LACEY — If last year’s River Ridge baseball team would’ve been dealt what this year’s team has endured in the first 11 games of the season, head coach Ben Rood knows the outcome would not have been positive.
Close games were not kind to the 2025 Hawks, and momentum swings by opposing teams seemed to snowball.
The 2026 squad has seen a handful of tight contests already, including three games that have ended in a walk-off. But the script is starting to flip in River Ridge’s direction, as the Hawks are now the team frustrating opponents with its poise in close games.
While Monday’s home game against Capital didn’t conclude with last-breath fireworks, River Ridge maintained its composure after a second-inning burst by the Cougars and rallied to win 10-7.
“Last year, that’s a game that we would’ve folded in when they came back. They’re showing that they can play in close games this year,” Rood said. “It’s just great experience for them no matter how these games go. They’re battle tested. In the past, when we’ve had guys jump on us, we haven’t responded very well. It’s nice to see the growth.”
In the first of a two-game set between the Puget Sound League foes this week, River Ridge jumped on Capital in the first inning. A Jax Fulton single forced a poor throw from Capital pitcher Easton Bramble, allowing Jalon Fulton to score from third. Kellen Lentz hit a single in a gap behind the left fielder with the bases loaded to bring the second and third runs home, and the Hawks scored once more on a sacrifice by Ryder Denham.
Down 4-0 in the top of the second, Capital put together an impressive rally. After the leadoff batter struck out against Hawks starter Aaron Leu, the next nine Cougars reached base. Bramble walked with the bases loaded, and Max Hanson was hit by a pitch with the bases juiced to cut the lead in half. Tanner Barker and Brooks Barker followed them with RBI singles, the latter tying the game at 4-4.
Hanson gave the Cougars the lead on a single that nearly turned into an inning-ending double play by the Hawks, but Hanson beat the throw at first, scoring the go-ahead run by Max Wilson. Isaac Linville ripped a single past the third baseman to add an insurance run and finish the second inning up 6-4.
River Ridge didn’t immediately cut into the deficit as the Hawks had the bases loaded with one out in the third, but Bono Larkin was tagged out after trying to score on a passed ball, and Chad Ralston Jr. struck out to end the frame.
The Hawks’ comeback came one inning later in the fourth. After a leadoff walk to D’Vaughntae Sellman, Jalon Fulton doubled him home. Kaiee Kopp earned a game-tying single with his legs, winning the race against Cougars shortstop Cash VanZandt, whose throw to first base came too late. Larkin singled on a hanging curveball to score Kopp and give River Ridge a 7-6 lead.
Capital responded in the top of the fifth as Wilson singled to left field on a 1-2 pitch with the bases loaded, tying the game at 7-7. But in a key play, Sellman’s throw from left field prevented anyone else from scoring. Tanner Barker grounded into a double play to end the inning and keep the score knotted.
In the bottom of the fifth, River Ridge loaded the bases for freshman Jax Fulton, who came up clutch, hitting a ground ball that was fielded cleanly by VanZandt. But first baseman Xavier Green couldn’t corral the throw, allowing Denham to score the go-ahead run. Leu was hit by a pitch to make it 9-7, and Jalon Fulton scored on a wild pitch to put River Ridge in front by three.
Capital’s offense, which made consistent strong contact against Leu in the first two innings, couldn’t do the same against relievers Cole Von Rueden and Lentz. The Cougars only scored one run over the final five innings on five hits.
“The guys out of the bullpen really saved us today,” Rood said. “We didn’t get the start we wanted, but we made it work.”
The intense, nail-biting games have quickly turned River Ridge from a young, wide-eyed team to a seasoned squad ready for any challenge thrown its way. A big part of the culture change also came from Jalon Fulton, Rood said. Fulton transferred from North Thurston last year and made an immediate impact as a leader both vocally and by example.
“I’ve always tried to lead by example in the way I play the game,” Fulton said. “We are a very young team, and we can bring a lot of energy when we need to. I like the vibes. We’re a happy team. We always like to band together and go out and do stuff as a team.”
A natural shortstop, Fulton has transitioned this season into playing catcher and has become a steady force at that position, on top of being one of River Ridge’s most lethal hitters in the leadoff spot.
Case in point, Fulton has reached base in each of his last 13 at-bats.
“There’s just no way around him at the moment,” Rood said. “If we can turn the lineup over and get guys on base for the top of the lineup, good things are gonna happen. Everybody’s starting to feed off of him.”
Fulton was one of six Hawks to record multiple hits against Capital, with Larkin leading all batters with a 3-for-4 day at the plate.
As for Capital, Hanson and Linville notched two hits apiece, and every batter who made a plate appearance logged at least one hit. But the big hit never came late in the game when it needed to. Still, the Cougars are beginning to find their rhythm on offense after a sluggish start.
“Early in the year, we saw a lot of good arms and some really good defensive teams. Guys were seeing pitches and getting comfortable in there, especially with all these new guys,” Capital head coach Brian Shannon said. “They’re starting to understand that they’re capable of competing at this level.”
River Ridge (7-4, 4-4 Puget Sound League) and Capital (4-6, 4-4 Puget Sound League) are bunched in a three-way tie for second place in the Nisqually division of the Puget Sound League with Timberline. The Hawks and Cougars will meet again at Capital High School Tuesday afternoon.
