Othello softball splits slug-fest at Selah

SELAH — Othello bounced back from an opening game 6-8 loss to earn an 18-11 nightcap victory over the Selah Vikings,

Huskie senior shortstop Kirsten Quigley went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double in the opening game and 3-for-5 with a double and two home runs in the second contest.

Through the first four innings of the opener, Othello’s Nikki Martinez and Selah’s Maddy Zerr squared off in a pitcher’s duel. Quigley doubled and Madison Martinez singled to give Othello a run in the first inning, but Zerr managed to keep the Huskie hitters at bay by changing speeds — alternating between a good fast ball and an even better change-up.

Othello managed just one hit in the second, third and fourth innings while Martinez was able to limit Selah to just one more run. Quigley blasted a solo home run to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the fifth, but Selah scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the bottom of the sixth to open up an 8-2 advantage.

The Huskies staged a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. Diamond Franco doubled, Lidi DeLeon walked, Madison Martinez doubled, Nikki Martinez reached on an error and Audisey Sauceda singled to narrow the gap to 8-6 with runners at first and third.

A pop up to the catcher ended Othello’s comeback and gave Selah the opening game win, 8-6.

The second game was a real slug-fest. Madison Martinez took the mound for Othello and Emily Tipton for Selah but the hitters dominated the second game. Othello scored 16 runs on 18 hits, while Selah tallied 11 runs on 10 hits.

The Huskies scored one run in the first inning and five in the third inning, but Selah battled back to tie the game at 6-6 through three complete. The Huskies scored ten runs in the next three innings and were poised to end the game via the ten-run mercy rule with a 16-6 lead, but the Vikings staged a five run rally in the bottom of the sixth to extend the game to the full seven innings.

Quigley’s two home runs and four RBI led Othello’s attack. Mariah DeLeon was 3-for-5 with two doubles, Madison Martinez was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI, Lidize DeLeon was 3-for-5 and Diamond Franco was 3-for-4 with a triple for Othello.

The split at Selah leaves the Huskies at 9-1 in league, behind the Vikings who are 11-1. Othello’s remaining eight games are with Wapato, Quincy, Toppenish and Prosser — it isn’t likely the Huskies will lose another league game. Selah has Grandview, Ephrata and a double header with Ellensburg (8-2 with both losses to Othello) on May 12 to end their league play.

Othello should win out and finish 19-1.

If Selah sweeps Ellensburg, Othello and Selah would be tied at 19-1 and Selah would be the No. 1 seed into district via a number draw — the athletic directors draw numbers to break ties and Selah drew No. 1, Othello is 8 and Ellensburg in 10. If Ellensburg sweeps Selah, Othello would be first, Ellensburg second and Selah third. If Selah and Ellensburg split, Othello would be first, Selah second via number draw and Ellensburg third.

The league title is more important than normal this year in that the No. 1 seed into district has a first round bye and meets the winner of the No. 5 at No. 4 contest with that winner advancing to the district title game and an automatic berth to the state tournament.

The second seed will meet the winner of the No. 6 at No. 3 game in the semifinals at districts. The winner of that game goes to the district championship, but the loser has to beat a Great Northern league opponent to go to state.

Boys golf

Moses Lake fourth at POD No. 4

YAKIMA — Moses Lake totaled 337 points and finished fourth at CBBN POD No. 4.

West Valley scored 319 points and finished first.

Eisenhower’s Holden Backes was the individual medalist with a score of 70.

Moses Lake’s Craig Dennis and Hunter Hake were the low men for Moses Lake, carding an 83.

Trevor West shot 85, Wes Harrington carded 86, Carlos Farias scored 87 and Trevor Jones scored an 89.