District champs

MOSES LAKE — After going up 10-0 through the first four innings of Saturday’s Columbia Basin Big 9 district championship game against Eastmont, the Mavericks staved off an attempted Wildcat comeback to win 11-5 and advance to the 4A State Slowpitch Softball Tournament.

Moses Lake scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, scoring three more runs in both the third and fourth innings.

“It was huge, the girls obviously came out ready to go,” Moses Lake coach Mike Hofheins said. “I was pleased that they were ready to go from the jump, it’s always nice.”

Scoring opened with senior Mikayla Schwartz reaching home on an error by the Wildcats, followed by RBI by sophomore Lila Johnson, junior Jenika Balderas and sophomore Addisyn Reffet to close out the first inning.

Freshman Amelia Avalos opened the bottom of the third with a home run, and Johnson and Balderas batted in runs to put Moses Lake up 7-0. The offense in the bottom of the fourth inning was jumpstarted by senior Kendall Reffett reaching third on another Eastmont error, where senior Morgan Ross scored on the throw.

“Just to run fast,” Reffett said of what she was thinking during the play. “I didn’t really know where the ball was, and I expected to get out because it was right to third, but I just had to run fast.”

Reffett scored on the next at-bat, and Avalos drove in a run two at-bats later to put Moses Lake up 10-0.

“The first four innings or so we were hitting the ball consistently, we were running the bases aggressively and really well,” Hofheins said. “We were just playing well.”

Eastmont got two runs back in the top of the fifth, scored another in the sixth and cut the lead to 11-5 in the top of the seventh after a home run by Wildcat freshman Aubree Clark. The Mavs ended the game on a pop out caught by senior Emmie Olsen.

“There might have been a touch of complacency when you’re up 9-0, and you have a little bit of letup of intensity,” Hofheins said. “I didn’t expect to shut them out; they’re a good team. We just kept grinding and were able to hold on for the win.”

The Wildcats nearly added an additional run in the top of the fifth, but Moses Lake junior Paige Richardson ended the inning by throwing out an Eastmont baserunner at home plate. The play was one of the various instances where defensive momentum translated into the batter’s box, Hofheins said.

“It’s a momentum changer,” Hofheins said. “A lot of times when you make plays on defense, it carries over to offense. Avalos made two really nice plays for the second and third out of (the third) inning, and then she led off the next inning with a home run, the first of her high school career. Defense can lead into momentum on offense.”

The district championship win clinched a state berth for Moses Lake, who was given a No. 3 seed in the tournament. The Mavs play No. 6 Skyview at 12 p.m. Friday at the Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima.

Eastmont also advanced to the state tournament after defeating West Valley (Yakima) 16-3 in the district consolation game on Saturday.

“When we're playing like we have been this week, I think we can play with anybody,” Hofheins said. “Any time you make it to the state tournament, the records are all 0-0. The team that’s playing the best on those two days comes out on top. I like our chances, I’m excited, the girls are excited. It’s going to be fun.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

Box Score

Eastmont: 0-0-0-0-2-1-2 5

Moses Lake: 4-0-3-3-1-0-X 11