State softball heats up Friday

MOSES LAKE — The Washington State Amateur Softball Association (ASA) is holding its 16-and-under state tournaments at the Paul Lauzier Athletic Complex and Larson Field this weekend.

Two Columbia Basin teams will be involved. The Moses Lake Ice, who've already won a couple tournaments this summer, will compete in the A Division. The Heat Fastpitch, a Warden-based squad, will take part in the smaller B Division.

Twenty-seven teams from across the state will take part in the ASA championships, 19 of them in the A Division.

The Ice open the tourney at Larson Field on Friday at noon against Friction Fastpitch. The Heat play at Larson at 2 p.m. against the Yakima Pepsi Stealers.

A two-day family pass for the tournament is $20. One-day passes are $5 for adults and $3 for kids and seniors. Children under 6 get in free.

A time limit of 1 hour, 40 minutes is in effect for all games, and all tiebreaker innings will include a runner at second base to start.

The Ice, coached by Nino Rocha and Willie Holmes, include high school players from Moses Lake, Royal City and as far away as East Wenatchee. Holmes said the core of the team has been together for the past four years and were ranked fourth going into last summer's Western World Series.

Pitchers for the Ice include Samantha Smith, Shawnee Durbin and Karly Stoltman. Infielders include Chelsea Allsbrook, Katie Cram and Leslie Brown. Outfielders are Crystal Mertes, Gabby Vasquez and Sara Byrnes.

The Moses Lake Ice 10-and-under team, coached by Bailey Millican, is also at state tournament action this weekend in Selah.