Kennewick does it again

Moses Lake falls to the Lions 9-2, but stay alive in playoffs

MOSES LAKE — Thanks to a rule change, Moses Lake wasn't reliving history Thursday.

The Kennewick girls softball team currently owns the Chiefs in the postseason, handing the visiting team their second straight playoff opener loss at Kennewick High School on Thursday.

This time, Kennewick pulled off a 9-2 romp over Moses Lake, but unlike last year, the Chiefs remained alive in the postseason. Because of a rule change in the playoff format, Moses Lake will face Pasco Saturday in the consolation opener.

In spite of staying alive in the postseason, Thursday's loss to Kennewick didn't sit well with Moses Lake head coach Alan Coulter.

"It looked pretty bad," Coulter said about the outcome, adding that Kennewick pitcher Cathy Cannon kept the Chiefs off-balance for most of the game.

Cannon finished the game allowing two runs in the seventh inning, struck out five and gave up five hits to pick up the win. Cannon's struggle came in the seventh after Coulter brought in the bench to close the inning and the bench responded with two runs off two hits.

Shayla May was credited with the first run for Moses Lake on a ground out to second base and Katrina Cram followed with a dribbler to the third-baseman Natalia Rizzuto, who threw the ball high on the play at home to score Chelsea Allsbrook.

"They put the bat on the ball and put some runs up for us," Coulter said. "They are the future of this team."

Coulter said he was pleased with his bench's performance in the seventh, but was concerned about his veteran leadership in the game. The four seniors on the team combined 1-for-8 hitting in the game.

"Going into Saturday with the possibility of it being their last game will help," Coulter said.

Moses Lake started out the first inning with Crystal Mabry leading off with an infield single, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bailey Millican with one out. The Chiefs couldn't convert with the runner in scoring position. Kennewick's Nicole Hoerner hit an RBI double with one out in the bottom of the first to put the Lions on the board first, then scored on an infield single from Rizzuto.

Kennewick added to their lead in the fourth when Casey Lamear hit an RBI double and Hoerner followed with two more RBIs on a flyout to center field..

"Mental errors," Coulter said, explaining Kennewick's quick lead in the game. "Not knowing what to do in situations."

The Lions added some insurance in the fifth off an RBI single from Eileen Kelley, who scored the second run of the inning off Lindsey Rossell's throwing error.

Kennewick scored again in the sixth off a Mattie Zayas throwing error and an RBI groundout from Rizzuto to push the lead to 9-0. Moses Lake answered in the top of the seventh inning with two runs before their rally ended with the Lions on top 9-2.

"I think we finished the game off good," said Moses Lake pitcher Heather Coulter.