Pitching and Good Hitting Makes Tumwater’s Fastpitch Team Playoff Contenders Again

tumwater fastpitch
Tumwater’s pitcher Jocelyn Glasgo was all-league last year. Photo credit: John O'Leary
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By Gail Wood

tumwater auto spaIn addition to all their batting and fielding practice they take throughout the season, Tumwater High School’s fastpitch team does something special in their quest to return to the state playoffs.

They eat pizza, munching and laughing together at a teammate’s house. And they go bowling together and watch movies together. It’s all about team bonding and building friendships. You don’t want to let down a friend.

“You really get to know everyone as a person,” said Jocelyn Glasgo, Tumwater’s all-league pitcher. “You can feel the connection of the bond. It really lifts you up.”

tumwater fastpitch
Jocelyn Glasgo (left) is back to pitch for the Tumwater Thunderbirds and Aubri Burmood will start at first base.

A couple of times each month, Tumwater has a team-bonding get together. Under Doug Nedrow, who is in his third season as Tumwater’s head coach, the team bonding is a way of making that connection, bringing a team together as one.

“I’m a big team person,” Nedrow said. “Not a ‘me’ or ‘I’ person. It’s ‘we’ and ‘us.’ It’s all about pulling together as one.”

That perspective doesn’t just define Nedrow’s perspective of his players, of their need to pull together. It’s also how he views his assistant coaches.

“If it wasn’t for my coaches, this program wouldn’t be what it is today,” Nedrow said.

Nedrow’s assistant coaches are Tim Slavin, Jim Weston and Kaci Anchors. Nedrow, and his staff, have four returning starters off last year’s team that finished 21-6 and placed seventh at state. The returning starters include Kaylee Clarke at shortstop, Kelsey Killough at catcher and Alyvia Owen at centerfield, along with Nedrow’s lone senior – Aubri Burmood, who plays both first and third base.

tumwater fastpitch
Tumwater celebrates a run scored at a recent game. Photo credit: John O’Leary

Glasgo, now a junior and a starter since she was a freshman, was a first-team, all-league pick last season. Ericka Stevenson returns after missing last season with mono, giving the T-Birds depth at pitcher. With a fastball just under 60 miles per hour, Glasgo is a location pitcher with lots of movement on her curve.

“I’d have to say my best pitch is a drop ball because it’s very natural for me,” Glasgo said. “I’m more of a location, movement pitcher.”

Off to a 2-1 start, Tumwater has already outscored its opponents 25-12 and is averaging 8.2 runs per game. The T-Birds beat North Thurston 9-2 and Tumwater 12-2 then lost to Yelm 8-4.

“Our offense is our strength,” Glasgo said. “We have really good bats. Our first two games we were on fire.”

Like her teammates, Burmood is off to a good start at the plate, batting about .350. Burmood has been on the varsity since she was a freshman, but this is the first year she’s started. However, she’s no stranger to the game. She’s played for 13 years and since she was in eighth grade she’s played on the Ellensburg Canes, making that 160-mile drive to eastern Washington on weekends a couple of times a month during the school season. During the summer league in Ellensburg, she now stays at the home of the Canes’ coach, a long-time friend of the family.

tumwater fastpitch
Tumwater’s pitcher Jocelyn Glasgo was all-league last year. Photo credit: John O’Leary

Burmood admits being away from home for much of the summer to play fastpitch is hard, but she keeps her goal in mind.

“We’re doing it mostly because the coach there is good at getting her players to college,” Burmood said. “She’s got me signed to play at Shoreline.”

Burmood’s signing with Shoreline Community College is impressive since she’s never been a full-time starter with her high school team. It just shows Tumwater’s depth last year. Clarke started ahead of Burmood last year at first and has moved to third.

“Our corners last year were very good,” Burmood said.

As the lone senior, Burmood knows she needs to be a leader on the team, encouraging her teammates to work hard in practice and in games.

“We’re all more like leaders this year,” Burmood said.

tumwater fastpitch
Tumwater’s softball team this year is hoping to make it back to the playoffs.

Tumwater lost six starters and eight players total off last year’s playoff team that were seniors.

“People say we lost a lot,” Nedrow said. “But we’ll be okay. Just because you lose your seniors it doesn’t mean you’re done. Our younger players will step up. It’s their turn.”

Tumwater, which has a 39-11 record over the past three seasons, is again in a four-team league that’s loaded with talent. Chehalis, Centralia and Black Hills are all tough opponents, making Tumwater’s road back to the playoffs difficult. But with a proven arm on the mound in Glasgo, Tumwater has the pitching to make another run at the playoffs.

“I think we’re really strong,” Glasgo said. “We’re more of a team this year. There’s not the cliques. Everyone is friends with everyone. That’s going to make us stronger. We trust each other.”

 

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