All-Region: Slowpitch big hit with Fesler

It’s an “unreal feeling” to hit a home run, R.A. Long’s Savannah Fesler said.

The heavy-hitting senior got plenty accustomed to it this fall, smashing eight balls over the fence in the Lumberjills’ 22-2 season.

“It’s unlike anything else,” Fesler said. “Knowing the team is watching and all the parents, you’re like ‘I just did that.’ It’s almost like you don’t feel it because it comes off the bat so smooth.”

Fesler had 40 RBI and 19 extra-base hits on the season. She hit .769 with a 1.308 slugging percentage to guide the Jills to a district championship, and fourth-place finish at the 3A/2A State Tournament. It was the first year slowpitch was sanctioned by the WIAA.

She has been named The Columbian’s All-Region Slowpitch Softball Player of the Year after earning the school’s third team trophy this decade. The 2015 bowling and 2010 baseball teams each finished second.

“All of us were crying, even the coaches,” Fesler said. “It was kind of hard to see it end like that — since we lost to a team we had beaten before — but it was nice to say we got a trophy.”

Fesler was a staple since the inception of R.A. Long’s slowpitch team. A longtime fastpitch player, Fesler turned out for the school’s inaugural team her sophomore year.

She immediately took a liking to the sport.

“I like how laid back it is. I was like ‘Oh yeah, I could get into this,'” Fesler said.

She grew to take on a leadership role, welcoming girls into the sport, many for whom it was their first athletic endeavor. With her wealth of experience to draw from the more intense fastpitch season, she loved her role.

“I’ve always liked helping people learn the game because I love it so much,” Fesler said. “Seeing people grow is really cool.”

The Lumberjills finished fifth in her first two seasons, when the state tournament was not run by the WIAA. This season felt a little different.

“This year was more structured,” Fesler said. “It was like ‘Ugh, this feels serious; we have to get our stuff together.'”

Fesler had plenty of bright moments in her final slowpitch campaign, including a two home run game against Kelso and a 16-15 win over Prairie in the state tournament.

But what will stick out the most for her is the comeback 8-7 victory over Washougal in the district championship.

“There was a lot of emotion going into that one; the spotlight was on us,” Fesler said. “We just came together, worked together and ended up pulling it off.”

Fesler will end her prep career with the fastpitch team in the spring.

Greater St. Helens League all-league team

Player of the year: Savannah Fesler, sr., R.A. Long

FIRST TEAM

Bailee Boltz, so., P, Union

Tammy Smith, jr., C, R.A. Long

Haylee Newton, so., 1B, Battle Ground

Lauren Cockrell, sr., 2B, Union

Izzy Long, jr., 3B, Skyview

Mailie Stover, sr., SS, Skyview

Mylee Grimm, so., UT, R.A. Long

Lexi Grumbois, fr., OF, Kelso

Sophie Franklin, sr., OF, Camas

Chloe Johnson, fr., OF, Washougal

Gracie Byrnes, so., OF, R.A. Long

Rest of team