EAST WENATCHEE – West Valley junior Ashleigh James hit a pair of homers and Madisen Statler smacked a grand slam to lead the Rams to a 17-5 victory against Eastmont on Saturday afternoon to earn a berth to the Class 4A state slowpitch tournament.

West Valley will have a short trip, as the Gateway Sports Complex hosts the event which begins Friday and wraps up Saturday.

It’s the first state trip for the Rams since finishing fourth in 2022.

League champion Moses Lake on Thursday earned the CBBN district title and state berth that comes with it, leaving West Valley and the Wildcats to battle for the second bid.

The teams split their regular season doubleheader, and looked destined for a tight battle with the Rams clinging to a 6-5 lead after three innings.

That’s when the West Valley bats really heated up.

Having already pushed three runs across in the fourth, James hit a three-run homer to give the Rams a 12-6 lead. The following inning, Statler hit the slam.

Hailey Huffman, who earned the win on the mound, retired the Wildcats in order in the bottom of the fifth, aided by a double play, triggering the 10-run rule and ending the contest.

Caileigh Sinnes had three hits, including a three-run home in the second inning, as West Valley (16-3) racked up 18 hits.

Claire Saxton-Garza added three hits, and James and Statler each drove in five runs.

Moses Lake (16-1) avenged its lone loss of the season Thursday, beating Eastmont 13-3. The Wildcats had topped the Mavericks 13-8 in the second game of a doubleheader a week earlier.

The Mavs are making their sixth straight trip to state. They finished fourth last fall and also in 2019.