MOSES LAKE - A year removed from falling one win short from advancing to the state tournament, Moses Lake baseball is ready to take the next step in the postseason.

In last year's district tournament the Chiefs were able to advance to the championship game after beating Eastmont, 2-1, before seeing their state berth slip away after a 5-2 loss to the Wenatchee Panthers.

The stakes are high this season with two state tournament berths available out of Moses Lake's district.

"Ultimately our goal is to make it to the state tournament," head coach Quintz Whitaker said.

The Chiefs will have to replace 11 players from last year's team, but Whitaker feels like the team has a strong balance with seven juniors and seven seniors on the varsity roster.

On losing 11 seniors, "I don't think it's going to have a huge effect," Whitaker said. "One thing we do have this year is good leadership."

Whitaker opined that defending district champion Wenatchee will be the Chiefs' toughest competition this season. Moses Lake will look to challenge the Panthers with key contributors Chase Tunstall, Drew Loera and Brett Moser.

Tunstall, a senior captain who is entering his third year on varsity, will be Moses Lake's primary hurler. Loera was an all-conference third baseman a year ago and Moser will be a key cog offensively and defensively at shortstop.

Moses Lake will travel to the Tri-Cities to face Southridge and Walla Walla at the Southridge Jamboree on Saturday before its home opener against Mt. Spokane 4 p.m. March 18 at Larson Field.