TUMWATER — They’ve been teammates in a dugout from their days as little kids. All 10 seniors on the Tumwater High School baseball team have been through the highs and lows together.
So when Landon Roy summed up the primary difference between the 2025 group to previous teams, it took him a matter of five seconds to come up with an answer.
“Just the focus,” Roy, one of those 10 seniors said. “All about the little things.”
Behind five pitchers combining to allow two hits and timely runs in the middle frames, the Thunderbirds got their record back to even with an 8-3 victory over Class 2A District 4 opponent Woodland on Thursday night.
Much of the non-league season has featured games against higher classification opponents. Tumwater’s three losses have been to 3A programs, but it did beat 4A Tahoma – the second largest school in the state in enrollment – 7-5.
In the two games against 2A foes, the T-Birds (3-3) have outscored them 21-4.
“Expereince is good in this aspect because they know what they need to do,” Tumwater head coach Lyle Overbay said. “Their knowledge is already above what they were last year. I feel like these guys have been focused since day one.”
“It is a close-knit group.”
Of the five guys that are gone to graduation, two left a sizable impact on the diamond.
Evergreen Conference MVP Liam Karlson and emotional leader Eddie Marson at shortstop were the staples of a team trying to three-peat as 2A state champions.
Tumwater dropped a heartbreaker against Enumclaw 9-8 in the quarterfinals, a moment that still sticks in the back of all the returners' minds.
“We feel it everyday,” Roy stated.
While Karlson was the unquestioned ace of the staff last spring, Overbay feels he’s got a deep collection of arms at his disposal. He’s used at least four pitchers in each contest to this point.
Luke Overbay, Charlie Crawford, Kyson Sayamnet, Hunter Kirkeby and Jimmy Womach allowed three unearned runs total and combined to throw 119 pitches, but only half of them for strikes. Crawford issued four of the seven walks given up.
Still, even when Woodland (2-3) threatened with runners on base, Tumwater never let a crooked inning occur.
“Our biggest thing is throwing strikes,” Coach Overbay said. “Save our guys from not throwing 100 pitches every week. They’ve got really good stuff, too. We have guys that can come in and not lose anything; that is a good luxury to have.”
Roy finished with two hits, including a run-scoring double. Luke Overbay also recorded two hits and Braeden Konrad drove in a pair of runs on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly. The T-Birds jumped out to a 3-0 lead then added two runs apiece in the fifth and sixth innings.
They took advantage of seven wild pitches by three Beavers pitchers and three errors.
“We had good approaches and once we started realizing that we can be aggressive, we started hitting balls all over the park,” Roy said. “It is all about the adjustments.”
Tumwater will attempt to earn a slice of revenge against the Hornets on Saturday afternoon when they tangle at Cheney Stadium. Then a return to EvCo action next week with a two-game set against rival Black Hills.
Roy believes this team has the chance to be “special.” The standard has been extended seasons and at least two games at Joe Martin Stadium in Bellingham.
The Thunderbirds believe a return to normal is in the cards.
“We’re willing to do a lot that we weren’t willing to do in the past,” Roy said.
