SELAH — For the past two years, the Port Angeles Roughrider baseball team has drawn a tough first-round matchup against state powerhouse WF West in the 2A State Baseball Tournament. In 2023, a dominant Bearcat squad shut out the Riders 10-0 on their historic home field. Last year in Vancouver, Port Angeles had its chances but came up just short in an 8-7 heartbreaker.
This year, the #11-seeded Roughriders (12-11) are glad to face a different team in the opening round: the Tumwater Thunderbirds, the #6 seed with an 18-6 record. But don’t let the change in uniforms fool you—Tumwater’s baseball tradition is just as rich as WF West’s.
The latest Prep Baseball Washington Top 25 poll, which ranks all classifications together, puts WF West at #10, likely second-round opponent Selah at #13, and Bainbridge at #22. Tumwater split four games with WF West this season, including a dramatic 5-4 win in the district championship, courtesy of a walk-off homer by T-Bird star Derek Thompson.
Thompson, a 5’11”, 195-pound right-handed pitcher and outfielder, throws an 87 mph fastball and has a knack for big moments—he also crushed a grand slam to break a 5-5 tie against Ridgefield in the district semifinals. Thompson was recently named a Rawlings All-American, ranking among the top 150 players in the nation, and is committed to NWAC powerhouse Lower Columbia College.
The Roughriders will need to find a way to slow down Tumwater’s Rawlings All-American, Derek Thompson.
Tumwater also enters the tournament as the two-time defending state champion, having claimed titles in both 2022 and 2023.
Still, there’s reason for optimism in the Roughrider dugout. Tumwater has lost six games, and Port Angeles has shown it can hang with top-tier teams—both losses to #22 Bainbridge were by just one run, and the Riders split their season series with North Kitsap.
During their recent eight-game win streak, the Roughriders’ bats caught fire. Catcher Luke Flodstrom leads the team with a .348 batting average, is tied for second with 24 hits, and ranks second with 14 walks. Western Oregon signee and shortstop Alex Angevine is hitting .329, leads the team with 25 hits, five triples, and 18 walks. Utility player Nathan Basden is batting .316 and is also tied for second with 24 hits.
Roughrider shortstop Alex Angevine is batting .329 and leads the team in hits, walks, and triples.
Third baseman Josiah Gooding is batting .267 and leads the team with 18 RBIs, while center fielder Jordan Shumway is hitting .242 and leads with five doubles. Utility man Ian Smithson has been hot when called upon, batting .353.
First pitch for the Roughriders and Thunderbirds is set for Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Selah High School. The game will be broadcast live on KONP Newsradio.
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Also today, the 2A State Golf Tournament tees off, with the girls competing at Tumwater Valley Golf Club and the boys playing at Riverside Golf Club in Chehalis.
Roughrider golfers Claire Osterberg, Mia Neff, Malena Marquez, and Autumn Wilson-Rowland have all had strong seasons. Osterberg, Neff, and Wilson-Rowland will compete in today’s State Tournament.