EUGENE – Coming off the program's first sub-.500 season, Ridgeview returned to the top of 5A softball Saturday.
Behind the pitching of sophomore Brezlyn Hagemeister and an opportunistic offense, the top-seeded Ravens cruised past No. 2 Thurston 9-0 in the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 5A final at the University of Oregon.
The championship comes six years after coach Sandy Fischer, who started the program in 2013, led the team to its first championship. Ridgeview rebounded from going 10-12 last season to finish 27-1.
“This team all year has just played well,” Fischer said. “There hasn't been a lot of problems. We didn't veer from things, we just kind of stayed on our path. They did a wonderful job.”
How does this year's team compare with the 2019 champions?
“They're two totally different teams,” Fischer said. “Kids after the pandemic were a little different than kids before the pandemic, so we had to be aware of that. They took a lot of responsibility on themselves, which made my job easier.”
Hagemeister pitched a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts and three walks against the heavy-hitting Colts (23-6), who scored 45 runs in their first three playoff games. It was the 10th shutout of the season for Hagemeister, who struck out 272 batters in 162 innings this season.
“I'm so proud of us and how far we've come,” Hagemeister said. “I just can't wait for next year, even though we're losing our seniors. It's just such an amazing feeling right now.”
The evolution of Hagemeister took Ridgeview to another level. She allowed three runs in four playoff games.
“She's 100 percent better than she was last year,” Fischer said. “She's grown up, she's matured. She's gotten more command, mentally and physically. She's not perfect, but really good.”
Hagemeister credited Fischer, Oklahoma State's coach for 23 seasons, with her development.
“She means so much to me, because she's a pitcher, too, and I just look up to her so much,” Hagemeister said. “She's a good role model for me. I honestly wouldn't be here without her. She's such a good role model with all the girls on the team.”
Ridgeview senior shortstop Brooklyn Lick, committed to play at Bushnell next season, praised Hagemeister, who also batted .500 with 43 RBIs on the year.
“Without Brezlyn, our season would've been completely different,” Lick said. “She's been really strong for us in the circle and at the plate all year.”
The Ravens rapped 10 hits off Thurston senior pitcher Kasey Ogan. Lick went 3 for 4 with a double, triple and an RBI. Senior Anahi Ornelas-Diaz went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Sophomore Kasidy Osborn and junior Josie Hopper each drove in two runs.
Ridgeview opened the scoring in the first inning when sophomore pinch-runner Caydence Marshall scored on a wild pitch.
The Ravens pulled away with a five-run second inning, aided by three Thurston errors. The first run scored on a throwing error and the second came home on an RBI groundout by Hopper. Ridgeview got three consecutive RBI hits – a double by Hagemeister, a triple by Lick and a double by Ornelas-Diaz – to push the lead to 6-0.
“In the first couple innings, we came out really strong,” Hagemeister said. “When we do that, it really sparks our offense, and our defense just gets even better with all those plays that we had.”
Hopper made it 7-0 in the third inning with a sacrifice fly. The Ravens tacked on two runs in the sixth inning on a two-run double by Osborn.
The Ravens opened the season 22-0 before an 11-6 loss at Mountain View in an Intermountain Conference game May 14.
“I think it kind of reset our brains that we need to just keep pushing, keep working hard,” Lick said. “I think honestly it did make us better. It helped us coming into the playoffs strong with a fresh mentality.”
Ridgeview lived up to the No. 1 seed, outscoring its four playoff opponents 20-3.
“Anytime you're going in as one of the higher seeds, those are the people you want to knock down,” Lick said. “So we were having to defend our spot a little bit, but I think we did really well.”
Thurston's offense couldn't get untracked in the team's first-ever state final. Senior Gaby Montes had two of the team's three hits.
jerryu@osaa.org
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