Big showdowns tonight and Friday in Tri-Cities baseball, soccer and softball
The regular season for all spring sports are winding down over the next week.
But there are some pretty big contests still left to be played.
In Mid-Columbia Conference baseball, Kamiakin visits Richland for a key doubleheader that starts at 4 p.m. Friday, April 26.
Both teams — the Bombers and the Braves — are still ranked 1-2, respectively, in the latest WIAA Class 4A Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) standings going into the contests.
The Bombers need just one win to clinch the MCC title and grab the MCC’s top seed into the District 8 tournament, which begins next week.
Some interesting stats from Richland High’s Tait Meyer:
Richland is 17-0 for the first time since 2005 (when they finished 25-2 and won a state title).
Kamiakin leaders among the MCC’s best: Trent Woodhouse with a .446 batting average; he also has 25 hits.
Talan Thai is the MCC leader in stolen bases with 18. Thai also has scored 21 times.
Deagan Quesenberry ranks third among qualifying pitchers in earned run average at 0.93. Batters are hitting a measly .090 off of him. That ranks No. 1 among all MCC pitchers.
Richland stat leaders include Hayden Galloway, who is batting .448.
Chris Daniels has a good eye. He leads the MCC in walks with 18. The next closest batter has 13.
Bombers pitchers Dallas Bennett and Alec Ammerman are ranked 1-2 in the MCC in earned run average. Bennetts ERA is 0.60, while Ammerman is at 0.68. Bennett also leads the league in wins with 6, while Ammerman is tied for second with 5. Bennett is third in strikeouts with 38. Opposing batters are hitting just .128 off of Bennett; while Ammerman has a .134 batting average against him.
MCC baseball
Through games of April 23
1, Richland (4A) 13-0 MCC, 17-0 overall
2, Kamiakin (4A) 11-2, 15-2
3, Kennewick (3A) 10-3, 15-3
4, Chiawana (4A) 8-7, 10-10
5, Hanford (4A) 6-7, 9-9
6, Southridge (3A) 5-8, 7-10
7, Walla Walla (3A) 4-10, 7-11
8, Hermiston (3A) 3-10, 4-11
9, Pasco (4A) 0-13, 0-17
April 19: Hanford 2, Kamiakin 0; Hermiston 3, Southridge 1; Kamiakin 5, Hanford 1; Kennewick 4, Walla Walla 2; Kennewick 14, Walla Walla 1; Richland 7, Chiawana 0; Richland 5, Chiawana 1; Southridge 14, Hermiston 2.
April 20: Mt. Spokane 15, Walla Walla 9.
April 23: Chiawana 11, Pasco 0; Kamiakin 10, Hermiston 0; Kennewick 17, Hanford 5; Richland 12, Southridge 3.
April 26: Kamiakin at Richland (2), 4 p.m.; Kennewick at Hermiston (2), 4 p.m.; Southridge at Pasco (2), 4 p.m.; Walla Walla at Hanford (2), 4 p.m.
April 30: Chiawana at Pasco, 4 p.m.; Kamiakin at Hermiston, 5 p.m.; Kennewick at Hanford, 5 p.m.; Southridge at Richland, 5 p.m.
MCC softball
Richland took the MCC standings lead on Tuesday of this week when Payton Chacón’s bases-loaded, walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh gave the Bombers a 5-4 victory. This after the Falcons had a two-run homer in the top of the seventh.
The Bombers are 14-0 for the first time since 2018 — a season in which they finished 26-2 and advanced to the state semifinals.
There is an argument that Richland is actually 14-1. But the loss in context was a 3-inning game called on account of rain with 2A power Othello leading 4-3 at the time.
Games usually have to go five innings to be considered official.
Meanwhile, the MCC title race may come down to April 30, the final day of the season, when Richland visits Hanford at 5 p.m.
Hanford is currently ranked No. 2 in the latest WIAA RPI rankings in class 4A, while Richland sits at No. 7.
MCC softball standings
Through games of April 23
Richland (4A) 11-0 MCC, 14-0 overall
Hanford (4A) 10-1, 13-1
Chiawana (4A) 9-3, 12-5
Kamiakin (4A) 7-4, 12-4
Southridge (3A) 7-6, 11-6
Hermiston (3A) 5-7, 7-8Walla Walla (3A) 3-8, 4-11
Kennewick (3A) 1-12, 6-12
Pasco (4A) 0-12, 0-15
April 16: Chiawana 5, Royal 2; Hanford 5, Kamiakin 4; Hermiston 10, Pasco 3; Richland 19, Walla Walla 5; Southridge 12, Kennewick 5.
April 19: Chiawana 12, Southridge 2; Chiawana 11, Southridge 1; Hanford 11, Hermiston 1; Hanford 12, Hermiston 2; Richland 12, Kennewick 2; Richland 16, Kennewick 0; Walla Walla 12, Pasco 0; Walla Walla 14, Pasco 2.
April 23: Chiawana 13, Hermiston 2; Chiawana 17, Hermiston 2; Richland 5, Hanford 4; Southridge 2, Kamiakin 1; Walla Walla 15, Kennewick 9.
April 26: Hermiston at Kamiakin (2), 4 p.m.; Pasco at Kennewick (2), 4 p.m.; Richland at Chiawana (2), 4 p.m.; Walla Walla at Hanford (2), 4 p.m.
April 29: Moses Lake at Richland, 4 p.m.
April 30: Richland at Hanford, 5 p.m.; Southridge at Kamiakin, 5 p.m.; Walla Walla at Kennewick, 5 p.m.
MCC boys soccer
The Battle of Pasco is tonight, Thursday, April 25, as Pasco visits Chiawana at 7 p.m.
The host Riverhawks are 14-0 in MCC play, while the visiting Bulldogs come in at 14-1.
A Chiawana win clinches the regular-season title, while a Pasco victory means the teams are co-champions.
On March 29th, Chiawana beat Pasco 3-2 in Edgar Brown Stadium.
Humberto Cervantes scored two goals and Julian Rodriguez added another for the Riverhawks.
Chiawana is ranked No. 3 in Class 4A in the latest WIAA stats RPI rankings, while Pasco is No. 6.
MCC soccer standings
Through games of April 23
Chiawana (4A) 14-0 MCC, 14-0 overall
Pasco (4A) 14-1, 14-1
Richland (4A) 9-5, 9-5
Hanford (4A) 6-8, 6-8-1
Hermiston (3A) 6-8, 6-8
Southridge (3A) 5-9, 6-9
Kamiakin (4A) 4-11, 4-11
Kennewick (3A) 3-11, 3-11
Walla Walla (3A) 3-11, 3-11
April 18: Chiawana 4, Walla Walla 0; Hanford 1, Kamiakin 0; Pasco 5, Southridge 1; Richland 2, Hermiston 0.
April 20: Chiawana 3, Kennewick 2; Hermiston 4, Kamiakin 3; Southridge 1, Hanford 0; Pasco 6, Walla Walla 0.
April 23: Hanford 2, Walla Walla 1; Hermiston 2, Southridge 1; Pasco 4, Kennewick 1; Richland 1, Kamiakin 0.
April 25: Hanford at Kennewick, 7 p.m.; Hermiston at Walla Walla, 4 p.m.; Pasco at Chiawana, 7 p.m.; Richland at Southridge, 7 p.m.
April 29: Chiawana at Hanford, 7 p.m.; Kennewick at Hermiston, 7 p.m.; Southridge at Kamiakin, 7 p.m.; Walla Walla at Richland, 7 p.m.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
