Loud and clear, Chiefs get the message

Othello 12, Ephrata 1 - Okanogan 10, Warden 4 - Ellensburg 12, Quincy 2 (5 inn.) - ACH 7-9, Waterville 2-5

SPOKANE — No more beating around the topic at hand, Moses Lake baseball coach Ed McNamara decided it was time to take a stand.

Following an opening 10-1 loss at West Valley in the opener of the teams’ doubleheader on Tuesday, McNamara made the move he hopes has kick started his squad’s campaign after an 0-5 start.

If their 9-2 win in the nightcap is any indication, the Chiefs (1-5) may have gotten the proper dose of ‘play ball,’ and at just the right time.

“It was quite a turnaround,” McNamara said. “I just told the guys that I was putting some different players in since we had been sticking with certain guys we thought should be playing and doing well. We told them who didn’t get a hit in the first game wouldn’t start the second. We did that and we got some things going. They were hungry and wanted to play.”

In the second game, Moses Lake rapped out 15 hits including Nick Dodd (3-for-4, double, 2 RBIs), Nate Steffler (3-for-5), Cameron Alvarado (2-for-4, double, 1 RBI), Chris Lacelle (2-for-4, 1 RBI), and Matt Noyola (2-for-4, double).

Dylan Signorelli started on the mound and pitched six strong innings, allowing six hits and two runs, with 10 strikeouts and only one walk.

“Dylan really did a nice job for us today,” McNamara said.

Signorelli was the team’s only real spark in the loss to West Valley, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a homerun.

“In the first game we had six errors and threw the ball around,” McNarama said. “We didn’t get hits with guys on base. We did much better in both areas in the second game. We didn’t throw the ball around and got some key base hits. Going into league play it was a great turnaround after playing so poorly. It gives us something to build on now.”

Moses Lake travels to Wenatchee on Friday for a 4 p.m. contest.

Othello 12, Ephrata 1

OTHELLO — Experience trumped youth and the Othello Huskies came out on the positive end of things in a 12-1, five inning, win over Central Washington Athletic Conference (CWAC) rivals Ephrata yesterday.

Othello (4-0, 3-0) methodically pulled away, scoring a run in the first inning, two in the second, and then five in a blistering third frame.

“We at times looked really good but since it’s early in the season we still had some baserunning errors and didn’t take advantage of some situations where we weren’t disciplined enough to get a hit,” Othello coach Larry Gonzalez said. “I feel really good right now because I think we are really seeing the ball and hitting it real well. If you would have asked me at the beginning of the season where we would be better I would have said defense, but we are bringing the bats right now and doing things right.”

Caleb Garza went 3-for-3 with a triple, double, and a single, that led to three Huskies’ RBIs, Derek Lopez went 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBIs, and CJ Garza fimished 2-for-4 with a double.

Chris Brunetti pitched four innings to record the win behind six strikeouts and no walks.

Ephrata (0-4, 0-3), despite the loss, took some positives out of the contest.

“You can chalk it up to inexperience and youth especially in pitching,” Ephrata coach Jason Laughen said. “We gave them too many extra outs and they would come up with the big hit and get some big runs. We are getting there and we are finding more things that we are getting better at and what we also need to work on. The kids are not getting discouraged and that’s a big thing.”

Okanogan 10, Warden 4

WARDEN — After a 3-0 start on the season, the Warden Cougars struggled early and often enough to fall to visiting Okanogan 10-4 on Tuesday.

Offensively the Cougars were led by Jacob Yamane who went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple, Arty Reyes and his 2-for-3 game including a home run, and the hitting of Derek Pruneda who finished 2-for-4 with a triple.

But it was their fielding and early pitching issues that ended up hanging the Cougars with their first loss of the year.

“Pitchers got into trouble early in the game and we had six errors that didn’t help,”  Warden coach Dan Caballero said. “We hit the ball pretty well but we dug ourselves into a hole we couldn’t get out of especially against a good team like that.”

Ellensburg 12, Quincy 2 (5 inn.)

ELLENSBURG — A nine-run second inning was enough to propel the Ellensburg Bulldogs to a 12-2 win over the Quincy Jacks last night.

Another three Bulldog runs in the third kept Quincy (1-3, 1-2) at bay and wrapped up a five- inning win.

Brett Petersen went 2-for-3 with an RBI while Daniel Padron finished 2-for-2 with the other RBI for the Jacks.

Quincy scored their runs in the third inning but it wasn’t enough to combat the relentless attack of the hosts.

“That team is loaded,” Quincy coach Pat McGuire said. “They hit the crap out of the ball and are four or five pitchers deep. They are definitely the class of the league.”

ACH 7-9, Waterville 2-5

COULEE CITY — Waterville tried to make the most of its visit to Almira/Coulee-Hartline and could only come away with two tough losses.

The host Warriors swept the doubleheader, 7-2, 9-5, on Tuesday to open their season on a high note.

Waterville got on the board first in game one with two runs in their first at bats before ACH shut them down from there.

Kody Dillon pitched four innings, striking out seven, in combining with Brandon Boutain for the two-hitter.

Dylan Tipps went 2-for-4 from the plate with a homerun, a triple, and three RBIs.

The doubleheader wrapped up with ACH coming from behind once again as they erased a 3-0 deficit to sweep the set.

Chad Carlquist went 2-for-4 with two doubles, Reid Ashley went 3-for-4 and Cash Caramadi added two hits.

Jacob Olmstead recorded his first win from the mound.