Lady Raiders tie for tops in league softball

The Lady Raiders finished their regular softball season with a pair of wins, tied for league champion, and will enter the postseason beginning Saturday.

LR bested Oroville twice last Saturday in a doubleheader in Grand Coulee. 

LR won the first game 13-3, scoring two runs in the first inning, three in the third, five in the fourth, and three in the fifth, holding Oroville to just three runs scored in the third inning. 

At bat for LR, Sawyer Steffens hit a double and a triple; Halle Albert and Emma Marchand each hit a triple and two singles; Aaliyah Marchand hit three singles; Nautika Brown hit two singles; and Desirée George and Taylor Vargas-Thomas both hit singles.

On the mound for LR, Presley Steffens pitched all five innings, striking out eight batters, walking two, and allowing four hits.

LR won game two 18-0, scoring eight runs in the first inning, six in the second, and four in the third.

Aaliyah Marchand and Emma Marchand each hit home runs, with Emma also hitting a double.  Aspen Smith hit a double and a single; Presley Steffens and Brown each hit two singles; and Albert and Sawyer Steffens each hit singles.

Pitching for LR, Aaliyah Marchand struck out six batters and walked one, allowing no hits from Oroville batters. 

The wins finished the Lady Raiders' regular season with a 9-1 win-loss record in the Central Washington 2B league, 18-2 overall.

LR shares the league champion title with the Okanogan Lady Bulldogs, ranked top in the state, who also have a 9-1 league win-loss record. Their only loss came via a Lady Raiders shut out.

Postseason play for the Lady Raiders begins on Saturday in Grand Coulee, when they are scheduled to host an opponent still to be determined at 11 a.m., with a $6 admission charge for adults, and $5 for students and senior citizens.