Blue Devils' DeBroeck shuts down Moses Lake offense

Prep sports recaps

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake softball team hasn't quite found its hitting stroke in the early portion of the season, and that was a recipe for disaster against Walla Walla's Kaela DeBroeck on Tuesday.

DeBroeck pitched both ends of the Columbia Basin League doubleheader between the Chiefs and Blue Devils at Larson Field, limiting Moses Lake to seven combined hits in Walla Walla's 10-0 and 6-2 wins.

The losses dropped Moses Lake's CBL record to 1-3 heading into Friday's twinbill at Pasco, yet another title contender.

In game one, Moses Lake managed just four hits, but a bigger problem was defense. The Chiefs committed six errors behind pitcher Shayla May, who coughed up 11 hits in taking the loss.

The Blue Devils broke the ice with two runs in the third, plated five more in the fourth and enacted the mercy rule with three runs in the sixth.

In game two, Moses Lake took a 2-0 lead after one inning. Shawnee Durbin led off with a double and moved up on May's bunt single. Both runners scored on back-to-back groundouts.

But the Blue Devils tied it an inning later behind two singles, a walk, an error and a stolen base. They took the lead for good with two in the fifth and added two insurance runs in the sixth. Walla Walla out-hit Moses Lake 9-3.

Reliever Vanessa Hernandez took the loss for the Chiefs, pitching the final three innings. Starter Sammy Smith lasted four innings.

Moses Lake 8-4, Walla Walla 0-5

WALLA WALLA - The homestanding Blue Devils scored in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two, salvaging a split of their CBL doubleheader with the Chiefs on Tuesday.

Moses Lake scored twice in the sixth to tie the game 4-4, but Walla Walla used a leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt to move the winning run into scoring position. With two outs, the Blue Devils got a base hit into the hole between first and second.

Moses Lake's Brock Lybbert was charged with the loss after two innings of relief. Starting pitcher Blaine Myers lasted 4 2/3 innings. The two combined to allow six hits, while the Chiefs had nine hits.

The Chiefs overcame a 3-0 deficit after three innings. Tyler Sage, Kurt Hickman and Matt Harris all finished 2 for 4, with Sage and Hickman each driving in a run.

In game one, the Chiefs dominated the Blue Devils for an 8-0 win as Troy Stephens pitched a complete-game one-hitter with four strikeouts.

Moses Lake scored twice in the first and three times in the sixth to blow the game open. Jacob Lacelle had three of the Chiefs' eight hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Dylan Signorelli finished 1 for 3 with 2 RBI.

The Chiefs (3-3 overall, 2-2 CBL) return home to Larson Field on Friday, hosting the Pasco Bulldogs in a 4 p.m. league doubleheader.

Warden 10, Okanogan 7

WARDEN - The Cougars piled up 12 hits and fended off the Bulldogs in a non-league game on Tuesday.

Warden scored four runs in the first inning and never trailed, though Okanogan put up three runs in the second and one run in each of the last three frames.

Warden's Jesse Guerra finished 3 for 4 to lead the offensive attack. Anthony Platas had a run-scoring hit in his only at-bat. Arty Reyes was 1 for 3 with three RBI, and Robert Pruneda went 2 for 3 with an RBI.

Paul Martinez got the win for the Cougars, allowing four runs in four innings. Rigo Pruneda pitched the final three innings for the save.

Warden returns to South Central Athletic Conference action on Saturday at 11 a.m., traveling to Cle Elum-Roslyn for a doubleheader.

Ephrata 13, Wapato 1

EPHRATA - The Tigers hammered the Wolves on Tuesday at Johnson O'Brien Stadium, evening their Central Washington Athletic Conference mark at 3-3 in the process.

Tyler Lesko got the five-inning win by allowing two hits and no walks against seven strikeouts. Ephrata scored four runs in the first, three in the third and six in the fourth to enact the mercy rule.

Eric Tinnell blasted a three-run home run for the Tigers. Kory Frank and Derrick Webb drove in two runs apiece, with Webb going 3 for 3. Brett Bazaldua finished 2 for 2, and Lesko went 3 for 4 at the plate with an RBI.

Ephrata returns to the diamond on Saturday at 11 a.m. with a league doubleheader at Prosser.

Royal 2, Highland 1 SO

COWICHE - The Knights prevailed in penalty kicks on the Scots' home turf, winning an important South Central Athletic Conference contest in the process.

Royal's Ulysses Martinez scored off a pass from Luis Esquivel in the 31st minute, but Highland struck two minutes later as Anthony Naranjo converted a penalty kick. The game remained scoreless for the rest of regulation and the overtime session, and the Knights won the shootout 3-2.

Royal had 15 shots on goal to Highland's six. Knights goalkeeper Benny Carmona had five saves, and Scots keeper Alvaro Salcedo made six stops.

EPHRATA - In a nine-hole, non-league tournament at Lakeview Golf Club on Tuesday, Ephrata defeated Ellensburg and Chelan behind BreAnne Duff's 46.

The top four scoring members of each team counted toward the final team score. Ephrata's other scoring members were Kaylie Pixlee (49), Megan Criss (52) and Tanya Smith (56). The Tigers' 203 strokes were 13 better than Ellensburg and 22 better than Chelan.

Chelan's Kelli Bowers recorded a 44 to win medalist honors. Ephrata's other two competitors were Sarah Price (61) and Sable Endicott (65).

PASCO - Moses Lake finished with 305 strokes in Monday's Columbia Basin League POD match at Sun Willows Golf Course, good for second place behind the Walla Walla Blue Devils.

Zac McDougall fired an individual low round of 68 on the par-72 course, pushing himself into second place in the overall league standings. McDougall finished three shots ahead of Walla Walla's Jeff Neher and Ryan Goude.

Other Moses Lake results from Monday include Colby Ragan (ninth at 77), Mike Holmes and Billy Brice (tied for 13th at 80), and Doug Bezzey and Gabe Porter (tied for 15th at 81).