EPHRATA — Coming off of a 16-6 season a year ago, the Ephrata softball team brings back plenty of experience to the field this season. 

Nine of the 16 players on Ephrata’s roster were underclassmen in 2023, many of whom were starters.

“We’re picking up where we left off last year,” Ephrata Head Coach Heather Wood said. “At least hitting-wise and fielding-wise — we definitely are trying to fill a couple spots that we had missing from our seniors, but we’re making it work.”

The Tigers finished second in the Central Washington Athletic Conference league standings in 2023, earning a bye in the district tournament. After a loss to Selah in the semifinals, Ephrata bounced back with a win over Ellensburg before falling 6-5 to East Valley (Yakima) in the consolation finals, missing out on the crossover round with the Greater Spokane League.

While Ephrata only graduated four players from last year’s roster, three of them were all-league talents; graduates Lena Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Alexis Park and Jackie Turner. With the departures, Ephrata returns all-leaguers in junior Kaydence Hector (first team), senior Peyton Trautman (first team), junior Olivia Bicondova (second team) and junior Jaemyson Durfee (second team). 

The experience of those returners will go a long way for the younger players stepping into the empty roles this spring, Wood said. 

“It’s good to have the younger kids with the older kids, because they have to step up and meet the expectations of my older kids,” Wood said. “They’re going to gain the experience that they need quicker with the knowledge of the experienced kids. That will benefit us tremendously.”

Wood said a strength the Tigers have demonstrated through early practices is their ability to put the team’s needs ahead of their own.

“Whatever is needed, they’re going to make sure that someone fills a spot … they’ve been willing to put aside their wants (for) what the team needs,” Wood said. 

Ephrata’s last state berth came in 2019, where they fell to Ridgefield in the quarterfinals before another loss to Tumwater in the consolation bracket. With an added year of experience under their belt, the Tigers will aim to build off of last season and make a push for the state tournament this season.

“It’s making sure we stay focused every day, and making sure that we fix mistakes that we’ve done from game to game,” Wood said of what it takes to qualify for the state tournament. “Just push ourselves to be that much better each day at practice and each game.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

Ephrata Softball Schedule

March 12 - at West Valley (Yakima) - 4 p.m.

March 14 - vs West Valley (Spokane) - 4 p.m.

March 16 - vs Tahoma, Clarkston - 10 a.m., 2 p.m.

March 19 - vs Wenatchee - 4 p.m.

March 22 - at Grandview (doubleheader) - 3 p.m.

March 28 - vs East Valley (Yakima) (doubleheader) - 3 p.m.

April 9 - at Selah (doubleheader) - 3 p.m.

April 12 - vs Othello (doubleheader) - 3 p.m.

April 16 - vs Almira/Coulee-Hartline - 5:30 p.m.

April 17 - at Ellensburg (doubleheader) - 3 p.m.

April 23 - at Quincy (doubleheader) - 3 p.m.

May 2 - vs Prosser (doubleheader) - 3 p.m.

    Ephrata junior Kaydence Hector, foreground, catches a fly ball in the infield during the Central Washington Athletic Conference district tournament.
  

    Ephrata teammates celebrate after a home run against East Valley (Yakima) in the 2023 season.
  

    Ephrata junior Jaemyson Durfee, right, fist-bumps Ephrata Head Coach Heather Wood, left, after hitting a home run.