Field conditions forced the Cheney High School baseball team to switch its Great Northern League opening doubleheader with West Valley from Cheney to the Eagles’ field in Millwood.
The result was a split for both teams, with West Valley withstanding a last-inning rally by the Blackhawks for an 8-6 win in game. Cheney kept that offensive barrage going in game two, pummeling the home team 11-0 in the nightcap.
In game one, the Eagles rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to regain the lead from Cheney, going up 5-3. After the Blackhawks got one of those back in the top of the sixth, West Valley scored three more to take an 8-4 lead.
Cheney pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh, but couldn’t finish their own rally.
Julian Chabot took the loss on the mound, giving up five runs — none of them earned due to Cheney’s four errors — on five hits in five innings of work. Chabot struck out five and walked none. Koby Holt came on in the sixth, giving up three earned runs on three hits.
Luke Martin led Cheney’s seven-hit attack, going 2 for 3, including a home run and a triple, and driving in three RBIs. Peyton McPherson was 1 for 3 with an RBI while Chabot with 1 for 3 with an RBI. Blackhawks batters struck out 14 times against West Valley pitching.
In the nightcap, Cheney opened a 4-0 lead in the top of the first and never looked back, scoring in every inning except the last to 10-run the Eagles in five innings. The Blackhawks benefited somewhat from four West Valley errors as three of their 11 runs were unearned.
McPherson was 1 for 3 (double) with 2 RBIs while Jake Berman was 1 for 2 (triple) with 2 RBIs to lead Cheney’s offense. Cheney hitters manage to tag West Valley pitching for seven walks.
McPherson got the win on the mound, giving up just four hits while walking none and striking out seven in five innings of work.
Cheney, 1-1 GNL and 3-1 overall, stays on the road with three games this week, all league contests. The Blackhawks traveled to East Valley on Tuesday to face the 0-2 Knights, who dropped a doubleheader with Ephrata on March 22.
Cheney then travels to Clarkston for a doubleheader with the Bantams on Saturday. Clarkston is 0-2 in GNL play, dropping a doubleheader with Pullman last Friday, and 2-2 overall, earning a doubleheader sweep of Idaho 3A Timberlake on March 20.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
Reader Comments(0)