Blaze fire up for summer softball action
Jayme Albrandt fields a grounder during practice Monday. Albrandt, and the rest of the Moses Lake Blaze, will travel to Colorado for a week-long tournament that begins next Monday.<br>Pam Robel/Columbia Basin Herald
Girls softball team preparing for tournament play
MOSES LAKE — Today is the first day of summer and the Moses Lake Blaze Fastpitch team is gearing up.
The Blaze will play several tournaments this summer, including their annual trip to a college recruiting tournament. This year that tournament, the Sparkler Tournament, is being held in Colorado.
"My number one goal with this program is to help give these kids every opportunity possible to be seen by coaches at the next level," said Blaze head coach Alan Coulter. He is also the Moses Lake High School head softball coach.
The Blaze will begin its eighth season together and second at the U-18A level. Helping coach Coulter this summer are Nick Albrandt and Gilbert Alvarado. "Nick and Gil have been a great deal of help with the summer softball program as well as the High School program," Coulter said.
The Sparkler Tournament in Colorado will play host to teams from Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana and Arizona.
"The past three seasons we have played and beaten some pretty good teams in these tournaments," Coulter said. "Last year we defeated the Utah state champions from Salt Lake and in years past have beaten state champions from Nebraska and Colorado. And played a team to a 0-0 tie that was based out of California that was made up of players from the number 23 ranked High School team in the nation according to the USA Today."
There has been some talent lost from this year's team with Tracy Reed, Jackie Cornwell and Ashley Felch moving on to play at colleges in the Pacific Northwest.
However, this year's Blaze team is not hurting from a lack of experience. Moses Lake High School senior and Big-9 2nd Team All-Conference pitcher Heather Coulter will begin her eighth season with the team. Also returning for the Blaze will be former Central Washington League MVP and current Wenatchee Valley Community College pitcher, Katrina Stucky. Kelly Martinez, 2004 Eisenhower High School graduate and 2005 NWAACC 2nd team pitcher, from Big Bend Community College will also see plenty of action. Shelly McCuistion, 2005 MLHS grad, and MLHS sophomore, Shayla May, should rack up some innings this summer as well.
"What I like about this year's team is we are very versatile," Coulter said. "Every player we have on the roster can play more than one position and play it well. We are looking forward to an exciting season."
— Staff report