Hope remains in season closer

MOSES LAKE — Big Bend had an outside chance of making the playoffs, but next year will have to be the year to try to make it a reality.

The Community Colleges of Spokane swept the Lady Vikings in two straight games Saturday, officially knocking Big Bend from the playoffs. But, despite the two losses to the No. 2 team in the Eastern region, Big Bend head coach ended the season confident in a postseason bid next year.

"We have a lot of kids coming back and I hope their minds are on coming back," said BBCC head coach Ken Johnson.

The Lady Vikings return 10 freshmen from this year's team and after going to the wire for a playoff spot this season, Johnson likes their chances coming into next year. Especially, the way Big Bend handled themselves against the elite teams of the East.

"We aren't that far off," Johnson said. "They showed a lot of character to come back in the second game, instead of rolling over and giving up."

Spokane knocked Big Bend from the playoffs in game one with five runs in the sixth inning to win 11-2. Kelly Martinez was credited with the loss against the Sasquatch and Miranda Bailey highlighted the game with a home run for the Lady Vikings.

Game two started with different intentions after Jessica Miles drove in Stephanie Day on a sacrifice fly to right field. Big Bend responded in the bottom of the first with Natalin Jones reaching base on a wild pitch, stealing second and moving to third on wild pitch. Jones then scored on a Megan Platz ground out to tie the game at 1-1.

But that would be the closest Big Bend would hang with the Sasquatch, who put a run on the board in the second, a run in the fifth and three runs in the sixth to lead 6-1 over the Big Bend.

Platz drove in her second and third runs of the game on a single in the seventh to stage a run scoring effort for the Lady Vikings.

"If there is any way to end a ball game, that is the way I would want it," Johnson said.