Basin roundup: Moses Lake softball defends district championship
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake's Brooklyn Bailey beats a throw from the outfield to score against Eastmont.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake pinch-runner Emily Ausere reaches home plate safely against Eastmont.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake third baseman Madison Olson connects on a pitch against Eastmont.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake first baseman Brooke Richardson connects on a two-run single in the sixth inning against Eastmont.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake starter Gina Skinner pitched a complete game, two-hitter against Eastmont in the District 6 championship.
MOSES LAKE — Brooklyn Bailey knew the ball was gone as soon as it left her bat.
On a day where many hard hits stayed in the yard due to a swirling breeze, Bailey let out some frustration after striking out in her previous at-bat on the first pitch she saw in the third inning with a punishing drive that more than cleared the right-center fence.
Bailey’s homer highlighted a district championship that saw Moses Lake lead right away en route to a 12-0 five-inning win over Eastmont.
“Our girls were just chomping at the bit to play,” head coach Mike Hofheins said. “I don’t know if they really cared who. They just wanted to play.”
The Chiefs’ eagerness was evident from the first inning.
Gina Skinner ripped an RBI single and Savannah Ashley nearly missed a home run of her own, clanging an RBI double off the left-field wall. Madison Olson ended the first-inning flurry with an RBI triple that fell into deep right field.
From there, Moses Lake methodically built its lead.
Skinner added a two-run double off the center-field wall in the second inning before Bailey finally cut through the wind for her solo shot in the third.
“We had timed this pitcher down,” Brooke Richardson said. “She was who we had hit off of (last) Friday night and we were going up to the plate just more confident than we had ever been.”
Richardson, playing in her final home game, started Moses Lake’s six-run fourth inning with a two-run single.
“It feel pretty good, not going to lie,” Richardson said of leaving her home field with another district championship. “Repping the Chiefs’ spirit as always. Our dedication was there this year and going out undefeated my senior season is pretty nice.”
Sydney Ries and Laurissa Martinez followed Richardson with consecutive RBI singles; Cheyenne Walker capped the eruption with a two-run single.
Skinner — the newly-minted Columbia Basin Big Nine Most Valuable Player — pitched a complete game, two-hitter with six strikeouts. More, Skinner was 3-for-3 from the plate with three RBI.
Moses Lake drew Camas in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament Friday, 10 a.m., at Merkel Sports Complex in Spokane. The Papermakers won the Greater Saint Helens League but finished sixth in their district tournament.
“I definitely think we’re way more mature than last year even though we’re still young on paper,” Hofheins said. “I think we’re a more mature group. I think our expectations are higher. I don’t think there’s a single one of them that’s just happy to be there. They want to go make some noise.”
Score by innings
E — 0 0 0 0 0 0
ML — 3 2 1 6 0 12
Highlights: Bailey 2x3, HR, 2 R; Skinner 3x3, 3 RBI, 5 IP, 6 K; Richardson 2 RBI; Walker 2 RBI
Other Basin scores
East Valley 13, Ephrata 3
Warden 9, Zillah 3
Warden 12, Kiona-Benton 1
Baseball
W.F. West 5, Ephrata 2
CENTRALIA — Ephrata scattered eight hits in a 5-2 loss against W.F. West in the first round of the Class 2A state tournament.
The Bearcats broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the fifth inning.
Almira/Coulee-Hartline 7, Sunnyside Christian 1-Almira/Coulee-Hartline 2, Pomeroy 0
WALLA WALLA — Almira/Coulee-Hartline returned to the Class 1B state championship game with wins over Sunnyside Christian, 7-1, and Pomeroy, 2-0.
The Warriors meet Colton for the championship May 26, 4 p.m., at Wheeler Field in Centralia.
Boys soccer
Royal 1, Highland 0
COWICHE — Eliseo Romero scored in the 12th minute and Royal defeated Highland in the Class 1A state quarterfinals 1-0.
Royal played strong defense throughout and goalkeeper Ty Miller made one save.
Royal will see league rival Wahluke one more time for a trip to the state championship game May 25, 4 p.m., at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.
Wahluke defeted Winlock/Toledo 4-0 to return to the state semifinals for the second consecutive season.
Track and field
Moses Lake boys 4x100 qualifies for state
The Moses Lake boys 4x100 relay team is returning to the state meet for the first time in 33 years.
Jon Ochoa, Gabe Garza, Joey Robertson and RJ Koreis finished second in 44.38 seconds to clinch a state berth. Ochoa also took second in the 300 hurdles in 41.05 seconds to qualify for state.
In the girls’ competition, Obiomachi Abonyi also qualified in the 300 hurdles, finishing second in 47.20 seconds.
Boys top teams: West Valley 112, Davis 111, Eastmont 110. Local teams: Moses Lake 60.
Girls top teams: Wenatchee 207, Eastmont 130, Moses Lake 95.