Finally! Chiefs get to Braves pitching, earn split

MOSES LAKE ?- They had one win in hand and let it slip away.

Then the Moses Lake Chiefs softball team fell behind big in the second game of a doubleheader against the visiting Kamiakin Braves at Larson Field last night.

But then came the bottom of the fifth inning and all the momentum the Chiefs earned with a three-game sweep of weekend action was back on their side as they rallied for a 9- win to earn a split after dropping a 3-2 decision in game one.

I am really pleased with this team that are just a scrappy, little group," Moses Lake head coach Dave Gregory said. "We came back from 7-0 down on a pitcher like theirs which is unbelievable. It says alot about them. I am proud of all 14 kids."

In the opener, the Chiefs (4-2) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Hailee Bishop singled, stole second base and scored after back-to-back singles by Tressa Radach and Tasha Gentry.

Radach and Gentry got doubled up on the former's hit which ran them out of a potential big inning.

"It was bad coaching there on my part," Gregory said. "I tried to score the runner and with one out I probably should have held Tressa. I just want to be very aggressive because our kids are very aggressive and we have good speed. I probably would have done it again."

The next inning,  Haylie VanLaethen got aboard off of an error and Bree Valdez was brought in to run. Alex Jones was hit by a pitch and two batters later Valdez scored on a fielder's choice to make it 2-0.

The lead held up until the top of the sixth when Kamiakin cut the gap to 2-1 and appeared to be out of the inning but a misplay on a third out dropped third strike gave the Braves an extra at bat.

That gift became times three as Kamiakin would score twice more to take the lead, 3-2, and ended up posting the win by the same ledger.

Moses Lake batters struck out 14 times/

"She was as good a pitcher as we have seen all year." Gregory said. "She had a good high fastball and had us off balance. This weekend we saw some pretty week pitching so we weren't ready for that. But, I liked how we bounced back in the second game."

VanLaethen went the distance on the bump, striking out three while giving up seven hits and one earned run.

In the nightcap the Braves broke out to a 7- 0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth when the Chiefs dug deep and found a way to gain an edge.

"I have been trying to make a point for 22 years to keep the ball in play and we started to come around and it was just crazy," Gregory said. "We were putting the ball in play and it puts the pressure on them with our speed and the floodgates opened. It was unbelievable. I am glad it happened because it showed what we are capable of and how scary they can be since we don't give up."

Radach walked to start the inning and Gentry singled to get the first two runners on base. One out later, Alex Jones singled to load the bases.

Katie Martinez was forced out on a fielder's choice which scored Radach to make the score 7-1 with two outs.

Then the Chiefs showed the fight Gregory has been so fond of.

Brianna Hoffman walked to reload the bases and Valdez hit a two-run single to make it 7-3.

Victoria Dalrymple followed with a single to drive in one run while another scored on a Braves' error.

Cassandra Guerrero walked to load the bases for a third time to set up back-to-back at bats by Radach and Gentry that led to Kamiakin errors to tie the score at 7-7.

Another two fielding errors by Kamiakin would give Moses Lake a 9-7 lead and after some solid defense in the top of the seventh, the win was in hand for the Chiefs.

Sadie Smijag pitched the last three innings for the win.

"She settled down and did great," Gregory said of Smijag. "Of the four runs we gave up two were earned. She got them off balance and her change up was working. She didn't really walk anybody and the defense was really strong for her in the final two innings."