The Chiefs commit nine errors to lose doubleheader to the Panthers
MOSES LAKE — Ironically, Moses Lake head coach Ed McNamara was praising his team's defense in the Southridge doubleheader loss as being the main factor for the Chiefs hanging with the Suns.
On Wednesday, that same defense committed nine errors as Wenatchee took advantage to sweep the Chiefs 8-3 in the first game and 5-1 in the nightcap. The loss to the Panthers was the fourth straight for Moses Lake (6-6), evening up the record, but not casting doubt in McNamara's mind of the direction of the Chiefs.
"We have to check ourselves out and see what they are made of," McNamara said, believing destiny remains in the hands of Moses Lake, who still face Pasco and Kamiakin, two key matchups as the playoff scenario begins to take shape in the Big Nine.
Wenatchee was first to get on the board in the day game. Moses Lake answered for two runs and the lead, but in the third, two Chief errors resulted in three runs and a 4-2 Panther lead.
The fourth inning sealed the game for Wenatchee with two errors resulting in four runs. McNamara switched pitchers, relieving Derek Dietzen for Josh Munoz with the bases loaded and one out.
Munoz walked Adam Cockerton on four straight pitches for the first run of the game, then a second baseman error allowed Taylor Vail to score. Danny Bohr drove in the final two runs of the game on a single to center field.
Moses Lake's Bryan McCaffery opened the bottom of the fourth with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Brady Coker sacrifice fly to right field. Curran Redal and Munoz kept the inning alive with straight singles, but Jeremy Martinez flew out to left field to end the inning.
In game two, Chad Hunter commanded the mound for the Chiefs and the No. 1 ace on the pitching staff struggled early against Wenatchee's batters.
Garrett Dorn hit an RBI double in the first and with bases loaded in the third, Cockerton drove in the second run of the game off Hunter on a sacrifice fly ball to right field.
Moses Lake threatened in the fourth inning with straight walks from Hunter, Zane Bator and Brett Frederickson, but Dietzen ended the inning on a strikeout.
"I am kind of at a loss for what is going on," McNamara said about Moses Lake's at bats after the Chiefs left seven runners in scoring position in the doubleheader.
Moses Lake put its first run on the board in the fifth when Brady Coker hit a leadoff triple down the right field line, scoring on a relay throw that went out of the ballpark.
In the sixth, Brandon Price came in for Hunter after pitching five 1/3 innings, allowing nine hits and three strike outs in the game.
"He did a great job getting as far as he did," McNamara said about Hunter's performance. "He was living off his changeup and no confidence in his fastball."
Wentachee made a pitching swap in the bottom of the sixth after Tyler Blakney, who had allowed only three hits and one unearned run in six innings of work, for Adam Hill. Hill finished off Moses Lake with three strike outs in six batters faced to preserve the win for the Panthers.
"It is hard to win ball games like that, especially in the Big Nine," McNamara said of Moses Lake's performance against Wenatchee.