The Yakima Valley softball team dropped six of its final seven games to fall out of playoff contention, finishing 15th in the NWAC's final RPI rankings. With only the top 12 teams qualifying for the NWAC Championships, the Yaks finished their season at 19-29 overall (10-18 NWAC East) with a doubleheader split against third-place Columbia Basin on Saturday.
 

YVC snapped a five-game losing skid in the opener, defeating the Hawks behind a strong pitching effort by starter Kassidy Van Soest. The freshman ace went the distance, allowing nine hits, three earned runs and two walks while striking out seven. Ellie Urlacher guided the offense, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI doubles. Addison Flynn added a bases-loaded walk and Abbygale Sheridan had a sacrifice fly in the four-run fourth. Sheridan finished 2-for-2 and Madalyn Telles and Kylee Bradley scored two runs apiece.
 

The Hawks took control of game two early on, scoring four runs in the first, four in the second and five in the third to hand the Yaks a 12-2 defeat. YVC scored its only two runs in the fifth on an RBI single by Sheridan and a fielder's choice by Telles. Kathryn Prest took the loss in the circle, allowing 12 hits, six walks and 10 earned runs while striking out nine.
 

The Yaks dropped a pair to second-place Walla Walla on Friday by scores of 19-0 and 14-3, but official stats were not available on NWACSports.com. YVC also got swept on Tuesday at home against Wenatchee, falling 10-5 and 11-1.
 

The Knights jumped out to an early lead in the opener with five runs in the first off Van Soest, who suffered the loss after allowing 15 hits and seven earned runs over seven innings. Sheridan went 3-for-3 to lead an 11-hit offensive attack, while Riley Eckhardt, Cheyenne Justice and Telles collected two hits apiece. Eckhardt delivered an RBI triple in the first, and Justice and Telles each added RBI singles.
 

Wenatchee seized control early in game two, scoring four runs in the first and five more in the third off of Prest, who allowed 17 hits and 11 earned runs in her five innings of work. Telles brought home the lone YVC run with a home run in the fifth.

Spokane, Walla Walla and CBC will represent the East at this weekend's NWAC Championships at Delta Park in Portland.