Everett Stays Hot, Advances to Final Three

Portland, OR - The Trojans stayed hot during the NWAC tournament, defeating Walla Walla 7-5 and punching their ticket to the Final Three.  Both teams entered the tournament playing their best softball; EvCC winners of 8 of their previous 9 contests while Walla Walla had won 7 of their last 8.  It was Everett who got on the board first with an Emma Hansen solo home run. She was nearly unstoppable at the plate, launching two home runs in the game.  She now has 17 home runs on the season which ties two other Trojans for the most in a single season at EvCC.  One of those athletes being Emma's sister Izzy Hansen who played for EvCC 2021-2023.

Shayne Hoekendorf also came up big with three RBIs, including a two-run single that broke the game wide open in the third inning. The Trojans racked up 11 hits, with contributions from nearly every spot in the lineup, showing their depth and discipline. Olivia Boures and Ava Puaatuua added crucial runs, keeping the pressure on the Warrior's starting pitcher.

In the circle for Everett, Alissa Hermansen went the distance, holding WWCC to just four earned runs and worked out of a jam in the top of the 7th when she struck out the final batter with two runners in scoring position.  She finished the game with six strikeouts, and bumped her career total of strikeouts to 271 (second all time at EvCC).

Everett will face their tallest test of the tournament, on Saturday morning clashing with undefeated Lower Columbia College who boasts a 46-0 record.  As the only two unbeaten teams of the tournament, either team would remain alive following a loss but would need to face the winner of Wenatchee Valley or Columbia Basin later in the day.  The winner of that game would advance to face the winner of Everett/Lower Columbia in the Championship game on Sunday.