Kennewick, Kamiakin meet this week in key baseball showdown. Ams’ season comes to close
Now with spring break over, Mid-Columbia Conference baseball teams get into the meat of their schedule for the next three weeks before the postseason begins.
The big game this week will be Tuesday’s single game at LaPierre Field, in which Kennewick plays Kamiakin. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
Here are the standings through games played on April 8:
Kennewick 8-0 MCC, 12-0 overall
Kamiakin 5-1, 9-2
Richland 6-2, 10-3
Walla Walla 6-2, 8-3
Hanford 4-2, 7-2
Southridge 2-4, 6-5
Hermiston 1-7, 2-8
Chiawana 1-7, 2-10
Pasco 0-8, 0-11
Tuesday, April 11, schedule: Hanford at Chiawana, 5 p.m.; Hermiston at Pasco, 5 p.m.; Kennewick at Kamiakin, LaPierre Field, 4 p.m.; Southridge at Walla Walla, Murr Field, 4 p.m.
Friday, April 14: Chiawana at Hermiston (2), 4 p.m.; Kamiakin at Walla Walla (2), Murr Field, 2 p.m.; Pasco at Richland (2), 4 p.m.; Southridge at Hanford (2), 4 p.m.
▪ Scorebook Live Washington released its latest state high school baseball rankings, as of games played through April 3.
Leading the way is Kennewick, which finished second in the 3A state tournament last season.
The Lions are again ranked second in 3A with a 10-0 record, just behind leader West Seattle, which is 9-0.
Southridge (6-3), meanwhile, received votes in the poll.
In Class 4A, Richland is ranked No. 3 with a 9-3 record, while Kamiakin (9-3) received votes. Eastlake (7-1) is the current No. 1-ranked team.
Columbia River (5-3) is the top 2A team, while Grandview (6-3) received votes.
In 1A, Bellevue Christian (6-2) is No. 1, while Kiona-Benton (4-5) received votes.
Brewster (7-0) gets the nod this week as the top 2B team, with Tri-Cities Prep (5-3) is ranked sixth, and River View (7-1) received votes.
Finally, in 1B, Naselle (6-1) gets the nod for No. 1. But DeSales (8-0), Liberty Christian (6-2) and Sunnyside Christian (5-1) are ranked second through fourth.
WHL playoffs
The Tri-City Americans saw their season end on Sunday night when they lost 5-4 in overtime against the Prince George Cougars.
The Cougars ended up taking the best-of-7 Western Hockey League playoff series 4-2, and they’ll start a second-round series this Friday night against the No. 1-seeded Seattle Thunderbirds.
In Sunday’s loss, Reese Belton and Ethan Ernst each had a goal and an assist to lead the Americans. But Chase Wheatcroft scored the game-winner for PG at 2:31 into OT.
Riley Heidt had a goal and two assists for the Cougars, while Zac Funk added a goal and assist.
On Friday night in the Toyota Center, Prince George won Game 5 of the series 6-2.
The teams entered the third period tied at 2-2, but the Cougars scored four goals in the final 20 minutes for the victory.
Bauer Dumanski and Funk each scored two goals for PG, and Cougars goalie Ty Young stopped 26 of 28 Americans’ shots.
Belton and Jake Sloan each scored a goal for Tri-City.
Dust Devils
The Tri-City Dust Devils opened their 2023 Northwest League season on Thursday at home, beating the Hillsboro Hops 9-2.
Second baseman Arol Vera went 2-for-5, drove in two runs, and scored twice himself. Gabe Matthews, who returns this season to play first base, had two hits (including a double) and had two RBIs; Alexander Ramirez added a hit and scored twice.
Starting pitcher John Swanda had a strong outing, going 4 innings, giving up just three hits, and striking out five batters. Reliever Nick Jones earned the win, striking out two and giving up no runs in one inning of work.
On Friday, Hillsboro won 7-3. That gave Hops manager Ronnie Gajownik her first win as a professional manager. Gajownik is the first woman to manage a professional baseball team in affiliated baseball.
Straton Poderas had a triple, and drove in three runs for the Dust Devils.
Hillsboro also won 6-2 on Saturday night, as Shane Muntz belted a three-run homer in the ninth.
Ramirez had two hits for Tri-City, which is now 1-2 and heading to Vancouver to start a 6-game road trip against the Canadians beginning Tuesday.
Prep softball
Richland enters the final four weeks of MCC softball play atop the standings unbeaten.
The Bombers are 4-0 in conference play, and 7-0 overall.
Three teams — Chiawana, Kamiakin and Kennewick — are right behind in second place with 4-2 MCC records.
Here are the MCC softball standings through April 8:
Richland 4-0 MCC, 7-0 overall
Kamiakin 4-2, 8-2
Chiawana 4-2, 6-2
Kennewick 4-2, 5-2
Southridge 3-3, 6-4
Hanford 3-3, 5-5
Hermiston 1-3, 5-4
Walla Walla 1-3, 1-6
Pasco 0-6, 3-7
Tuesday, April 11 — Chiawana at Eastmont (2), 4 p.m.; Hanford at Kamiakin, Lawrence Scott Park, 5 p.m.; Kennewick at Southridge, 5 p.m.; Pasco at Hermiston, 5 p.m.; Walla Walla at Richland, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12 — Richland at Moses Lake, 4 p.m.
Friday, April 14 — Chiawana at Kamiakin (2), Lawrence Scott Park, 4 p.m.; Hermiston at Kennewick (2), Civic Fields, 4 p.m.; Richland at Pasco (2), 4 p.m.; Walla Walla at Southridge (2), 4 p.m.
Boys soccer
With three weeks of regular-season play remaining, Chiawana and Pasco are tied for first place in the MCC boys soccer standings.
Both have 8-1 records.
On March 31, Pasco edged Chiawana 3-2. Pasco’s lone loss came on March 23, when the Bulldogs lost 1-0 on the road to Southridge.
Here are the MCC boys soccer standings through games of April 8:
Chiawana 8-1 MCC, 8-1 overall
Pasco 8-1, 8-1
Walla Walla 5-4, 6-4
Southridge 4-4, 4-4
Kamiakin 4-5, 4-5
Richland 4-5, 4-5
Hanford 3-6, 3-6
Kennewick 2-7, 2-7
Hermiston 2-7, 2-7
Tuesday, April 11 — Hermiston at Pasco, Edgar Brown Stadium, 7 p.m.; Kamiakin at Kennewick, 7 p.m.; Richland at Chiawana, 7 p.m.; Southridge at Walla Walla, 4 p.m.
Friday, April 14 — Chiawana at Kamiakin, 7 p.m.; Hanford at Hermiston, 7 p.m.; Kennewick at Southridge, 7 p.m.; Pasco at Richland, 7 p.m.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Herald.
