Othello earns top seed in state softball tournament
Othello High School players cheer their teammate on as she makes it to home base in the game against Moses Lake High School on April 23. Othello took the District 5/6 2A title and will play at the state tournament this weekend.
REBECCA PETTINGILL/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
SELAH — The Othello Huskies softball team will open state tournament play against West Valley of Spokane at noon Friday at Carlon Park in Selah. Othello enters the tournament as the top seed.
The Huskies finished the regular season and district playoffs with 21 wins and one loss, and 15 wins and one loss in Central Washington Athletic Conference play. Othello’s only loss was to East Valley of Yakima, 7-6, on April 30.
Othello clinched its state berth with a 4-1 win over Selah May 17. Winning pitcher Lovee Franco pitched the entire seven innings, not walking any Selah hitters and striking out seven.
Coach Rudy Ochoa wrote that the Huskies scored three runs in the first inning on two hits and a Selah error, and added another run in the third. Selah scored its only run in the fourth inning.
Amarie Guzman hit a home run for the Huskies.
The Huskies reached the district title game with a 13-3 win over Ephrata May 14 in the first round of the district playoffs. Franco pitched five innings, struck out six and didn’t walk any hitters. Camyn McDonald hit two home runs in the game and got three hits in four trips to the plate. Persayis Garza hit a home run and went 2-for-2. Hailee Guzman, Amarie Guzman and Maya Valdez each had a double during the game.