Kuykendall's big night helps Moses Lake split with West Valley

MOSES LAKE — The Walleyes received two markedly different outcomes from the plate and split their doubleheader with West Valley.

Moses Lake didn’t score until the final inning of Game 1 and lost 3-1. Game 2 was significantly different as the Walleyes scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally and win 9-8.

West Valley opened up a 3-0 lead through five innings in the opener. Moses Lake attempted a seventh-inning rally and scored one run when Carter Visker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The bases remained loaded with one out, however, consecutive strikeouts ended the game.

Visker finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. Moses Lake starter Andrew Frey went the distance, striking out four in seven innings.

In stark contrast to the first game, the offense was aplenty for both teams in the second. Moses Lake and West Valley combined for 25 hits and 17 runs.

Kamden Kuykendall and Bryce Hansen paced the Walleyes with two RBI each. In addition to his two RBI, Kuykendall finished 5-for-5 with three runs scored.

West Valley led 6-2 in the middle of the third inning before the Walleyes began their comeback.

Moses Lake scored five unanswered runs to take a 7-6 lead into the sixth inning. West Valley regained the lead with two runs in the top half of the sixth inning.

Merit Jansen led the bottom of the sixth off with a walk and later scored on a passed ball to tie the game. Kuykendall’s fifth and final hit was a go-ahead RBI single that scored Chayton Fisk.

— Staff report