Depth, fun team spirit has Ridgefield softball team headed in right direction ahead of rematch with Mark Morris

RIDGEFIELD - Greg Ferguson has a problem.

But it's the kind of problem that a lot of coaches would like to have - too many good players, not enough spots in the lineup card.

"It's just great all the way through to have, you know, 14 players that can play anytime, any position, anywhere," the Ridgefield softball coach said. "It almost kind of stinks because they don't all get in to hit all the time."

But lately, when the Spudders get into the game, they hit.

That was the case Friday afternoon when eight different Spudders recorded a hit as Ridgefield beat Columbia River 10-0 in five innings.

The victory moved the Spudders into a tie for second place in the 2A Greater St. Helens League with River at 7-2.

It also avenged a 5-4 loss to the Rapids on March 31.

"Last game, it was not us," senior pitcher Faith Smith said. "This game, we just came in calm. We were pressing last game. And we were able to get the job done."

Senior catcher Casey Lehnertz added: "It definitely feels a lot freer .. in the field when we have some safety runs."

Smith and Lehnertz are two of five seniors on the roster who were with the program in 2023 when Ridgefield reached the 2A state championship game.

But the Spudders also have five sophomores making contributions who were still finding their way early in the season, Ferguson said.

"Anytime out there, we've got three, four, five starters that are sophomores," Ferguson said. "And then there's the seniors leading them, teaching them and making them feel comfortable. You know they can make mistakes and no one is going to get down on them because they're just sophomores."

Following the earlier loss to River, Ridgefield fell 3-1 to first-place Mark Morris, dropping the Spudders into an early hole in the 2A GSHL.

But since then, the Spudders have won six straight games, allowing only three runs in those wins.

And that's a credit to Smith in the circle. Smith allowed only three hits in a talented River lineup over five innings.

"Everything was spinning good," Smith said. "I was hitting my spots. And when you're hitting your spots, it's hard to hit them."

Lehnertz added: "She did everything we always wanted her to do. Spinning great, hitting spots, that's all we could ask for."

Smith's excellence in the circle puts Ferguson in another tight spot.

"She fantastic," Ferguson said of Smith. "She shuts out a really good offensive team there. And then we've got Maddie (Bruguier) right behind her. ... And that's not even mentioning our sophomore Gracie (Olmos) who is playing phenomenal at second base. She's got a 0.50 ERA or something like that. I mean she's legit, too. It's kind of hard to get them all innings that they deserve."

But the Spudders have worked to create a fun, family atmosphere this season, in which every player is willing to do whatever is needed for the team to be successful, Ferguson said.

"Everybody knows what their job is," Ferguson said. "Everybody supports each other. Everybody has fun. That's the biggest thing - trying to let them know that they can have fun. They can be a family. They can be goofy kids in the dugout and have fun practices, as long it's that common goal and everyone is working towards that."

The Spudders will head up to Longview on Monday for a rematch with first-place Mark Morris.

Because Ridgefield goes into that game two games back of the unbeaten Monarchs in the loss column, the Spudders will need a win Monday, plus some help to catch Mark Morris in the league standings.

But a victory Monday will go a long way to maintain the momentum the Spudders have been building in April.

"I think we're right where we need to be," Lehnertz said. "We're peaking at the right time."

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