DIAMOND RECAP: Welcome to the postseason

COLUMBIA BASIN — District playoffs in both baseball and softball have started across the Columbia Basin, with local squads looking to qualify for their respective state tournaments. 

Almira/Coulee-Hartline

Baseball

Coming off scoring a combined 66 runs in a doubleheader against Republic over the weekend, the Warriors traveled to Brewster for their final non-league contest of the season. Brewster tied the game at three in the bottom of the sixth inning, to which the Warriors responded with a five-run top of the seventh, featuring sophomore Caden Correia scoring on an error, three bases-loaded walks and an RBI single by Correia. The Bears didn’t go down without a fight, adding three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but ACH held on for an 8-6 win. 

The Warriors (16-1) head to Northport on Saturday for a clash of teams on top of the Northeast 1B league standings. Both teams post unbeaten marks in league games this season.

Softball

The Warriors wrapped up their regular season with a road doubleheader against Inchelium on Tuesday, falling in both games to the Hornets. 

ACH lost the first game 9-2; senior Beth Okamoto, senior Kady Murray and freshman Madison Brink all collected two hits in the loss, with Brink driving in the team’s two runs in the loss. 

Inchelium led 2-0 for most of the nightcap until ACH cut the lead to one on an RBI single from Brink in the top of the sixth inning. The Hornets responded with a seven-run bottom of the sixth, later winning 9-1 and sweeping the Warriors.

ACH begins postseason play Saturday, playing a yet-to-be-determined opponent. The winner clinches a spot in the District 6/7/9 Crossover tournament, held from May 17-18.

Ephrata

Baseball

Ephrata closed out the regular season with a sweep of Prosser on Saturday, defeating the Mustangs 5-0 before picking up a 2-1 walkoff win in the nightcap.

In the first game, the Tigers went up 4-0 through the first two innings with a two-RBI double by senior Kaden Hallatt and senior Devyn Derr and sophomore Brady Roberts scoring off a Mustang error. Hallatt drove in his third run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

In the nightcap, Prosser held a 1-0 lead through the bottom of the sixth, when senior Cody Black drove in a run on an RBI double. The game went to extra innings, with the Tigers winning in the bottom of the ninth; senior Aidan Devine bunted and reached first on a Prosser error, while Hendrick scored the game-winning run on the same play. 

Ephrata (10-11) finished fifth in the Central Washington Athletic Conference and played Ellensburg on the road in the first round of the district tournament Thursday. 

Softball

The Tigers hosted Othello for a doubleheader Monday, splitting with the Huskies after winning in the second game 6-3. Ephrata picked up 10 hits in the nightcap, with junior Olivia Bicondova, junior Kaydence Hector, senior Peyton Trautman and senior Kendall Laugen all recording two hits. Trautman gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead with a two-RBI double in the bottom of the third inning. 

With the split, Ephrata stands at 7-3 in the CWAC and behind East Valley (Yakima) and Othello in the league standings. The Tigers (13-5) hosted Prosser in a doubleheader Thursday, but scores were not available in time for press deadline.

Lind-Ritzville/Sprague

Baseball

The Broncos opened the Northeast 2B district tournament Thursday against Kettle Falls, but scores were not available in time for press deadline. 

Softball

LRS fell in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader against Northwest Christian (Colbert), first suffering a 10-0 loss before a 12-1 loss in the nightcap. The Broncos (10-8) end the regular season on the road against Davenport on Friday.

Moses Lake

Baseball

The Mavericks opened up their final series of the regular season with a home game against West Valley (Yakima) on Tuesday, defeating the Rams 4-1. Senior Jayce Stuart led Moses Lake with two hits, while freshman Jacoby Fulbright’s two RBI were a team-high. Fulbright gave Moses Lake the lead for good with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the third inning Tuesday night.

Moses Lake (14-5) heads to Yakima on Friday for a doubleheader against the Rams, with significant playoff implications on the line. A sweep by the Mavs locks up a league title, and home-field advantage in district playoffs. 

Softball

After starting the year 14-0, Moses Lake suffered its first two losses of the season over the past week; first a 10-0 road loss to defending 4A state champion Jackson on Saturday, then a 10-0 road loss to Richland on Monday. 

Moses Lake was held to just one hit against the Timberwolves, picked up by freshman Amelia Avalos in the top of the third inning. Jackson opened with three runs in the bottom of the first inning and added three runs a piece in the bottom of both the fourth and fifth innings. 

Against Richland on Monday, Maverick senior Kendall Reffett and sophomore Addisyn Reffett both got hits against the Bombers. 

Moses Lake (14-2) hosts West Valley (Yakima) for a doubleheader Friday.

MLCA/CCS

Baseball

A 5-3 win over Waterville-Mansfield on Tuesday gave the Lions their second league win of the season, improving to 3-6 overall. MLCA/CCS traveled to Omak for a non-league matchup Thursday, but scores were unavailable in time for press deadline.

Othello

Baseball

The Huskies finished the regular season on Saturday with a doubleheader against East Valley (Yakima), splitting the doubleheader and placing second in the CWAC league standings. 

Othello trailed for most of the opening game after the Red Devils took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning, but tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when freshman Ryan Martinez scored on an East Valley error. East Valley quickly responded, scoring three runs in the top of the eighth, and held on for a 6-3 win. 

Othello came out on top of the second game after a late Red Devil surge; leading 3-0, East Valley scored two runs in the top of the seventh to cut the Othello lead to one but secured the final out to end the regular season with a win. Huskie sophomore Quade Gonzalez IV and junior Jordan Montemayor homered in the bottom of the sixth inning in the win.

The Huskies (17-4) open the CWAC district tournament Saturday at home against the winner of Thursday’s game between East Valley and Prosser. First pitch is at 11 a.m.

Softball

Othello (13-4) opened Monday’s doubleheader with a 6-3 win over Ephrata, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning and holding on for the eventual win. Junior Lovie Franco hit a three-run home run in the first inning, and senior Amarie Guzman added a home run of her own in the top of the fifth to push the lead to 5-0. 

Ephrata came back to win the second game, also by a score of 6-3, to split the doubleheader. The Tigers led 6-1 entering the top of the seventh, but Othello got runs back on back-to-back home runs from junior Emi Pruneda and senior Persayis Garza to cut the lead to three.

The loss was Othello’s first CWAC loss of the season, and the Huskies close out league play with a doubleheader against CWAC-leading East Valley (Yakima) on Friday. A sweep will give Othello the league title.

Quincy

Baseball

After splitting Saturday’s doubleheader with Omak – a 5-4 loss followed by a 4-2 win – Quincy defeated Chelan 5-4 at home Tuesday. The Jackrabbits (10-9) close out the regular season with a road doubleheader against Cascade (Leavenworth) on Saturday. First pitch is at 11 a.m.

Softball

The Quincy softball team also split Saturday’s doubleheader against Omak, first falling in a high-scoring 29-20 loss before rallying with a 16-11 win in the nightcap. The Jacks (7-7) hosted Chelan on Thursday night, but scores were unavailable in time for press deadline. Quincy travels to Cascade (Leavenworth) for a doubleheader Saturday.

Royal

Baseball

Royal finished the regular season Tuesday with a home doubleheader against College Place, losing 10-0 and 8-0 to the visiting Hawks. The Knights were held to just one hit in both games; senior Ben Jenks had a hit in the first game, and senior Wes Christensen had one in the nightcap.
With the regular season in the rearview mirror, Royal opens the South Central Athletic Conference district tournament Tuesday on the road against Toppenish. Royal (9-12) finished in third place in the SCAC (East).

Softball

After sweeping Wahluke over the weekend with 23-2 and 18-0 wins – where junior Audrey Bergeson led the Knights with three hits and six RBI in the first game and sophomore Jill Allred had four hits and senior Randi Allred had five RBI in the second game – the Knights traveled to Warden for a doubleheader against the Cougars on Tuesday.

Royal went up 8-0 in the third inning, but Warden rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, later walking off in the bottom of the eighth. Senior Raegan Wardenaar, Bergeson, Jill Allred and sophomore Taylor Webb all recorded two hits in the game, with Bergeson driving in three wins. 

In the nightcap, Royal suffered a 7-3 loss to the Cougars; Jill Allred had three hits and Bergeson had two RBI, both of which were team-highs.

The Knights (10-7) close out the regular season with two league doubleheaders next week, both are at home; against College Place on Tuesday and Kiona-Benton on Saturday.

Soap Lake

Softball

Soap Lake lost both of its games to Manson in Wednesday’s road doubleheader, falling 20-4 in both games. 

Wahluke

Baseball

Wahluke closed the regular season with a 13-3 win over La Salle on Tuesday, picking up their fifth win of the season. The Warriors (5-13) finished in fourth place in the SCAC (East), setting up a first-round matchup against Naches Valley in the SCAC district tournament Tuesday.

Softball

The Warriors’ last outing was a doubleheader against Royal on Saturday, falling 23-2 and 18-0 to the Knights. Junior Lucia Nogueda drove in both of Wahluke’s runs in the first game, picking up a two-RBI double in the bottom of the second inning.

Wahluke (5-12) concludes the regular season at home against Connell on Tuesday.

Warden

Baseball

Warden split Friday’s doubleheader against Columbia (Burbank), winning the first game 13-4 before falling 9-7 in extra innings to the visiting Coyotes. 

In the first game, Warden was surged by a six-run bottom of the third to ride out to a 13-4 win. Junior Travis Visker Jr. and sophomore Ryan Jorgensen both had big days at the plate, with the former recording three hits and three RBI and the latter collecting four hits and three RBI.

Warden trailed 7-4 entering the bottom of the seventh inning in the nightcap and managed to tie the game on an RBI double from junior Malakai Valdez and scoring two runs on passed balls by the Coyotes. In extra innings, Columbia added two runs in the top of the ninth, which the Cougars weren’t able to answer.

The Cougars (8-10) wrap up the regular season on the road against River View on Friday.

Softball

After splitting a doubleheader with previously undefeated Okanogan on Saturday – winning 11-4 before losing 9-6 – Warden swept Royal in Tuesday’s home doubleheader, winning the first game 9-8 in extra innings before winning 7-3 in the nightcap. 

In the first game, Warden came back from an early eight-run deficit and tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning on a two-RBI single by Valerie Rodriguez. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Warden’s Jamylex Pruneda delivered a walk-off hit to end the game in a 9-8 Cougar win. Emma Cox, Aliza Leinweber, Sierra Campos, Pruneda and Rodriguez all tied a team-high in hits in the win with two apiece. Pruneda had three RBI. 

Warden carried on to win the nightcap as well, thanks to a five-run bottom of the second inning. Brianna Martinez and Campos both had two hits in the win, while Pruneda and Rodriguez both drove in two runs. 

Warden (11-5) hosts River View on Friday in the penultimate doubleheader of the regular season.

    Ephrata split Monday’s doubleheader against Othello, first falling 6-3 to the Huskies before responding with a 6-3 win of their own in the nightcap.
  

    Moses Lake began its final series of the regular season Tuesday, taking down West Valley (Yakima) in a 4-1 home win. The Mavericks travel to play the Rams in a doubleheader Friday.
  

    Warden won both games of Tuesday’s doubleheader against Royal, improving the Cougars to 11-5 this Spring.