Chiefs sweep weekend opponents

Moses Lake defeats West Valley, Chief Sealth in non-league games

MOSES LAKE — The Chiefs came back against West Valley for a victory Saturday morning.

In the top of the sixth inning, after leading from the first inning, Moses Lake gave up two runs and allowed West Valley to tie the game.

Blaine Myers came in in the top of the seventh to hold off West Valley, who stranded one runner on base before having two consecutive fly balls snagged by the Chiefs to end the top of the inning.

Myers hit a fly out of his own to lead off of bottom of the seventh.

Moses Lake's next batter headed to first on a wild pitch and advanced to second when Cory Hitchcock was walked.

Jacob Lacelle drove the runner in on an infield single to win the game for Moses Lake.

"The neat thing about the first game is that West Valley set up a situation for us to use a slash bunt and Jacob executed it perfectly," said Moses Lake head coach Ed McNamara. "West Valley's short stop was out of position covering third and Jacob was able to hit and we scored."

The Chiefs earned an early lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Aaron Morice was walked in the lead off spot and headed to second during Troy Stephens' at bat. Stephens was thrown out at first.

With a runner on second, Myers was sent to first after the West Valley catcher's glove impeded his batting progress.

Hitchcock settled in at the dish with two runners on and two outs. When a West Valley pitch sailed past the catcher, Hitchcock waved Morice in for the first run of the game. It was the last of the inning as Hitchcock was tagged out at first.

Moses Lake earned another run in the following innning on another lead off walk, this one for Lacelle. During Josh Martinez's at bat Lacelle stole second and rounded third to set up a scoring opportunity. Lacelle was thrown out at first for the first out of the inning.

Matt Valdez hit a grounder that hopped through short and sent Lacelle across the plate for the second run of the game.

"This weekend gets everyone started," said McNamara.

Despite having just one out and one runner on, the Chiefs suffered back-to-back outs to end the inning.

Hitchcock and Myers pitched for the win and played catch with Brett Fredericksen.

In the second game of the day Saturday, Moses Lake ended the game in 5 innings after gaining a 10-run lead on Chief Sealth.

"In game two we came out and hit well," said McNamara. "Matt threw eight pitches and as a team we committed no errors in the second game."

Stephens and Valdez earned the win on the mound and played catch with Lacelle.

In the game Morice was 2-for-4 with a double and Fredericksen was 2-for-3.

"It was a great day, a nice day to play baseball," McNamara said.

The freshman team swept its oppoents with 7-1 and 15-5 victories Saturday.

In the first game, Dylan Signorellie and Garrett Grenninger pitched for the victory with Ian Lochow behind the plate. In game two Tanner Laughery and Lochow pitched to Levi Gross.

The junior varsity team also swept their opponents Saturday with 9-1 and 6-4 victories.

Drew Martin pitched the first game and Kurt Hickman and Marshall Goodrich pitched the second game.