LACEY — Raylie Birklid’s biggest success of Wednesday’s game against Gig Harbor didn’t come from her home run. Or her second home run.
In River Ridge head coach Danny Greene’s eyes, it was what came after the 18-4 blowout loss — the second straight run-rule defeat for the Hawks. Following a sloppy effort, the Hawks gathered themselves in a circle in front of the third-base line, no coaches allowed, and took a hard collective look in the mirror with River Ridge sitting at 3-5.
Birklid, a junior pitcher, was at the forefront of the players-only conversation, joined by fellow team captain and senior Emma Liljenberg. The two veterans’ tone was that of frustration but not finger-pointing. Every player that spoke asked for more energy and accountability from their teammates, along with extra reps outside of practice. The Hawks then took a run around the softball field before departing.
This was the first time the Hawks had held any such meeting after a game, and Greene said it was necessary after a contest that saw River Ridge commit six errors, allow a season-high 18 runs and record just four hits on offense.
“When I see effort like that, there’s hope,” Greene said of the postgame meeting as the team finished its lap around the field. “I’m not giving up on them. Raylie is a natural leader. She’s gone out on weekends with the girls to try to get them better. She works with them. She sees something they’re struggling with, and she helps them like a coach. She’s probably our extension coach.”
Jacklyn Holcomb started in the circle for the Hawks and struggled in the first inning against the high-powered Gig Harbor offense. After two walks to start the game, the Tides converted on an RBI single and an RBI double to take an early 2-0 lead.
Birklid showed off her new and improved swing in the bottom of the first, drilling a two-run home run over the left field fence to tie the game. The dinger was her first of the season. Coaches worked with Birklid to fix her right elbow in her swing, allowing for a more compact swing that allows her to catch up to pitches faster.
“She had a tendency of moving her arm back. We shifted it down. And when we shifted it down, now she’s hitting them out,” Greene said. “She keeps doing that, she’s gonna be a great hitter. I told her before, ‘If you take that out, you’d be the greatest hitter River Ridge has ever seen.’”
Gig Harbor blitzed River Ridge in the second inning, taking the lead on an RBI single by Isabelle Bartlett and a run-scoring double by Willow Bonnici. Savanna Newville then put a dent in a pitch, obliterating a three-run bomb several yards beyond the fence in left-center field.
Now sporting a 7-2 lead, the Tides didn’t stop rolling, scoring another run off Holcomb and then plating two on a River Ridge error after Birklid took over in the circle.
Gig Harbor scored two more in the third, five in the fourth and one in the fifth. Birklid added her second homer of the season, going opposite field this time. Jessica Clarke scored a run from third in the fifth as the Tides tried to catch Jaylah Sok-Vandergriff stealing second.
Birklid finished the day 2 of 3 with two home runs and three runs batted in, and she pitched 3.2 innings and gave up eight runs, but only three were earned.
“She’s a gamer. I love her to death because of her competitiveness. She doesn’t give up. She’s my hero,” Greene said of Birklid. “She fights like hell, and that’s all I ask.”
River Ridge (3-5, 3-3 Puget Sound League) is in a tough position with only a handful of players holding extensive varsity experience or even junior varsity experience as the team rolls through a rigorous Puget Sound League schedule. Although the schedule doesn’t get any easier with Central Kitsap (7-1, 6-0 Puget Sound League) hosting the Hawks on April 13, Greene is optimistic that the postgame meeting after Wednesday’s loss can be not only a jolt of new energy for River Ridge but a turning point in the season.
“That showed a lot of character,” he said. “I still believe.”
