​Moses Lake, WA — The Washington Rage 16u softball team kicked off its summer schedule at the Fourth of July Shootout in Spokane, finishing in third place as they bounce into a series of weekend tournaments through July. “For our first tournament out this season, I thought it went pretty well,” said Rage head coach Bob Richardson, who reflected on the team’s early performance and the outlook for the summer.
The Rage opened the weekend against the Spokane Diamonds Herbert. The Diamonds got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the third, and Washington answered in the top of the fourth when Kylie Christiansen lined a drive into left-center to score Malorie Lane. Despite the late rally, Spokane continued to pull away, and the Diamonds secured a 5-1 victory.
On Saturday, Washington faced the NW Aces. The Aces struck first, scoring in the top of the first to grab a two-run lead. The Rage responded in the fourth with two runs of their own. Both teams traded runs in the final inning, and the game ended in a 3-3 tie. After the tie, Washington took on MT Avalanche/Larson. The Avalanche jumped out to a strong start, leading 7-0 by the third inning. Washington battled back, scoring two in the third, three in the fourth, and one in the fifth, but Avalanche answered with five in the third and one in the fourth, sealing a 13-6 victory for MT Avalanche/Larson.
The Rage’s final game Saturday was against the USA Explosion. Washington struck first, scoring in the top of the first, but Explosion answered in the bottom of the first and kept the lead the rest of the way, finishing with a 6-4 win.
Sunday’s games brought a spark of momentum for Washington. They opened against the Reapers Softball, bringing high energy from the start and leaping to a six-run lead in the bottom of the first. Washington never relinquished the advantage, cruising to their highest-scoring game of the weekend, a 12-5 rout over the Reapers.
In the final matchup of the weekend, the Rage faced the NW Aces again. Both teams scored in the first inning, but the Aces pulled ahead with six runs in the fourth, and Washington could not rally, losing 7-1. Despite the setback, the team’s overall effort and resilience stood out in this close competition.
A major highlight from the Spokane weekend came on the defensive side of the ball. “I think our pitching did really well—that’s going to definitely be a strength of ours,” Richardson said. “Our defense played well with the exception of two innings; that’s usually how that works out, but we have speed in a lot of different defensive positions.” The top pitching performance of the weekend came from Malorie Lane, who pitched seven innings against the Aces and struck out 11 batters.
Washington’s early results also underscored the team’s versatility and depth, a hallmark repeatedly stressed by the coaching staff. Lane’s strong pitching performance, along with the breadth of defensive options and the speed that Washington’s roster brings to the field, underscored the potential the Rage possess as they roll into the July schedule.
Looking ahead, the Rage aim to build on their positive takeaways and improve in the upcoming tournaments. With a capable pitching staff, dynamic defense, and a roster capable of moving players into different defensive spots, the team is optimistic about continuing to press for stronger outcomes and deeper runs in late-July events, as they pursue more wins and stand ready to adapt to various opponents and game situations.