Basin baseball represented in all-star game

“It’s an honor, even when things go bad, you try to stay up and I think if you keep trying your best something good is going to happen." 

- Othello Huskies Sonny Slazar

RICHLAND – Players from Moses Lake and Othello joined their peers from Yakima at the Columbia Basin Series All-Star Game Wednesday in Richland. 

“It was really nice and bittersweet to end my high school career here. I'm going to go play college baseball, and hopefully I'll see some of these guys, but it was nice to play against guys that I have played the last 10 years of my life,” Mavericks player Cooper Hancock said.  

Hancock, Kason Whitaker, and Holden Koziol represented the Mavericks while Jordan Montemayor and Sonny Salazar represented the Huskies.  

The Tri-Cities team was victorious over the Yakima team in nine innings with a final score of 14-2. The Tri-Cities team put on an offensive display that was difficult to stop. In the first inning, the Tri-Cities team scored five runs after putting together a strong pitching performance at the top of the inning.  

Whitaker took the mound first for Yakima, and Salazar took the reins starting in the third inning. Throughout the game, each team rotated through the roster which allowed everyone to see the field during the game.  

The Tri-Cities team would score five more runs throughout the next three innings before Yakima’s team would score their first run of the game in the top of the fifth inning. Tri-Cities would score three runs in the bottom of the fifth and one more in the sixth inning. The Yakima team squeezed out one more run in the eighth inning before Tri-Cities secured the win.  

“It wasn't the outcome we wanted, but it was nice to play together, and I got to play against all my buddies on the other team, and overall, the experience was really great,” Hancock said.  

After the game, players from both teams lined up in front of their dugouts to hear the All-State team nominations be announced. Both Moses Lake and Othello players were nominated. A top ten from each team is announced and next week an official team will be announced with players from each team to play in the All-State game.  

Salazar was named Yakima’s MVP after the game, an honor he was proud of.  

“It’s an honor, even when things go bad, you try to stay up and I think if you keep trying your best something good is going to happen,” he said.  

Aside from the award, Salazar was happy to represent the Huskies one more time.  

“I love all my guys, some of my coaches are here today. It's a good feeling to be able to represent (Othello) and show them what we're all about,” he said.  

Donning the school uniform one more time was a sentiment Hancock resonated with, too. For him, something he looked forward to since he was younger.  

“When I first got my varsity call up, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I get to finally wear the jerseys, I get to be one of them,’ and finally be able to wear this one last time it came full circle. I got coached by the guy that introduced me to Moses Lake High School baseball, and I got to wear it one last time and play for him,” Hancock said.  

At the time of press, information on the All-State game was not available.  

BOX SCORE:  

YKMA: 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0   2  
TRIC: 5 2 1 2 3 1 0 * 14 

    Holden Koziol stepping up to the plate for team Yakima. Koziol also served as the team's catcher in the All-Star game.
  

    Jordan Montemayor running for first base after hitting the ball into the outfield. Montemayor sported another version of the Huskies uniform than his teammate Salazar.
  

    Cooper Hancock from Moses Lake High School pitching at the mound for team Yakima. Hancock was nominated for the All-State team after the game.
  

    Sonny Salazar from Othello firing off a pitch in the All-Star game. Salazar said he was honored to represent his school at least one more time.
  

    Moses Lake High’s Kason Whitaker preparing to throw his next pitch. Whitaker was also nominated for the All-State team after the game.