Summerhawks sweep Northwest Premier

The Cheney 17U Summerhawks baseball team is coming off a successful week where they swept Northwest Premier in a June 28 doubleheader, 10-1, 7-6, and went 3-2 in the Medical Lake pod of the Wood Bat Classic tournament (July 1-3).

"Our bats were still fresh from the (June 23-26) tournament in Ephrata," head coach Austin Sharp said. "Everyone was hitting well."

In game 1 against Northwest Premier, Andrew Witt was 3 for 4 with a double, a triple and two RBIs, Julian Chabot was 2 for 3, Dylan Arthur was 2 for 3 with a double and Devin Cook was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Johnny Owings was 1 for 3 with an RBI double

Nick Berman (1-0) got his first win on the mound after he shared pitching duties with his twin brother Jake Berman, Devin Cook and Jacob Lauber. Collectively, Cheney threw a one-hitter.

In the nightcap, Arthur clinched the win for Cheney after he executed a walk-off squeeze bunt to score Witt.

At the plate, Arthur was 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs, Jake Berman was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Owings was 1 for 3 with a double and three RBIs.

Matt Riggs (1-1) got the win after he closed in the seventh.

"It was a good day for baseball," Sharp said. "Our guys played great."

In Cheney's first game of the Wood Bat Classic, Northwest Premier got its revenge against the Summerhawks with a 9-0 win that ended after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule. Cook (0-1) took the loss on the mound.

Cheney began the second day of the tournament with a 4-3 loss to the Spokane Crew 16U team.

Down 2-1, the Crew took the lead after they scored three runs in the third inning. Arthur scored Cheney's last run in the fifth.

Arthur was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Cook was 1 for 3 with an RBI.

Arthur (1-3) took the loss on the mound, throwing104 pitches and striking out eight batters.

"Dylan Arthur pitched through a tough third inning," Sharp said. "He's pitched well for us this season."

The Summerhawks rebounded with a 7-6 win over the Yakima Junior Beetles. Cheney had a 7-3 lead through the top of the seventh inning, but the Beetles nearly tied the game in the bottom of the frame.

"They had the tying run on second and the leading run on first and Chabot was able to get the save," Sharp said. "It was kind of a wake-up call (for us). This team has learned a lot in the last two weekends."

Lauber (1-3) got the win after striking out four.

Cheney's bats came alive the next day as they picked up a 21-1 win over Medical Lake.

Witt was 3 for 4 with three RBIs, four runs scored and an inside-the-park home run. Cook was 3 for 5 with two RBIs and a double and Luke Martin was 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Owings was 1 for 3 with an RBI.

Owings (1-0) threw a no-hitter for the win, striking out four batters.

The Summerhawks finished the tournament with a 10-1 victory over Shadle Park. Hitting stats were unavailable as of press time.

Peyton McPherson (1-0), from the 15U Summerhawks team, got the win after he also threw a no hitter.

"It was a good way to finish off the weekend," Sharp said.

Cheney (7-9) hosted North Central in a doubleheader, July 6. They play the Prairie Cardinals tonight (July 7) in a doubleheader at home.

"I think this team knows that when they play well, they can compete with anyone," Sharp said.

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].