When Gary Blake first accessed his Blackhawks’ fast pitch softball team there were a great deal of unknowns.
As he started his 20th season at the helm of the program Blake had yet to see his team on the field, nor did he even know what final numbers might look like.
Now approaching the halfway point in the season and primed for the stretch run following spring break, there’s much more clarity.
Back in late February there were 55 players on his list. But not all of those actually signed up themselves.
That left Blake with the notion there might just be three teams — varsity, junior varsity and C-squad. “I always like it if I get enough for three teams,” Blake said at the time.
But as things got sorted out he ended with 26 and two teams.
The seemingly endless winter kept most every sport inside the gym making do with whatever practices could be cobbled together.
“My rule of thumb is that if I can get outdoors two days during the first two weeks, I consider successful,” Blake explained. “There have been many, many years I have ended up going to a jamboree somewhere out in the Columbia Basin,” he added.
And that’s what the Blackhawks did, losing at both Southridge in Kennewick and at Wenatchee to Eastmont. Following an 0-3 start, Cheney had put together a three-game winning streak as spring break approached.
The Blackhawks sit 3-3 in Greater Spokane League play, 3-5 overall with the resumption of play after a week off for spring break. Cheney would like to find that earlier success as it faced Central Valley (April 11) and Gonzaga Prep (April 13) at home.
Blake, who has taken four Cheney team to state in his two decades in the coaching box, has the fortune of eight players returning from his 2022 team that finished 11-7 in GSL play, fourth place in league and 11-11 overall.
“With eight returners, you’re really only looking for an additional four kids to fill back in,” Blake said.
But the graduation losses were hefty. “(Maddie) McDowell was my best pitcher and the Cagles (Pyper and Parker) my two best hitters along with defensively at catcher and shortstop,” Blake said.
Four seniors are coming back, Tatum Sloan, Cierra Morton, Tavia Cailing and Rhyan Kucirka. Last year Sloan was the starting second baseman, Morton at third base. Cailing was the starting right fielder and Kucirka played left.
Blake, however, suggested due to the three graduating seniors from 2022 occupying such crucial spots in the lineup, there were likely some shifts in the works.
“People will have to step up and move in move into those roles,” he said.
Two juniors, Sedona Ericson (center) and Adrian George (backup) will play critical roles along with a pair of sophomores Mia Ashcroft and Dellany Torres.
“Mia played some first base last year, and in the outfield sometimes,” Blake said. “She’s a pretty versatile kid, I probably could use her anywhere.”
Torres was a backup pitcher last year, but Blake suggested she might see time mostly in the outfield and sometimes first base.
Paul Delaney is a retired Free Press Publishing reporter and can be reached at pauldelaney53@comcast.net.
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