Moses Lake set to start Big Nine play Friday

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Chiefs baseball team wrapped up their 2009 non-league schedule Tuesday afternoon at Larson Playfield against the visiting Richland Bombers.

The Chiefs entered Tuesday’s doubleheader with Richland with a perfect 4-0 record after having swept Coeur d’Alene and Graham-Kapowsin to start the season.

Although Moses Lake entered the game with a four-game winning streak, the Chiefs couldn’t overcome a solid offensive Richland team, said Moses Lake head coach Ed McNamara.

“It wasn’t the way I would have liked it to be,” McNamara said of Tuesday’s results. “Richland is a good hitting team.”

Moses Lake fell behind 4-1 after three innings of play in game one before Richland managed to put up five runs in the top of the fifth for a 9-1 lead. Moses Lake eventually fell 9-2 in game one.

After dropping their first game of the season, the Chiefs got off to a fast start in the second game. Moses Lake used a combination of solid pitching and strong hitting to take a 4-3 lead after three innings.

“The first part of both games we pitched well,” he said. “The first game we just didn’t hit and the second game we came out and hit the ball well.”

Although Moses Lake took a 4-3 lead after the third, Richland scored seven runs in the top of the fourth for a 10-4 lead, McNamara said.

“You can’t play baseball and give up big inning and win,” he said.

While Moses Lake fell to Richland, McNamara said he is confident in his team’s abilities heading into the Big Nine’s Columbia Division schedule.

“I’m not too worried about (Tuesday’s losses),” he said. “I like our make up, I like what I see from the kids and I like our chances.”

Moses Lake starts their 2009 conference schedule Friday when they host the Wenatchee Panthers in a doubleheader at Larson Playfield. Game one is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.