Season Finale at Delta Park
The 2024 softball season came to an end on Thursday evening after two heartbreaking losses, 3-4 to #5 ranked Spokane and 8-9 to north division foe Douglas College...
May 17, 2024
Portland, OR - The 2024 softball season came to an end on Thursday evening after two heartbreaking losses, 3-4 to #5 ranked Spokane and 8-9 to north division foe Douglas College who seemed to have the Trojans' number this year, winning four out of five matchups this season. Sixteen teams from across the NWAC met up at Delta Park in Portland, OR for a four day, double elimination tournament.
In the opening game against Spokane, Everett fell behind 2-0 after the first inning, but came back to score a run in the 3rd inning. With two runners on and two outs, Emma Hansen delivered with a single to bring home Ava Puaatuua who led off the inning with a single and was advanced to second by Gracie Salverda's single. Spokane answered back in the bottom half of the 3rd and 4th with one run apiece to push the lead out to 4-1.
In the 5th, sophomore Avery Olson doubled and was brought home by an Alli Wilson RBI single. The Trojans struck again for a run in the 6th when Puaatuua got her second hit of the game and drove in Layna Cowin. Starting pitcher Alissa Hermansen was able to hold Spokane scoreless in the 5th and 6th to give the Trojans a shot in the 7th, trailing by only a run. Everett got the tying run on base but could not bring her home. Hermansen finished the game with 6 strikeouts and giving up 3 earned runs in six innings pitched. The Trojans combined for 7 hits, just two less than Spokane but left 7 runners on base which ended up being the difference.
In a loser out game vs Douglas College, the Trojans once again had to play catch up giving up a run in the first inning, but responded in the bottom of the first with two runs of their own thanks to Avery Olson's two run homer (her third HR of the season). Douglas put up a run in the 3rd, which EvCC answered in the bottom half of the inning.
The game nearly got out of hand after errors piled up for the Trojans in the 4th inning, and DC put up 4 runs to take a 6-3 lead. Everett showed heart and clawed back to score three runs in the 4th and two more in the 5th to take an 8-6 lead however a 2 error inning in the 6th gave up 3 runs to put them down a run going into the 7th. Again, EvCC got the tying run aboard, after an Alli Wilson drew a walk, but she could not be brought home, and the Trojan season concluded with the one run defeat.
While a deeper run in the playoffs was hoped for, the Trojans have much to celebrate, making the NWAC playoffs for the third consecutive season. Head Coach Randy Smith who just completed his 22nd season has taken his teams to the playoffs 16 times, and would have taken them for a 17th time in 2021 if it weren't for an abbreviated COVID season that did not host playoffs.
Nine Trojans were named to All North Region Teams. Alissa Hermansen, Emma Hansen, Layna Cowin, Alli Wilson, and Taryn Takayoshi each made first team while Ava Puaatuua, Gracie Salverda, Olivia Boures, and Avery Olson made second team honors.
Two freshmen had stellar seasons at the plate and made their way onto some EvCC All Time Lists. Emma Hansen finished the season with 60 hits, tied for 5th all time at EvCC in a single season, and Taryn Takayoshi finished with 58 hits, tied for 9th all time. Hansen also had 18 doubles (tied for 3rd at EvCC) and 5 triples (tied for 1st at EvCC). The pair also found their way to the top 10 in single season RBI's, Takayoshi with 58 (6th), and Hansen with 52 (tied 7th). Takayoshi also finished the season with a .556 on base percentage which ranks 4th at EvCC.
Transfer sophomore Gracie Salverda finished with 17 stolen bases which ranks tied for second all time at EvCC, and sophomore catcher Alli Wilson who had two seasons at EvCC finished 4th in career runs scored (89), and 3rd in career walks (45). She also has a career batting average and on base percentage of .405 and .500 respectively which both rank 10th.
Two other sophomores finished their two year career at EvCC. Avery Olson had 75 career hits, 26 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 46 RBI'sand had a .387 average. Layna Cowin had 47 career hits, 16 doubles, 2 home runs, 36 RBI's, and a .353 average.
As a whole the team has performed most impressively in the classroom with multiple team members earning spots on the academic honor roll, and for the year has a cumulative team GPA of 3.50, the highest among all athletic teams at EvCC.