Friday: Game 1- Columbia Basin 6 Edmonds 23. Game 2- Columbia Basin 1 Edmonds 11.
Saturday: Game 1- Columbia Basin 17 Pierce 23. Game 2- Columbia Basin 18 Pierce 3.
The CBC Softball team opened up the 2020 season with a pair of double headers against defending NWAC runner-up Edmonds and the Pierce Raiders. All four games totalled over 10 runs in each contest as all pitchers struggled to find their footing early.
Against Edmonds, CBC jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first behind two doubles from
Miranda Camacho and
Bailie Bunger. Sophomore pitcher
Amanda Brown was given the task of taking the vaunted Edmonds offense from the circle. Brown struggled to locate off-speed pitches that the Tritons continually laid off of while connecting on a few big hits. A few balls failed to find leather on defense leading to extended innings in both the second and third for Edmonds who scored double digits in each.
Clarissa Lopez and
Jaslynn Pryor both drove in runs late in the game but Basin was still short of a comeback.
Game 2's starter
Sydney Stoner faired well against the Tritons holding them to only 9 earned runs in 4 innings. The Hawks could not get any offense going for Stoner, logging just 4 hits in the game. Lopez drove in the lone Basin run late in the 5th on a line drive to the right center gap. Lopez was thrown out at third trying to stretch the hit to a triple just as darkness began to set in.
Samantha Cissne lead CBC with 2 hits.
Saturday featured much more offense for Basin as they squared off against 0-2 Pierce for the second leg of the weekend. Pierce scored 5 in the 7th inning to hold on to a 6-run lead for the win in game 1. Stoner and Brown combined for the loss with only 14 earned runs given up. Stoner had a productive game at the plate going 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs. Brown, Lopez and Cissne each drove in 3 runs in the effort.
After being down 9 headed into the 5th, CBC rallied to score 8 runs on the frame behind Bunger's double and triple. Camacho also added two hits in the inning. Pierce then came right back with 3 runs of their own in the 6th to push the lead back to 4 runs. Basin added 3 more in the 7th but it wouldn't be enough as Pierce held on for the win.
Game 2 finally saw CBC take control of the game from start to finish.
Taylor Monk got the nod in the circle and she did not disappoint. Monk finished her 5 innings with just 3 hits and 2 earned runs for the 18-3 win.
Raelynn Nesary went 3-4 with 2 RBIs. Lopez and Pryor both homered in the game for the Hawks who had 7 extra base hits.
CBC scored 8 runs in the first, 5 in the second and 5 in the third to leaving plenty of breathing room for Monk who had minimal trouble mowing down the Pierce lineup in the 5-inning game. The Hawk hitters registed 20 hits to only one strikeout for the game.
The Hawks will head over to Richland for the NWAC Crossover tournament beginning next Saturday to open the weekend up against Olympic.
