22-05-2025
State softball preview: Ferguson, Tumwater T-Birds earn 2A's No. 1 seed
Ella Ferguson hears the lofty claim from former coaches, parents, and fans alike — this year's Tumwater softball team is the strongest and most-complete roster in school history.
It's high praise for a program with three state titles in the trophy case. The T-Birds hoisted 2A's first-place trophy in 2022 and finished runner-up last spring, a perennial contender with their ace pitcher healthy for one last ride.
'I've never cherished a team the way that I do with them,' Ferguson told The News Tribune, a senior and Sacramento State signee. 'This is our last run. We have nothing left to give.'
The 2A Evergreen and District 4 champions are the state tournament's No. 1 seed this weekend at Carlon Park in Selah, a chance for Tumwater to claim its fourth title on Ferguson's farewell tour. First-year head coach Shaunie Kennedy and the T-Birds experienced brief, early bumps in the road, but Ferguson is peaking in the postseason as a dual-threat — one of six Tumwater hitters with an OPS over 1.000.
'I told them when I came in, I'm not coming in like a wrecking ball,' Kennedy said. 'I'm going to put pieces of the puzzle together where I feel that we're going to succeed the most, and then help you take all your tools in your toolbelt and sharpen (them).'
When Tumwater finished indoor hitting drills at Wednesday's final practice, Kennedy took her team onto their home field one last time. Four years of Ferguson's memories rushed back: the walk-offs, the highlight-reel plays, and the tears. It stung, she admitted. But it lit a fire underneath the state's top seed, too.
In 16 appearances this spring, the overpowering right-hander is 10-2 with a 1.36 ERA, recording 136 strikeouts to 39 walks with a rise-ball opponents have yet to crack. Ferguson no-hit rival Black Hills in a six-inning gem (0 BB, 10 K) on April 9 and saved perhaps her best performance for last weekend's District 4 championship, blanking Mark Morris via complete-game one-hitter (14 K).
Ferguson missed the season's first two weeks with a back injury, but sophomore southpaw Sarah Stevens shouldered the load as an overqualified second option (9-0, 2.86 ERA) in the early going, including a 10-strikeout win over Seattle Christian on March 17.
'We're going into (state) with our heads held high,' Ferguson said. 'We're super, super confident. And I'm confident in the girls one-through-nine on our team. I feel like some pitchers have a really good catcher or really good pitcher, but one-through-nine are rock solid.
'We've been working so hard, and I think we're ready.'
Just how potent is this year's Tumwater team? Ferguson leads qualified T-Birds hitters in batting average (.488), on-base percentage (.522) and slugging (.930). Senior catcher Jaime Haase is the primary run creator with 16 extra-base hits and 41 RBI, and Stevens launched a Tumwater-best seven home runs this spring.
Sophie Skillman (.442 AVG), Brielle Womach (.412), and Megan Barrett (.375) stacked the 2A Evergreen's best lineup, an offense that averaged more than nine runs per game in the regular season. Ferguson sympathizes with Kennedy, responsible for ordering a lineup lacking a true weakness.
'Honestly, I know how hard it is for Coach to make lineup sometimes,' Ferguson said, 'because the statistics and everything are just so close.'
And when Tumwater (19-3) drops the occasional game, few teams are better at bouncing back. The T-Birds have enjoyed separate six-game win streaks following every loss this season, including an active seven-game stretch that rolls into the state bracket. They're four wins away from another title.
'(We) don't 'lose.' Even though we lost a game, I'm going to make sure my team learned from that game,' Kennedy said. 'We've come back in, we've regrouped, we've worked on the things that we weren't accomplishing and adjusting to, and we've made adjustments and come back out hungry.
'I'll just tell them: 'When you step in that box, that's your home, and you're going to protect that when you're up there.' We're going to come in confident, we're going to attack our pitches, and we're going to make adjustments. ... We're going to swing for whatever kind of pitch we're getting.'
Tumwater's quest for the 2A title begins Friday morning in Selah, paired with No. 16 Nathan Hale for an 11 a.m. first pitch in the Round of 16. With a win, No. 8 Franklin Pierce or No. 9 Lynden in the state quarterfinals looms next.
'We have something to prove,' Ferguson said. 'We have something to finish.'
4A | 3A | 2A | 1A | 2B | 1B
OPENING ROUND (May 23)
No. 11 Emerald Ridge vs. No. 6 Tahoma, 9 a.m.
No. 14 Moses Lake vs. No. 3 Issaquah, 9 a.m.
No. 10 Rogers (Puyallup) vs. No. 7 Hanford, 9 a.m.
No. 15 Lake Stevens vs. No. 2 Richland, 9 a.m.
No. 12 Eastmont vs. No. 5 North Creek, 11 a.m.
No. 13 Jackson vs. No. 4 Skyline, 11 a.m.
No. 9 Glacier Peak vs. No. 8 Graham-Kapowsin, 11 a.m.
No. 16 Yelm vs. No. 1 Skyview, 11 a.m.
QUARTERFINALS (May 23)
Emerald Ridge/Tahoma vs. Moses Lake/Issaquah, 5 p.m.
Rogers/Hanford vs. Lake Stevens/Richland, 5 p.m.
Eastmont/North Creek vs. Jackson/Skyline, 5 p.m.
Glacier Peak/Graham-Kapowsin vs. Yelm/Skyview, 5 p.m.
SEMIFINALS — May 24 at 11 a.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP — May 24 at 4 p.m.
OPENING ROUND (May 22)
No. 19 Hermiston vs. No. 14 Auburn Mountainview, 3 p.m.
No. 18 Inglemoor vs. No. 15 Kelso, 3 p.m.
No. 20 Southridge vs. No. 13 Peninsula, 3 p.m.
No. 17 Roosevelt vs. No. 16 Edmonds-Woodway, 3 p.m.
ROUND OF 16 (May 23)
No. 11 Timberline vs. No. 6 Liberty, 9 a.m.
Hermiston/Auburn Mountainview vs. No. 3 Enumclaw, 9 a.m.
No. 10 Snohomish vs. No. 7 Gig Harbor, 9 a.m.
Inglemoor/Kelso vs. No. 2 Mount Spokane, 9 a.m.
No. 12 Monroe vs. No. 5 Ballard, 11 a.m.
Southridge/Peninsula vs. No. 4 Sedro-Woolley, 11 a.m.
No. 9 Prairie vs. No. 8 Garfield, 11 a.m.
Roosevelt/Edmonds-Woodway vs. No. 1 Stanwood, 11 a.m.
QUARTERFINALS — May 23 at 3:30 p.m.
SEMIFINALS — May 24 at 10 a.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP — May 24 at 2:30 p.m.
OPENING ROUND (May 23)
No. 11 Woodland vs. No. 6 East Valley, 9 a.m.
No. 14 Cedarcrest vs. No. 3 Port Angeles, 9 a.m.
No. 10 Archbishop Murphy vs. No. 7 Selah, 9 a.m.
No. 15 Evergreen vs. No. 2 Mark Morris, 9 a.m.
No. 12 Ephrata vs. No. 5 Olympic, 11 a.m.
No. 13 Kingston vs. No. 4 Aberdeen, 11 a.m.
No. 9 Lynden vs. No. 8 Franklin Pierce, 11 a.m.
No. 16 Nathan Hale vs. No. 1 Tumwater, 11 a.m.
QUARTERFINALS — May 23 at 3:30 p.m.
SEMIFINALS — May 24 at 10 a.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP — May 24 at 2:30 p.m.
OPENING ROUND (May 22)
No. 11 Connell vs. No. 6 Klahowya, 3 p.m.
No. 10 Cashmere vs. No. 7 Rochester, 3 p.m.
No. 12 Naches Valley vs. No. 5 Elma, 3 p.m.
No. 9 Lynden Christian vs. No. 8 Kiona-Benton, 3 p.m.
QUARTERFINALS (May 23)
Connell/Klahowya vs. No. 3 Cedar Park Christian, 1 p.m.
Cashmere/Rochester vs. No. 2 Royal, 1 p.m.
Naches Valley/Elma vs. No. 4 Seton Catholic, 1 p.m.
Lynden Christian/Kiona-Benton vs. No. 1 Montesano, 1 p.m.
SEMIFINALS — May 24 at 9 a.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP — May 24 at 4 p.m.
OPENING ROUND (May 23)
No. 11 Napavine vs. No. 6 Kittitas, 10 a.m.
No. 14 Warden vs. No. 3 Adna, 10 a.m.
No. 10 River View vs. No. 7 Coupeville, 10 a.m.
No. 15 Colfax vs. No. 2 Pe Ell/Willapa Valley, 10 a.m.
No. 12 Toledo vs. No. 5 Liberty, 12 p.m.
No. 13 Tonasket vs. No. 4 Raymond-South Bend, 12 p.m.
No. 9 Northwest Christian vs. No. 8 Cle Elum-Roslyn, 12 p.m.
No. 16 Lake Roosevelt vs. No. 1 Freeman, 12 p.m.
QUARTERFINALS — May 23 at 6 p.m.
SEMIFINALS — May 24 at 11 a.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP — May 24 at 3:30 p.m.
OPENING ROUND (May 23)
No. 11 Mary Walker vs. No. 6 Darrington, 8 a.m.
No. 10 Ocosta vs. No. 7 Sunnyside Christian, 8 a.m.
No. 12 Muckleshoot Tribal vs. No. 5 Colton, 8 a.m.
No. 9 Naselle vs. No. 8 Dayton, 8 a.m.
QUARTERFINALS (May 23)
Mary Walker/Darrington vs. No. 3 Inchelium, 2 p.m.
Ocosta/Sunnyside Christian vs. No. 2 Liberty Christian, 2 p.m.
Muckleshoot Tribal/Colton vs. No. 4 Almira Coulee Hartline, 2 p.m.
Naselle/Dayton vs. No. 1 DeSales, 2 p.m.
SEMIFINALS — May 24 at 11 a.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP — May 24 at 3:30 p.m.
