MHCC Softball Dethroned
- Ken Perez
- May 23
- 2 min read
Last year, the Mt. Hood Community College softball team had an incredible championship season. I’ll admit – I knew nothing about softball at the time. But when I heard the Saints had a shot at another title run this year, I knew I had to be there to see it for myself.
On the first day of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) championship tournament – played in north Portland’s Delta Park – I was hooked. The energy coming from the Saints’ dugout was electric. The players had tons of creative chants, like repeating “Do something crazy!” many times and even had custom-made theme songs for some of their teammates.
Their camaraderie was undeniable. At one point, I noticed a couple of inflatable sea creatures in the dugout – yes, really – which made for a fun and unexpected morale boost.
During their opening game against Treasure Valley Community College, the Saints played like a well-oiled machine. One moment that stood out was when a runner on first tried to take second after the ball was hit – but had to retreat under pressure, only to steal second base later anyway. The tension and excitement of the play had the whole crowd leaning forward.
Another memorable moment came when the Saints were in the field. In a flurry of throws, they managed to get the batter and two base runners out in one impressive sequence. When the dust settled, it was Mt. Hood’s turn to bat, and they capitalized – ultimately winning the game 10–2.
Unfortunately, their run ended with a hard-fought 23–15 loss to Wenatchee CC later that day – followed by a tough 4-2 loss to Southwestern Oregon CC the next morning, pushing Mt. Hood out of the double-elimination tournament.
While there was no back-to-back championship, what stood out most was the heart, hustle, and sheer joy these athletes brought to the game. The passion from both the players and coaches was infectious, and watching them play left me with a newfound appreciation for softball – and for the Saints.
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