Moses Lake beats Baxter Springs, 6-5

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake 14-year-old Chiefs secured their first win of the Babe Ruth World Series last night.

The Chiefs rebounded from Sunday's loss and beat Baxter Springs, Kan. 6-5.

The win moves Moses Lake to 1-1 in pool play.

"When you earn a win in a World Series it proves that you belong here," head coach Pete Doumit said. "And I think that's a big thing for [the team]."

Doumit said Sunday that he believed a different team would show up on Monday and his prediction was correct.

"We made the plays when we had to make them and we had great cluth performances," he said. "Coleman [Cooper] made a wonderful bunt that scored that momentum changer."

Moses Lake got on the board early with 2 runs in the top of the first.

Cooper scored on a wild pitch after advancing to third on an error and Cade Tunstall helped his own cause by driving in Seth Alvarado with an RBI single.

A gutsy performance by Tunstall kept the Chiefs close throughout the game.

Tunstall pitched five and two thirds innings, allowed no earned runs and struck out three batters.

"I thought Cade, our starter, did everything he could," Doumit said. "He hung in there, he was gritty. It was a really gritty performance on his part too."

When Tunstall got into trouble in the sixth inning he was relieved by 13-year-old Felipe Valdizia.

Valdizia allowed 1 hit and no runs in one and one third innings of work.

"Felipe for a 13-year-old kid coming in there in a pretty... you know with a game on the line... World Series game on the line I thought he threw lights out for us," Doumit said.

The game went back and forth and wasn't decided until the seventh inning.

After Moses Lake went ahead 2-0 Baxter Springs responded with 1 run in the second inning and 2 runs in the third to take the lead.

But the Chiefs proved to be resilient the entire game.

After loading the bases, Devin Moos hit a 2-run double to put Moses Lake back in the lead 4-3.

Baxter Springs tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, but Moses Lake once again retook the lead the next inning. Cameron Duke was able to score on an error.

Baxter Springs was able to tie the game for the second time in the bottom of the sixth due to sloppy play by the Chiefs.

However, Monday the Chiefs were able to make key plays to help secure the win.

Tunstall, who started the game for the Chiefs, scored the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh on a wild pitch.

Valdizia was able to retire the side in the seventh without giving up the lead and Moses Lake celebrated its first win of the World Series.

"They're really excited," Doumit said. "I think these kids deserve it... kind of relax breath a little bit now."

Results:

Westchester, Calif. 15 - Longwood, Fla. 10

Bryant, Ark. 10 - Jasper, Ind. 2

Tualatin Hills, Ore. 15 - Puget Sound, Wash. 9