Moses Lake scores 39 runs combined in sweep of Sunnyside

MOSES LAKE — Peyton Ries’ first few starts of the season didn’t go as expected.

First, a tough outing in a 9-3 loss against a state-caliber Enumclaw team. Next, drilled in her right wrist on a line drive in the first inning against Eisenhower two weeks later, forcing Marnie Skinner to come in for long relief. Ries tried to pitch in the nightcap of the double-header with the Cadets, but looked uncomfortable in the circle and was again relieved.

With another week of rest, Ries looked exceptional against Sunnyside on Friday and pitched a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts.

“She gets ahead in the count and she uses that change-up and she can shut them down,” head coach Dave Gregory said.

22 runs of support also helped.

Behind two shutouts by Ries and Skinner, Moses Lake swept Sunnyside 22-0 and 17-0.

The Chiefs (6-0 CBBN, 6-1-1) wrapped up their three-game series against the Grizzlies with 55 combined runs scored and zero runs allowed, pushing their win streak to six games.

In Game 1, after a scoreless first inning, Moses Lake poured it on in the second. Krista Hutsell smacked a two-run single, Skinner hit a RBI single and Ries singled home two more runs.

As if that flurry wasn’t enough, Brooke Richardson belted a three-run homer to center field. Richardson continued her torrid start to Columbia Basin Big Nine play with 10 RBI and two home runs against Sunnyside. The sophomore, who rotates between right field and shortstop, has 20 RBI in six league games.

“That’s usually as many RBIs as a kid gets in a season,” Gregory said. “It’s unreal. We’ve still got a lot of games to play.”

The second inning outburst was capped when Nikea Holman scored after doubling.

Moses Lake tacked on six more runs in the third and fourth inning each. Holman and Brooklyn Bailey went yard back-to-back in the fourth inning, with Holman’s being a grand slam.

Bailey, a freshman center fielder who has burst onto the CBBN softball scene, homered twice against the Grizzlies.

“We’ve seen Bailey come in and she made some fabulous catches in the outfield and me and my assistant Tim (McKenzie) were saying, ‘Well God, it would be a miracle if she can hit, you know?’ And she’s the real deal, she really is. She’s like been playing all her life and she can hit.”

Skinner led the way in the nightcap with 11 strikeouts from the circle and a two-run homer from the plate. Bailey and Richardson also went deep in Game 2.

Moses Lake is off during spring break before hosting Davis April 12.

“Things get better now,” Gregory said. “We’re going to start seeing a little bit better pitching. Davis has got a little bit better team and then after that, things get exciting.”

Ephrata swept by Othello

EPHRATA — Ephrata struggled from the plate against state title contender Othello and lost both sides of a double-header 10-0 and 15-0.

Othello scored 10 runs on 10 hits in the opener. Mikayla Wood and Kourtney Jones each went 1-for-2 for Ephrata.

In the nightcap, Othello led 9-0 after two innings and scored six more runs in the fifth inning.

Morgan Williams, Ashlynd Allen-White, Brooke Bazaldua and Becca Helsley each had one hit for the Tigers.

Ephrata (4-2 CWAC, 4-4) hosts Prosser April 12. Othello (4-0, 5-1) faces Ellensburg at home April 9.

Quincy drops a pair to Ellensburg

ELLENSBURG — Up against one of the elite teams in the CWAC, Quincy mustered just one hit combined in two games against Ellensburg.

The Jacks lost the opener 23-0 and dropped the nightcap 20-1.

Quincy (0-6 CWAC, 0-8) travels to Selah April 9.