The steadily improving Yakima Valley softball team ran into a buzzsaw against first-place Walla Walla on Saturday, losing 16-0 and 12-4. The Yaks, who had won four of their past seven games coming in, collected just one basehit in game one but managed to keep the second game close with 10 hits.
Nizhoni Tallman led the way with a 3-for-4 outing, and
Samantha Shamhart went 2-for-2 with two RBI as YVC scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-3.
Ivy Barnes added an RBI single and
Karly Hanosky roped a double, but it wasn't enough against the hard-hitting Warriors, who plated four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to fend off the YVC comeback. Pitcher
Emmaleena Wood took the loss, allowing 13 hits and striking out four.
The day before at Columbia Basin, the Yaks claimed game one 8-5 before falling 5-1 in the nightcap. The opener started out ominously as the Hawks scored two in the first and three in the second for a 5-1 lead. But YVC poured it on in the fourth with six runs and added another in the fifth to seal the victory. Wood pitched five innings of scoreless relief, striking out four and allowing just four hits in relief of
Alyssa Oswald. At the plate,
Jasmine Almueti had a triple and three RBI, Barnes was 2-for 3 with two RBI and
Jessica Stanfield went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Tayah Townsend and Tallman each recorded RBI hits and Hanosky scored twice, helping the Yaks overcome a slow start. The offense wasn't as boisterous in game two, delivering just six singles and a lone RBI by
Parker McAtee in the fourth inning that scored Almueti. CBC scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to break a 1-1 tie. Wood pitched well otherwise, striking out five and allowing eight hits over six innings.
YVC also played a doubleheader at Wenatchee last Tuesday, winning game one 12-4 and dropping game two 19-8. The Yaks' bats were on fire in the opener, putting up 13 hits on the way to a 10-1 lead through the first four innings. Almueti and Stanfield each went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and Barnes was 2-for-4 with five RBI as YVC scored four runs in the third and five more in the fifth. Stanfield also had two RBI, while Townsend added an RBI and Tallman was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Wood and Oswald each pitched three innings to combine for the victory. Game two started off well for YVC with five runs in the top of the first. But Wenatchee roared back with 17 runs in the bottom half of the inning and cruised to a five-inning victory. Stanfield delivered a home run and three RBI to highlight the offense, while Tallman and Hanosky each added two hits and an RBI. Almueti notched a pair of RBIs and Shamhart recorded an RBI single in the loss.
Now at 9-19 in the NWAC East (12-29 overall), YVC will wrap up the season this weekend with doubleheaders with Blue Mountain at home and Treasure Valley on the road.
