Moses Lake Softball turns back Chiawana

MOSES LAKE - The Chiefs nailed down the No. 3 seed at the upcoming district tournament with a twin killing over Chiawana at Larson Field May 3.

By virtue of the two wins, Moses Lake will host a loser out game against the Riverhawks in round one Thursday at 5 p.m.

Moses Lake 11

Chiawana  4

The Riverhawks took an early 1-0 lead in game one of the doubleheader with a run off two walks and a base hit in the top of the first inning.

The lead held up until the bottom of the third when the Chiefs tied the game on three straight singles. Moses Lake broke the game open with four runs in the fourth inning to take its first lead of the contest, 4-1.

The Chiefs pushed the score to 5-1 with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Chiawana put two runs on the board in the top of the sixth to close the gap to 5-3. But Moses Lake answered back with five runs in the bottom of the frame as Jazymnn Jesse collected four RBI with a grand slam to ice the game for the Chiefs.

Jesse led the offensive attack for Moses Lake going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, home run and five RBI.

Hailie Bishop had three hits in four at bats with a double and two RBI, Sadee Smigaj had two hits in three plate appearances with a triple and two RBI, and Brianna Hoffmann  was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI.

Haylie VanLaethem went the distance for the win, fanning 10 Riverhawks, giving up just four hits and one earned run.

Moses Lake 13

Chiawana 4

The Chiefs bats picked up where they left off in game one as they rolled past the Riverhawks by 11 runs.

Chiawana got on the board first with a run in the top of the first inning. Moses Lake drew even in the bottom of the inning with a lead off triple by Bishop and  a single by VanLaethem.

The Chiefs made it 5-1 in the bottom of the second with a base on balls, a hit batter and two doubles. The Riverhawks got within a run, 5-4 in the top of third. Moses Lake stretched it's lead to 6-4  with a run in the bottom of the 4th, then held Chiawana off the board the rest of the way.

The Chiefs added six runs off six hits in the bottom of the fifth aided by Jesse's second home run of the night, a three-run shot, to win in a cakewalk.

Bishop's bat was on fire in game two as well as she went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, three runs scored and two RBI.

Smigaj had three hits in three at bats with a double, a run scored and one RBI, Gabby Almos had two hits in three plate appearances with a double, a run scored and two RBI, and VanLaethem went 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI.

Smigaj was the winning pitcher of recorded for the Chiefs with seven innings of five hit ball. She struck out four Riverhawks and gave up three earned runs.