West Linn softball coach Gina Garvey remembers the first glimpse of her current seniors a few years ago.
“The very first time they walked into open field in the offseason, I looked at them, and I was like, 'Oh, the next four years, something might come of it,'” Garvey said.
The class has delivered in a big way, helping the Lions to a school-record 23 wins and 6A quarterfinal runs in each of the last two seasons. And this year, before six of them head off to start college careers, the seniors are motivated to deliver West Linn its first state championship.
After rapping a combined 32 hits in back-to-back 13-3 wins over Lake Oswego and Tigard this week, the Lions are 18-2 overall, 10-0 in the Three Rivers League. They are ranked No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 6A coaches poll.
“They're inspiring each other, they're pushing each other,” Garvey said. “It's just a constant, 'We want this season to be the best season that West Linn has ever had.' There are phenomenal players in every single spot. There's not a weak spot in our defense, in our hitting.”
West Linn believed it had a chance at its first title last season but fell at Sherwood 3-1 in the quarterfinals. Sherwood went on to win its first state championship.
“That one hurt quite a bit,” Garvey said. “It was hard to lose to them. We wish we wouldn't have been in the same bracket because I think if we were in opposite brackets, we probably would've been in the final with them. It was just unfortunate that we lost to them. But knowing that I was going to have seven seniors coming back, I knew we were going to be good again this year.”
West Linn's two losses have come by one run. The Lions fell at Hamilton (Ariz.) 4-3 on a spring break trip and lost at No. 2 Sherwood 5-4 on April 10. Against Sherwood, they came from behind twice to tie but gave up the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“We had some weird errors that were very uncharacteristic for our team,” Garvey said of the loss. “That was probably the worst game we've played all season, and we still almost came back and won that one.
“Just from last year, that being the game that got us out, the girls just came in almost scared. They did not play like themselves, whatsoever.”
The Lions rebounded from that loss with 10 consecutive league wins. The pitching trio of juniors Avery Wolf and Meadow Sanborn and freshman Emily Rucker has been consistently effective, the defense has been steady and the offense has been explosive.
West Linn has a powerful middle of the batting order with senior third baseman Mckayla Castro (.408, five home runs, 27 RBIs), senior catcher Piper Ruthrauff (.362, five home runs, 22 RBIs) and senior shortstop Emily Sakys (.355, five home runs, 27 RBIs). Castro was the league player of the year in 2025.
“If they get a hold of a ball, that thing is rocked,” Garvey said. “When they're feeling it, they're feeling it.”
Senior outfielders Kendall Atwood (.493, 13 RBIs) and Vivienne McGraw (.429, 15 RBIs) set the table at the top of the order. Wolf (.417, three home runs, 13 RBIs) and senior outfielder Claire Lenarduzzi (.446, 13 RBIs) also are producing.
The deep pitching staff is a luxury for the Lions. Wolf, the ace the last two seasons, has struck out 78 in a team-high 57 innings and has a 1.60 ERA. Sanborn, who came on strong late last season, has fanned 58 in 37 1/3 innings and carries a 2.63 ERA. Rucker has thrown 34 2/3 innings, struck out 56 and has a 1.21 ERA.
“We have the biggest advantage in the Three Rivers League just because we have three great pitchers, where all other teams have one good pitcher,” Garvey said. “The second time through league, we kind of feel more comfortable because we've seen pitchers.”
The seniors committed to college programs are Atwood (Boise State), Sakys (Miami of Ohio), Ruthrauff (Odessa College), Castro (Cal State San Marcos), Lenarduzzi (Wisconsin-La Crosse) and McGraw (UC Colorado Springs).
This season marks the end not only for a transformational class, but also for Garvey, who will step down after the season. She plans to move back to her home state of Arizona.
Highlights from this week:
Grant vaulted over Cleveland into first place in the 6A Portland Interscholastic League with a 5-3 road win over the Warriors on Tuesday. Senior Margot Kalmanson hit a three-run homer in the third inning to open a 4-0 lead for the Generals. Junior Hazel Heron tossed a six-hitter to earn the win. … No. 7 Mountainside strengthened its hold on first place in the 6A Metro League by turning back No. 8 Jesuit 5-1 at home Wednesday. Freshman Tenley Jukkala went 4 for 4 with a double and senior Natalie Kawaguchi went 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Senior Skylar Hins pitched five scoreless innings, allowing one hit, fanning five and walking two. …
No. 2 Sherwood handed No. 4 Forest Grove its first loss in the 6A Pacific Conference, beating the Vikings 8-1 at home Tuesday. Senior Daisha Cornwell went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and senior Maisy Schindler had a triple and two RBIs for the Bowmen. Sophomore Presley Sarono-Ramos held Forest Grove to three hits over six innings, striking out six. … Eagle Point won a first-place showdown at No. 2 Crater in a 5A Midwestern League game Tuesday, prevailing 7-4 in eight innings. Senior Brylee Leonardo went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, hitting a run-scoring single in a four-run eighth inning. Junior Riley Jacoby homered and drove in two runs. The Eagles (9-1 in league) play host to Crater (8-2) in a doubleheader Friday. …
No. 3 The Dalles/Dufur defeated No. 6 Estacada twice this week to open a two-game lead over the Rangers atop the 4A Tri-Valley Conference. Junior Cadence Young went 3 for 4 with a double and five RBIs and junior Morgan Donivan and senior Hailey Jonnston hit homers in a 9-6 home win Monday. Senior Ava Graves went 5 for 5 and Donivan went 3 for 5 with a double, home run and three RBIs in a 12-2 road win Wednesday. … No. 8 Cascade leads Stayton by two games in the 4A Oregon West Conference after a 10-4 home win over the Eagles on Thursday. The Cougars overcame a 4-0, third-inning deficit and finished with 14 hits, led by sophomore Maddy Tingle (2 for 4, home run, four RBIs) and senior Cassidy Crabtree (3 for 5). …
No. 5 Marist Catholic erupted for 12 runs in the first two innings and went on to a 13-3, six-inning win at No. 7 North Bend/Reedsport in a key 4A Sky-Em League game Tuesday. Sophomore Bridget Stephenson had three RBIs for the Spartans, who improved to 7-0 in league and dropped the Bulldogs to 3-1. North Bend visits Marist Catholic for a doubleheader Friday. … Vale, No. 2 in the OSAAtoday 3A coaches poll, improved to 19-0 by holding off 4A Baker 8-7 on the road Tuesday. Freshman Sophia Navarrete allowed two runs over six innings – striking out 16 and walking none – and went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs. Baker drew within 8-7 on a solo homer by junior Colbi Bachman with one out in the bottom of the seventh but the Vikings closed it out.
jerryu@osaa.org
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