in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with two outs, but again failed to bring a runner home. The Expos sent 10 batters to the plate in the top of the third and were able to capitalize, posting four runs on the board.

The Cannons got one back in the bottom of the fourth to close the gap to 4-1. The score didn't hold up long as the Expos chalked up another run in the top of the fifth. The Cannons mounted a three-run rally in the home half of the frame to get back in it, 5-4. Neither team scored over the last two innings of the contest and the Expos escaped with the win.

"The guys clawed their way back and had the tying run on second and the winning run on first, but we were unable to come up with the clutch hit," Sharp said. "They played hard-I was proud of them-they kept grinding and never gave up."

The losses drop the Cannons to 12-16-2 overall in summer play. However, the team is 8-3 in league play and second place as the district playoffs approach.

"Tournament plays is always tough," Sharp said. "We'll wrap up league play on Tuesday and then head to Whitefish for the Sapa-Johnrud Tournament and then play two games at home before district's."

The Cannons matched up with the Spokane Bandits in their final league game of the summer on Tuesday, July 5. The game results were not available at press time.

The Cannons begin Spokane American League Baseball District play on July 15.