ML softball team will finally get shot at post-season

By PAUL DELANEY

Staff Reporter

By earning a split last week against Pullman, the Medical Lake softball team will play in the post-season for the first time in a number of years.

Medical Lake fell 10-0 to the undefeated regular season Great Northern League champs West Valley last Wednesday and then split a Friday doubleheader with the Greyhounds, winning the opener 14-11 but falling 10-3 in the second game.

Starting next week the Cardinals (4-13 GNL, 5-14 overall) will face either Cheney or East Valley. The ML opponent depends on the outcome of this past Tuesday's game with Cheney, as well as East Valley's meeting with West Valley on the same day.

“We played even with them for three innings,” head coach John Higgins said. His team trailed the undefeated Eagles just 1-0 before once again the wheels fell off in quick fashion. The Lady Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the third and five more in the fourth inning of the five inning game. West Valley pounded out 16 hits while limiting the Cardinals to three as only Amelia Cook, Nikki King and MaKenzie Beisecker hit safely. Cook's hit was a double.

After three scoreless innings Friday in their opener, Pullman pushed across a run in the top of the fourth. Medical Lake answered back with eight of their own runs in the bottom of the fourth. The teams each scored six runs in their respective halves of the fifth and the Cardinals were able hold off the visitors for the win.

Kelsey Fisk, Becky Blakely and Brooklyn Robinson each had a pair of the seven Medical Lake hits with one of Robinson ‘s hits a double. Kelby Wegner earned the pitching win for the Cards.

“For some reason we don't finish out the game,” Higgins said. “That was what happened with Pullman. We were up on them and let them right back in the game.”

Pullman jumped on starting pitcher Wegner for four runs in the first inning and added two more in each of their next two at bats. Kat Campbell and King each had two of the nine Cardinal hits. Campbell added a triple.

Medical Lake's fades are “an experience thing,” Higgins said. “As we get further along – it may not happen this year, probably closer to next year – we will learn a little bit more about what the game's all about, situational stuff.”

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].