MOSES LAKE — Brooke Richardson was the Offensive Player of the Year in the Columbia Basin Big Nine during fastpitch softball season in the spring.

Now, imagine the ball moving immeasurably slower toward her bat.

Moses Lake added slowpitch softball this fall and Richardson highlights a few of the varsity holdovers from fastpitch ready to usher in the new program.

“I’m excited for it just because it will be a team builder and we’ll work on our defense a lot more, time that we don’t get during the winter,” she said. “I think it will be good for us.”

The Columbia Basin Big Nine (CBBN) became the third league in Washington to add fastpitch softball, joining the Greater Spokane League and the Greater St. Helens League. All schools in the CBBN added the sport except for Eastmont and Sunnyside. The month long season ends with a league tournament.

“I kind of had a heads up that it was coming down the pike,” head coach Mike Hofheins said. “The GSL has been doing it for — this is their 11th year if I’m not mistaken. The coaches that I know up there and have talked to rave about it, just the opportunity to quote-unquote coach the same girls in another season for an extended seven weeks ... to work with the core of our team for another seven or eight weeks is huge.”

Defense is at a premium in slowpitch. Pitch contact is almost a guarantee.

The main differences, other than pitch delivery, is there are 10 defenders and a foul ball after two strikes is an out.

There are no dominant pitchers. Outs are earned.

“Most teams play four outfielders or a rover, whatever you want to call it,” Hofheins said. “That’s it. The defensive work is so valuable. We’re out her four to five days a week taking reps, which most girls don’t have the opportunity to do that all fall.”

Despite the lack of a district or state tournament, the competitive edge is still with the Chiefs. Varsity fastpitch players are used to winning; the weather might be different, but the attitude is the same.

“As Hofheins always says, ‘We’re in it to compete and we’re in it to win every single game,’” Richardson said.

Moses Lake begins its season with a home doubleheader against West Valley on Thursday. All games are played at Moses Lake High School and the opener against the Rams is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.