Warden secures split with second game comeback

WARDEN — Taking on  a strong Cle Elum squad, the Warden Lady Cougars secured a split of the teams’ doubleheader on Saturday as the hosts took the second game 9-5 after dropping a tough 6-4 decision in the opener.

Warden (4-2) battled in the first game, coming back from an early 2-0 deficit with a four-run fourth inning to take the lead.

“Their pitcher really dominated with 16 strikeouts,”  Warden coach Wes Richins said. “We did manage the fourth inning rally by getting some small ball plays done.”

But Cle Elum would fight back to tie the game at 4-4 in the fifth and then took the lead for good on their second home run in the sixth-inning and would eventually pull away.

Warden’s Randi Wright pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts in the loss.

Things started off slow in the nightcap as Cle Elum stormed out to a 5-1 lead after two innings.

However, Warden wouldn’t let the Warriors pull away and with two runs in the half of the third, the Lady Cougars had cut the lead in half to 5-3.

In the fifth, Warden scored three runs to take the lead 6-5 and would build the cushion to 9-5 with three more scores in the sixth.

Wright struck out five to record the win.

Cassondra Platas finished 3-for-4 in the two games combined but went 6-for-6 overall in getting on base after getting on first after a dropped third strike on one of her at-bats.

Iris Rodriguez and Crystal Chavez both hit pivotal doubles for the Lady Cougars in the second game win.

“I was pleased to get away with a split against a real good team,” Richins said. “Their pitcher no-hit us last year so we are playing much better this year.”

Ephrata 15-7, Wapato 9-12

WAPATO — Ephrata won their 15-9 in the opener of its Central Washington Athletic Conference (CWAC) doubleheader with the Wapato Wolves but couldn’t complete the sweep, dropping a 12-7 decision in the nightcap on Saturday.

Ephrata recorded 19 hits in the first game and never trailed after scoring three runs in the top of the first inning.

The Lady Tigers (2-3. 1-1) scored four runs in the fourth and six runs in the sixth as they held on for the win.

Wapato hurt itself with nine errors.

Sarah McMartin recorded three hits, Kristina Allen added two hits, including a double, as Skylar Lund knocked out to two hits.

In the second game, Wapato scored nine runs in the first three innings and that would be enough to hold on to the win.

Ephrata trailed 12-4 by the end of the fourth inning and couldn’t forge enough offense to come back.

Maureen O’Callaghan had a triple and Lund went 2-for-3 in the second game.

Kim Vela, Heidi Buchert, Kayla Brissey, Chelsey Hubbard, Allen, and McMartin all contributed one hit in the loss.

Othello 10-16, Quincy 2-0

QUINCY — On Friday night, Othello made easy work of their trip to Quincy, defeating the host Lady Jacks 10-2, and 16-0 in a CWAC sweep.

Quincy was undone by 12 errors over two games while Othello pitchers held the Lady Jacks’ offense in check, including a one-hit performance in game two.