WALLA WALLA - After ensuring a regional playoff berth on Tuesday with a big win over Walla Walla, the Moses Lake Chiefs fell 13-5 to the Richland Bombers in the Big 9 District Championship game, 13-5, on Saturday.

They then dropped an 11-8 decision to Walla Walla to end up as the third seed out of the Big 9 when the regional tournament begins tomorrow against Greater Spokane League No. 2 seed Mead at 1 p.m. in a loser out game at Richland High School.

Against Richland it was the Chiefs' (9-15) inability to stop Richland's small ball play that hurt.

"We failed to get outs on the bunts and that really cost us," Moses Lake interim head coach Quintz Whitaker said. "We need to expect that and get the outs when they give em' to us."  

Deven Juarez and Matt Noyola each had two hits to lead the Moses Lake offense.

In the seeding game loss to Walla Walla, Moses Lake trailed 9-2 but rallied for six runs in the top half of the fifth before their rally ran out of gas.

The Chiefs had 12 hits led by Tony Hernandez and Juarez, with both having two.

"We will be ready for Tuesday," Whitaker said. "I fully plan on us moving on to the next round, these boys have been resilient all season I wouldn't expect it to be any different now."