YAKIMA – After a one-run loss in Thursday’s CBBN district championship, the West Valley fastpitch team – in particular its five seniors – weren’t about to let the defeat linger.

Smacking three home runs – including senior Claire Saxton-Garza’s two-run shot in the third inning – to back a stellar pitching effort by fellow 12th-grader Ainsley Johnson, top-seeded West Valley handled No. 3 Moses Lake 11-1 to advance to the Class 4A state tournament Friday and Saturday at Richlands Columbia Playfields.

“We had a great team meeting at the start of practice Friday,” Rams coach Brad Cramer said. “They did not want today to be their last game.”

It’s the Rams’ first trip to state since 2022.

To get there, West Valley (18-5) was strong in all phases. They had 12 hits, five of them for extra bases, Johnson limited the Eastmont to three hits and struck out six, and played error-free defense in blustery conditions.

“We might have talked about that after (Thursday’s) game,” Cramer said. “And there were some tough plays. The wind made it interesting for some fly balls.”

Moses Lake opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when reigning CBBN Offensive Player of the Year Hayden Morris hit her eighth home run of the season.

The Rams, held to just four hits in the 3-2 title game loss to Eastmont, got their bats going early Saturday.

Tatum Trammell’s ground out scored Carter Raphoon, a courtesy runner for Claire Saxton-Garza, who had doubled. Calleigh Sinnes’ then singled home Lauren Lewis, who had reached on a fielder’s choice.

Saxton-Garza extended the lead in third, capping a three-run rally with West Valley's first home run, a two-run shot. Taryn Bernd’s sacrifice fly to center field also pushed a run across.

Protecting the 5-1 lead, Johnson pitched out of trouble in the fourth. Two walks and a single loaded the bases, before the senior recorded a strikeout and got a fly ball to center field.

“She had a little hiccup, but got out of it,” Cramer said. “That was huge.”

A two-run single from Statler and Ashleigh James’ two-run double in the fourth extended the lead to 9-1.

West Valley ended the game with solo homers from Danika Gaethle and Statler.

“Every part of the game was amazing," Cramer said.

Morris had two hits for the Mavericks, who finished the season 16-4.

BASEBALL

Enquist pitches Moses Lake to state

MOSES LAKE – Dagen Enquist tossed a complete-game three-hitter and Moses Lake earned its seventh straight trip to the Class 4A state tournament Saturday with a 1-0 victory against Wenatchee.

Enquist struck out seven and walked two, and retired the Panthers in order in four innings.

Mavericks catcher Daniel Baez’s sacrifice bunt scored Caden Barney in the bottom of the fourth.

Moses Lake (12-9) will find out Sunday where it's headed Saturday for the regional round.

Wernatchee finished the season 14-9.