Richland, Kennewick in MCC baseball showdown doubleheader Friday afternoon

It’s still early in the regular season, but Mid-Columbia Conference baseball play began Tuesday with four games.

One of the better MCC matchups in the first half will feature defending 4A state champion Richland visiting Kennewick in a twinbill at Roy Johnson Field. It starts at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 28.

The host Lions boast shortstop Dane Chavez, who was one of the top hitters last season in the MCC, and he has already signed and committed to Washington State University for next year.

Meanwhile, Richland has catcher Hayden Galloway, pitcher Mike Revell, and shortstop Carter Upmeyer — among others — back from that state title team. Upmeyer will play next season at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho.

▪ Thanks to Tait Meyer, we have early season MCC stats. Chiawana’s Adrian Chavez has already collected 14 hits in five games, and is batting a sizzling .737 to start the season. … Ty Repko, son of former Major Leaguer Jason Repko, has 11 hits and 9 runs scored for Hanford. He’s hitting .688. … MCC RBI leaders are Hanford’s Will Worley with 11, and Richland’s Galloway. … Hanford has an ace in senior pitcher Trevor Kaiser, who signed a letter of intent with Oregon State University earlier this month. Kaiser has 16 strikeouts in 13 innings of work so far. … Southridge’s Nicholas Wade has fanned 15 batters in 10 innings of work so far.

▪ Games to watch in the next few weeks: In 2A, Othello visits East Valley of Yakima in a single game at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 12; College Place visits River View at 3 p.m. on March 31; and Liberty Christian visits Tri-Cities Prep at 3 p.m. on April 7. … Last Saturday, College Place and Naches Valley — two 1A powers — split an SCAC doubleheader. College Place won the opener 6-4, while Naches Valley took the nightcap by the same score.

Prep softball

Mid-Columbia Conference softball teams began league play on Tuesday, March 25, with Chiawana, Hanford, Kamiakin and Southridge earning wins. Defending MCC champ Richland had a bye. Seems like the MCC is back-loaded when it comes to key scheduling matchups.

But a good one to watch will be at 4 p.m. when Chiawana visits Hanford on April 4.

At first glance, it seems like the teams to beat will be Richland, Hanford an Chiawana.

• Defending 1A state champion Royal got off to a rousing start when it swept Cashmere 15-5 and 20-13 in a 1A SCAC twinbill on March 15.
• Keep an eye out on March 28 when Warden visits River View at 3 p.m.

College basketball

Analee Coronado (Othello) helped the Central Washington University women’s basketball team qualify for the NCAA D2 women’s tournament — going 2-1.

The Wildcats beat Point Loma 74-53 on March 14, then took down Chico State 79-73, before losing to top region seed Cal State Dominguez Hills 70-47 on March 17.

The sophomore Coronado averaged 7.2 points and had 80 assists for the 23-8 Wildcats.

College tennis

Freshman Matthew Morrison (Richland) is 4-7 in No. 1 singles play so far this season for the Whitworth University men’s tennis team.

In a 6-1 team loss to Lewis-Clark State College March 8, Morrison got LCSC’s lone win at No. 1 singles, winning 7-6 (7-3), 6-0.

Prep swimming

Last month, Walla Walla junior Noah Stillman snared a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A 100 backstroke finals at the WIAA boys state swimming and diving championships in Federal Way.

Stillman crossed the finish line in 52.59 seconds.

Stillman also anchored the Blue Devils’ 400 free relay team to a seventh-place finish in the finals.

Junior Eli Bona, senior Jerry Yao, and senior Jake Buratto teamed with Stillman for a time of 3 minutes, 15.71 seconds.

Richland senior Cody Cowin earned a sixth-place finish in the Class 4A boys’ 100 backstroke final, with a time of 50.53 seconds.

And in the 2A meet, Prosser junior Gabe Petroff finished seventh in the 100 freestyle final with a time of 51.20 seconds.

College baseball

Walla Walla High School graduate Colby Watilo will be the new manager this summer for the Walla Walla Sweets’ West Coast League baseball team.

Watilo is currently the pitching coach at Whitman College.

He takes over for Jarrod Molnaa, a Kennewick High grad who managed the Sweets the past two seasons. Molnaa is the head coach of the Walla Walla Community College baseball team.

The Sweets open their WCL schedule on May 30 on the road against the Springfield Drifters.

Prep golf

Southridge senior Riley Brandt is off to a host start in girls golf.

Brandt has two tournament wins (Hanford Invite, and Meadow Springs Country Club) and a second-place finish at Big River in Hermiston. And it’s not even April yet.

In those three events, Brandt is averaging 78.

Coaching changes

Chiawana announced a few new head coaches recently.

Chanda Baie has been named to succeed Jim Steach in the volleyball program, while Aaron Cantu takes over the very successful girls slowpitch softball program. Brian Thomas stepped down as head coach after leading the Riverhawks to four consecutive state championships.