Softball cannot get started at Tonasket

The Lady Raiders took on Tonasket in fastpitch action there March 19.

LR could not get on the board, and ended up being ten-runned in the fifth inning 10-0.

The Raider girls, said Head Coach Jamie Lezard, “did not play to their abilities. Once again, we had some mental errors on defense and offensively we left some runs out on base paths, and we cannot do that if we’re going to be a competitive team.”

The Lady Raiders did have some success, however. Lezard commented that Riley Epperson in center field was “catching everything hit her way.” And Twila Monaghan and Savannah Kentner provided offense, going .500 at the plate, giving the team the chance to score.

Lezard is looking at the lull between now and the next outing on April 6 in Davenport as a chance to work on the issues that contributed to the three losses.

“We as a team need to work on confidence,” he said. “During the week’s practice, the team looks very good, and everyone is on the same page, defensively clicking, making all the right plays and playing to abilities. Not sure what’s happening on game day” when the Lady Raiders look “like a totally different team playing, not the same team that practiced all week.”

Over the next two weeks, the team needs to “figure out how to bring it all together, so team plays like they practice,” Lezard said. “Once we do that, we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”

The Lady Raiders play the Gorillas at Davenport April 6 in a doubleheader starting at noon. They then travel to Pateros for a Central Washington B League opener against the Nannies, who made state playoffs last year. The Lady Raiders will finally have a home game on April 13 as they take on the Manson Trojans in doubleheader action.