Chiefs host Blue Devils in first round
Derrick Pacheco/Columbia Basin Herald<br> Moses Lake senior and starting pitcher Brock Hybbert (12) throws a pitch during Friday's game with Kennewick.
MOSES LAKE — After battling throughout the Big Nine’s regular season, the Moses Lake Chiefs baseball team will host their first round Columbia Basin Big Nine district tournament game this afternoon against the visiting Walla Walla Blue Devils.
With his team hosting a postseason contest today, Moses Lake head coach Ed McNamara is confident his team will play well.
“I think the kids are ready to go,” he said. “They want to play the game.”
The Chiefs rolled to an impressive 9-3 Columbia Division record, 14-7 overall, on their way to a share of the division’s top spot. Moses Lake finished in a three-way tie with Kennewick and Southridge for the Columbia Division’s regular season crown.
Moses Lake squared off with Kennewick Friday afternoon in a tiebreaker to help decide the division’s top seed.
Moses Lake loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning of Friday’s game with the Lions before losing the game 3-1, dropping the Chiefs to the No. 3 seed.
Although the Chiefs fell to the third seed, McNamara said his team is prepared to perform well in the postseason.
“We are coming off of a tough game (against Kennewick) and I told the kids to get ready to get their hitting-streak back on,” he said. “The kids looked great hitting the ball (at practice Monday). They were swinging the bat really well.”
The Chiefs will host the Walla Walla Blue Devils (6-12) at 4 p.m. today at Larson Playfield in the first round of the district’s loser-out contests.
With a win over the visiting Blue Devils, McNamara said the Chiefs would advance to the second round of the district tournament where they would face the Cascade Division’s No. 2 seed on Friday — the Kamiakin Braves.
“I think (today’s game) is a nice opportunity to be able to play prior to Friday,” he said. “(The postseason) is always nerve-wracking because it’s playoff time and anybody can win.”
Moses Lake senior starting pitcher Brock Lybbert will get the start in today’s contest with Walla Walla and McNamara said he hopes his team is able to jump on the Blue Devils.
“I told the guys we need to get in the lead early and stay in the lead,” he said. “We are playing to get that one run, to get ahead, and take it from there.”