Cardinals get roughed up by Cheney in nonleague contest
The Medical Lake girls softball team got the wins they needed, and tossed in what might be considered some critical live game practice along the way last week.
The Cardinals finished the week 2-1, beating two Northeast A League foes handily before falling to West Plains rival, Cheney, in a nonleague contest.
Medical Lake began the week March 31 with a 17-3 pasting of Newport in an NEA game and finished beating Chewelah 14-8 on April 3 to improve their league record to 2-0. They suffered their first loss in the young season with a 17-7 loss to Cheney, and are now 3-1 in all games.
On a day where the weather threatened the game, Medical Lake was able to pour it on after trailing 2-1 after the first inning. A four-run fourth gave starting pitcher Bradyn Wegner some breathing room and a 10-run sixth made no doubt. “We started heating up a bit in the fourth,” Cardinals head coach Tim Blakely said.
“Every time we go up to Newport it seems like it’s blowing 30 miles-per-hour,” Blakely said.
That big sixth inning started with one out as the Cards strung together seven hits, including Kayla Pruitt’s one-out triple. They got three more singles and a walk to finish the inning. Chelsea Hamby and Wegner each had a pair of hits.
“We were just able to put the barrel on the ball,” Blakely said. Hannah Petek went 4 for 4 with a triple and a double with five RBIs. Glori Cheevers was 3 for 5 with a double that scored the Cards’ first run, Blakely said.
Wegner pitched five strong innings and got one inning of relief from Taylor Carpenter. ”She’s a freshman who we’re going to have come up and throw a little bit for us,” Blakely said.
At Cheney, the Cardinals hung with the powerful Lady Blackhawks leading 7-4 until a disastrous bottom of the fourth when Cheney scored nine runs.
“We were leading them 7-4 going into the bottom of the fourth and their bats got on fire,” Blakely said.
“I’ve got to hand it to Cheney, they’re a great offensive team,” Blakely said. Adrianna Suiter and Julia Boyd each had three hits. Boyd drove in four runs and Suiter three.
Kayla Pruitt had a pair of hits, including a double, but the Cardinals were limited to just five hits.
But Boyd was doubly tough on the Cardinals taking over in the second inning and pretty much shutting down the ML bats.
“We were able to get to the first pitcher, so they brought the second pitcher in, Julia (Boyd) ” Blakely said.
“A key hit here or there and I think we would have had Cheney on the defense a little bit,” Blakely said.
In the return to NEA play versus Chewelah during the three-games in three days string, Medical Lake trailed 4-2 until they exploded with nine runs in the fourth inning.
“Chelsea Hamby was on the mound for us; she struggled a little in the first inning,” Blakely said. “I don’t know but for whatever reason these big innings we get rockin’ and rollin.’”
Kayla Pruitt and Wegner each had three hits for Medical Lake with Wegner’s total including a double. Hamby also had a big bat with a pair of hits, including her first career home run. Claire Dormaier, Petek and Kaitlyn Pruitt each had a pair of hits.
Wegner and Hamby “had really good outings on the mound,” Blakely said.
The Cardinals have spring break off and return to play Tuesday, April 14 at Chewelah.
Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.
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