Embraced By The Eagles Sherrill, Wv Both Helped By Her Arrival To Play Softball

Nothing is the same for Tamara Sherrill this spring.

Sherrill and the West Valley softball team won’t complain about the changes, either.

In a span of one year, Sherrill has altered her residence, high school, family situation, attitude and, at least half the time, her softball position.

Most important, Sherrill approaches each day with a new peace of mind.

Sherrill, a Spokane native, attended Central Kitsap High in Silverdale for three years. She was an all-league shortstop for the Cougars, but her solid footing on the field belied a troubling situation at home.

Her parents’ failing marriage affected Sherrill’s school work. Despite pleas from her softball coach, Sherrill didn’t remedy the situation and was declared ineligible for the State AAA tournament.

“It was just because I didn’t apply myself,” Sherrill said. “I was caught up with what was going on in my family. I started falling and I didn’t pick myself up.”

Matters improved when Sherrill’s mother, Jodi, remarried and relocated the large family to Spokane. The new bride and groom, Joe McIntyre, had attended WV during the 1970s and returned to the district.

WV softball players and coach Steve Kent wasted little time befriending Sherrill. Although Sherrill hadn’t pitched for six years, Kent needed someone to alternate with Gabby McClintock at pitcher and shortstop.

Sherrill worked out during the winter, excited to pitch again but surprised at first by how much her arm hurt.

She made her WV debut April 14, in an 18-1 Frontier League win over Cheney. For good measure, Sherrill also hit her first home run for the Eagles.

Nine of her next 10 outings were also wins, the exception a 1-0 loss to East Valley in a doubleheader sweep that may have turned around WV’s year.

“It changed our whole perspective of the year,” Sherrill said. “We were totally blown away by the loss. I could tell by everybody’s attitude that they started approaching things harder.”

WV won its next 11 games, including Tuesday’s 3-2, 11-inning win over EV to earn the top seed to Saturday’s Region IV-3A tournament at Medical Lake. Sherrill pitched all 11 frames and allowed no earned runs.

The Eagles (19-2) have an opening-round bye while EV (15-6) begins at 8:30 a.m. with a loser-out game against West Valley (Yakima).

WV is in line to qualify for its 12th state tourney in the last 14 years. Kent certainly appreciated the pitching help that arrived from Silverdale, but said Sherrill’s personal changes matter more.

“A lot of kids get off track,” Kent said, “but she’s battled back to get on track.”

“Moving here was the best thing we could have done,” said Sherrill.

Sherrill must make up one credit at WV in the fall, then she’s considering a future in architecture.

She’ll play for the 18-U Sliders this summer.

SOFTBALL AT A GLANCE Mead and Wenatchee played spoilers this week to create an unexpected opening-round matchup at the Region IV-4A fastpitch tournament at Franklin Park. Mead (18-4) won the District 8 tourney and Wenatchee (15-10) won the District 5/6 tourney, giving both No. 1 seeds over league champions. Greater Spokane League regular-season champ University (20-2) and Big Nine Conference champ Richland (18-4) ended up in a 6 p.m. Friday opener against one another. Ferris (13-10) meets Wenatchee at 6. Mead and Pasco (10-13), and Shadle Park (14-8) and Eisenhower (16-6) play at 8. The double-elimination tourney concludes Saturday. Four advance to the May 29-30 state tourney in Vancouver. District 7-2A/1A fastpitch: Colville (20-0) and Freeman (16-4) head the eight-team field at Medical Lake aiming for three berths to the state tourney in Yakima. Seeds 3-8 have similar records. Tourney play opens at 3:30 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday. District 7-B slowpitch: Five in the eight-team field at Kettle Falls will qualify for the state tourney in Yakima. Bi-County League champ Davenport (18-3), Panorama League champ Inchelium (17-5) and Panorama tourney champ Northwest Christian (17-5) head the field. Saturday’s tourney begins at 9:30 a.m. District 9-B slowpitch: Defending State B champ Garfield-Palouse (21-1) leads the eight-team field for Saturday’s tourney at Kennewick. Four advance to state.