LACEY – The Everett softball team is heading where the Seagulls have wanted to go all year.
The 3A state championship.
Sydney Taggart hit a solo home run to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh and Gabby Koehler drove in the game-winning RBI on a single to center field as Everett defeated Kamiakin 6-5 in a walk-off, come-from-behind victory Saturday morning at the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.
The Seagulls’ victory ensured there will be a new 3A state softball champion this season after Everett knocked off three-time defending state champ Kamiakin to punch its ticket to the 3A title game at 1:30 p.m. at the RAC against Juanita.
“I’ve been playing with these girls since I started and we finally made it here. I don’t even know how to feel yet,” Koehler said. “It hasn’t hit me. We’re finally here. We’ve been working our whole lives together to get to this moment and we’re finally here.”
Koehler was 2-for-4 in the game but no hit was bigger than her single in the seventh. After Kamiakin scored two runs to take the lead in the top of the seventh, Taggart led off the bottom half of the inning by crushing a ball to right center field.
Megan Gordon, who went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, reached base on an infield single and one batter later Koehler drove her in for the winning run.
“Gabby has been a clutch player her whole career here,” said Everett head coach Mike Millar. “That is one of many game-winning hits she’s had for us.”
Once the game was won, Koehler’s focus immediately became getting to home plate to join in on the celebration as quickly as she could.
“I actually dove over one of my players to get to home plate,” she said.
Taggart, who struck out 10 batters in the game, earned the win on the mound and improved to 16-0 this season. Everett (24-1 overall) led most of the way before Kamiakin (18-7) tied the game at three with a three-run fifth inning.
Everett retook the lead in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Bailey Formon-Haynes before Kamiakin’s seventh-inning rally forced Everett to come from behind in its final at bat.
“When I went (to the plate) I knew Sydney had my back so I had to have her back,” Koehler said. “So I just relaxed and hit it. … We’re so stoked. Our coach has been working us hard and we are finally here.”
“It feels amazing,” Millar added. “At the first practice of the year, for all the teams in the state, this is your ultimate goal. We’ve made it to the finish line and now we’re going to see if we can finish.”
At Regional Athletic Complex
Kamiakin 000 030 2 – 5 5 3
Everett 201 001 2 – 6 9 3
Emiley Moore, Baylee Day (7) and Tawny Becker. Sydney Taggart and Rachel Christensen. WP–Taggart (16-0). LP–Moore. 2B–Becker (K). HR–Taggart (E). Records–Kamiakin 18-7 overall. Everett 25-1.
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