Mavericks slowpitch to host Big 9 title game

MOSES LAKE – After splitting a doubleheader with the Eastmont Wildcats in the regular season finale last Thursday, Moses Lake will host Saturday’s Columbia Basin Big 9 district championship game after edging out Eastmont in the run differential tiebreaker. 

“I think they were ready to compete,” head coach Mike Hofheins said. “Both teams are good, and it comes down to who strings hits together and who plays good defense. They were two really good games.” 

Moses Lake lost the first game 14-13 after Eastmont walked the game off with a home run during the first at-bat of the bottom of the seventh inning. Both teams were tied at 13 through the first five innings. 

Junior Amilia Borchert led the Mavs with four hits and three RBI in the loss, while junior Hayden Morris, senior Eryn Eckenberg, sophomore Alina Lopez, junior Addisyn Reffett and senior Jenika Balderas all drove in two runs. 

“We got runners on, we just didn’t push them across,” Hofheins said of the last two innings. “Back-and-forth is a perfect way to describe that game – we were tied going into the bottom of the seventh. They’ve got a couple big sticks in their lineup, and at some point, you can’t walk them all.” 

After winning the first game, Eastmont was in position to host the district championship if they went on to win the nightcap; however, Moses Lake’s offense erupted to score nine runs in the top of the third inning, capped off by a three-run homer by sophomore Amelia Avalos, before eventually winning the game 19-6 in five innings. 

Avalos and Morris both drove in four runs in the win, with the former doing so on two hits and the latter doing so on three. Freshman Mya Martinez, senior Paige Richardson and Morris also hit home runs in the win. 

“Really, really proud of our effort in responding,” Hofheins said. “It would have been easy to hang your heads and be all down, but they flushed it. Came out and took care of business in game two.” 

In previous seasons, end-of-season tiebreakers were determined by a coin flip – this year, the newly-introduced run differential tiebreaker favored the Mavs after they held a plus-12 run advantage in the two games against Eastmont. 

“The coaches in the league and the (athletic directors) in the league said because we only play each other twice, a tie is somewhat frequent,” Head Coach Mike Hofheins said. “If you can find a way to settle it on the field somehow, it’s better than a coin flip.” 

Moses Lake finds itself back facing the Wildcats in the district championship for the second consecutive season; the Mavs won last year’s title game 11-5, also playing it at home. The winner receives a berth into the 4A State Softball Tournament. 

“We’re going to have to work and we’re going to have to play well because they’re a really good team,” Hofheins said. 

Regardless of who wins the game, the loser still has a chance to make it to state by playing the winner of Saturday’s game between Sunnyside and Wenatchee. 

“We’d prefer to be district champs, so that’s our goal,” Hofheins said. 

Box scores 

Game One 
MSLK: 0-2-5-5-1-0-0 13
ESTM: 0-4-4-4-1-0-1 14 

Game Two 

MSLK: 2-4-9-2-2 19
ESTM: 1-3-0-1-1 6 

    Moses Lake sophomore Amelia Avalos (25) makes contact with a pitch during a game against West Valley (Yakima) on Oct. 8. Avalos hit a three-run home run in the second game of a doubleheader against Eastmont on Thursday.
  

    Maverick junior Hayden Morris looks toward first base after picking up a ground ball on Oct. 8. Morris drove in four runs in the second game of a doubleheader against Eastmont on Thursday.