Mavericks host Big 9 tourney

One loss and one win as Moses Lake claws its way to 4A state tournament

MOSES LAKE – Hosting the Columbia Basin Big 9 district championship, the Moses Lake Mavericks lost to West Valley (Yakima) in the district title game 20-11 before defeating Davis 18-2 and advancing to the 4A state tournament. “That first game was disappointing,” Moses Lake head coach Mike Hofheins said. “You got to give credit to West Valley, they came out swinging. They just had hit, after hit, after hit.” The Rams certainly did come out swinging as Hofheins said, scoring five runs in the top of the first inning on RBIs by senior Haley Betterton, sophomore Maris Barbee and senior Sam Ostriem. Moses Lake answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the second with RBI singles by junior Emmie Olsen and senior Jadelyn Balderas to make it 5-2. “When a team’s hot like that, that’s the kind of game you have to win 21-20,” Hofheins said. “Our bats weren’t hot.” ...