Moses Lake routs Davis in return to diamond
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake's Gina Skinner is greeted by her teammates at home plate after hitting a 3-run home run to beat Davis.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake's Brooklyn Bailey heads home after Savannah Ashley tripled in the first inning against Davis.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake pitcher Gina Skinner delivers to the plate against Davis. Skinner pitched a complete game.
MOSES LAKE — Head coach Mike Hofheins has confidence in his lineup, top to bottom.
So, it should come as no surprise when a freshman hitting out of the six-hole has the banner day.
Maddy Olson totaled five RBI and Moses Lake returned from two weeks off to beat Davis 11-1.
“We’re solid one through nine,” Hofheins said. “Our offense is — my No. 9 hitter Michelle (Turner), she’d be a great lead-off hitter. We’re solid all the way through our lineup, so it doesn’t surprise me. Brooklyn’s (Bailey) not going to be 3-for-4 with two home runs every game and somebody else is going to have to pick it up and it wouldn’t surprise me no matter who it is.
“Maddy had some clutch hits today and she’s a clutch player. Sometimes I forget how young they are.”
Davis pitcher Taylor Yates returned to the circle after being injured last season. Yates challenged hitters, but a lofty pitch count, a few location misses and mistakes in the field allowed Moses Lake to methodically build its lead.
“I knew they had a pitcher and a really good catcher,” Hofheins. “In this game you can hide a lot of other things if those are your two best players and they were. It took us a little bit to time her up and she’s a good pitcher. We’re going to have to earn it against somebody like that.”
In the first inning, Savannah Ashley drove a two-run triple to the gap in right-center and Olson drove in the first of her five RBI on a fielder’s choice.
The Chiefs added three more runs in the third inning. After loading the bases, Olson hit her first deep drive to the opposite field for a two-run single. Yates walked in another run after loading the bases for the second time.
Olson tagged Yates for another deep shot to right field that scored two in the fourth inning.
Defensively, Moses Lake starter Gina Skinner allowed two hits and struck out six in five innings.
Davis’ only threat came in the fourth inning after loading the bases with one out. A wild pitch allowed the Pirates to score their lone run.
Skinner made sure Davis would not get many more opportunities.
With two runners on in the fifth inning, Skinner turned on an inside pitch and sent the ball over the right field fence to end the game.
“My previous at-bats a lot of people were getting inside pitches, which she (Yates) liked to throw a lot and then she’d throw wild outside pitches,” she said. “When she threw you right down on the inside corner everybody was getting used to it and so just letting loose on that really worked.”
D — 0 0 0 1 0 1
ML — 3 0 3 2 3 11
Highlights: Olson 2 hits, 5 RBI; Skinner 3-run HR, 6 K; Turner 3 BB