MOSES LAKE - What amounted to a doubleheader to decide sixth place in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) East Division and further proof of the Big Bend Lady Vikings softball program's development turned into a glass half full even if some of it was empty.

The Lady Vikings ultimately split with Yakima Valley Community College on Saturday and thus finished a game behind their opponent in the East.

However, Big Bend did end their breakout season with a 10-1 trouncing of YVCC to wrap up the 2011 campaign.

Big Bend completed the season with a 19-23 overall record and 9-9 in the NWAACC while YVCC finished 10-8 in league play.

Big Bend won a total of eight games in 2010 to their bump in wins shows just under a 150 percent improvement from the previous campaign.

"I just have to say that I am very proud I am of these kids," Big Bend head coach Jeremy Iverson said. "They worked hard every day, and kept playing right to the end even though we were not heading to playoffs."

The top four teams from the East join 12 other teams at the NWAACC Tournament next week.

In game one, Big Bend led 2-0 after four innings and were riding strong behind the pitching of Shantel McCashland.

Eventually, YVCC pecked away to tie the game at 2-2 before ultimately taking the lead for good with a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to earn the win.

Big Bend was held to only five hits with Britney Miller hitting a home run in the fourth inning.

In the nightcap, the Lady Vikings' bats got connected and belted 10 hits as Big Bend wrapped up the game with an eight-run fifth inning to enact the mercy rule and close out the win. 

"We were kicking along up 2-1 when the bats got hot and we got those eight runs," Iverson said. "We weren't able to get our bats going earlier during the first game."

Erika Hanson and Jessica Wald each hit a homerun and McCashland earned the win with a five inning, three-hit performance.

Hanson also finished with a team high three hits.