Kennewick team on 4-0 winning streak at Cal Ripken National invite

Kennewick American continued its run through pool play on Monday at the Cal Ripken National Invitational Tournament in Branson, Mo.

The Tri-City squad routed Parsons, Kan., 17-0, before 10-running Springfield, Mo., 14-4, giving Kennewick American a perfect 4-0 to win Pool B standings.

The 12-year-olds are scheduled to play host Branson — winner of the other pool — later Tuesday afternoon.

Everyone takes Wednesday off before bracket play begins on Thursday.

In Monday’s win over Parsons, Dre Dimond and Morgan Dodson combined on the mound for the pitching shutout.

Dodson also went 2-for-2 at the plate with four RBIs, while Karson Rawlings was 2-for-2 with a double and three runs scored.

Angel Correa added two hits, including a double.

Against Springfield, Tate Cissne started on the mound for Kennewick, striking out five batters. Rawlings closed out the game with the final two innings pitched.

Dodson had another big game at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double. Cissne added two hits, including a double.

Dylan Mimaya had a triple for Kennewick, while teammates Deegan Quesenberry and Hunter VanHollebeke each added doubles.

Kennewick lost Taron Carlson for the tournament Sunday when he broke his humerus bone, according to KA manager Clayton Rawlings.

“Our boys are absolutely wrecked over losing one of our best players,” said Rawlings. “They’re a super tight group. (Taron) is our fourth hitter and our best starting pitcher. He’s absolutely one of the most hard working, genuinely loving, kind kid. … It’s been a rough 24 or so hours. Heartbreaking. He’ll find out in the next couple of days if he will require surgery or not.”

EWU fall sports shutdown

With the Big Sky Conference announcing last week that conference football games would be moved to the spring, it didn’t take long at Eastern Washington University for other fall sports to follow.

The school announced this week that all fall sports — mens and women’s cross country, early season women’s golf, women’s soccer and volleyball, and early season women’s tennis — will be moved to the spring because of the coronavirus.

That’s going to affect a lot of Mid-Columbia athletes’ seasons.

Here is who is on those rosters from our region:

• Cross country — redshirt junior Erika Leinweber (Walla Walla High grad); and soph Justin Roosma (Walla Walla Valley Academy), who transferred this year from Pacific Union College.
• Football — redshirt junior Cody Clement (Richland); redshirt sophomore Champ Grayson (Kamiakin); redshirt senior Joe Lang (Royal); redshirt freshman Jacobe “Jax” Lee (Richland); redshirt junior Darreon Moore (Kamiakin); redshirt junior Wyatt Musser (Kamiakin); and freshman Mike Rivera (Sunnyside).
• Women’s golf — senior Alexa Clark (Kamiakin).
• Women’s soccer — Head coach Chad Bodnar (Pasco) has five Tri-City athletes on his roster: senior McKaley Goffard (Southridge), senior Taylor Matheny (Hanford), sophomore Maddie Morgan (Kamiakin), redshirt junior Kendall Pope (Southridge), and senior Kelsee Winston (Hanford).
• Volleyball — Freshman Sage Brustad (Richland) and senior Catelyn Linke (Pasco).

Bodnar said it was the right decision in a tweet Tuesday morning.

“Waking up to the reality of no fall soccer for the first time since I started coaching 20 years ago. Tough decision for our admin but the right one. Player safety and welfare should be first and I look forward to the spring and being back! #GoEags.”

Bodnar’s team has high expectations this year. The Eagles were picked to finish third in the Big Sky Conference in the pre-season coaches poll.

• In another side note, it was a pleasant surprise to see Lee’s name on the football roster. He was a standout defensive lineman for the Richland Bombers a few years, then went to a prep academy in Colorado.

He’s transferred to Cheney and is walking on to the football team.