Chiefs share Big Nine crown

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake head coach Dave Gregory and his Chiefs softball team wrapped up a share of the Big Nine’s Columbia Division title Tuesday night with a sweep of Sunnyside.

The Chiefs cruised past the Grizzles 14-1 in game one and 12-0 in game two to clinch Moses Lake’s first division title in years, Gregory said.

“We won the division and we haven’t done that in, well, it’s been a while,” he said. “We tied with Southridge but they won the draw at the beginning of the year.”

Southridge drew a higher number before the season to began to break the first-place tie.

Moses Lake junior pitcher Karly Stoltman was dominant in the Chiefs’ final Big Nine doubleheader of the season. Stoltman threw a no-hitter in game one and held the Grizzlies to just three hits in game two, Gregory said.

“Karly pitched really well,” he said. “It was pretty awesome.”

Stoltman ended the day with 17 strike outs.

While Stoltman led the Chiefs defensively, Jessica McIntyre and Shelby Gonzales helped guide the Moses Lake offense to victory.

McIntyre finished Tuesday’s doubleheader with a perfect 8-for-8 performance with two doubles and five RBIs. Gregory said he has been impressed with McIntyre all season.

“She just might have won the batting title for us with that performance,” he said.

Gonzales finished the series 4-for-7 at the plate with two doubles, a triple, and five RBIs.

With the sweep over Sunnyside and a share of the division lead, Moses Lake will host a playoff game Thursday, May 14 at Larson Playfield and Gregory said his team needs to get ready for the postseason.

“It’s a new ball game now,” he said.

With a postseason game in Moses Lake’s future, Gregory said he has confidence in how his team will play.

“I am really proud of the kids,” he said. “They are really coming around. I don’t think they know how good they are.”