‘The godfather of softball’
Current and former Othello softball players gather around Head Coach Rudy Ochoa, in red, for a photo during a ceremony honoring the longtime coach’s final regular season home game. Ochoa is retiring at the end of the 2023 season after a 27-year career at Othello.
IAN BIVONA/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Othello senior Makiah Galindo prepares to pitch during the nightcap against Grandview on Friday.
Othello seniors from the varsity and junior varsity teams smile for photos after the team’s senior night ceremony.
Othello senior Natalie Martinez makes contact with a pitch during Othello’s 15-0 win over Grandview on Friday.
OTHELLO – Wrapped around the Huskie’s doubleheader against Grandview on Friday was a day of celebration – first for the 10 seniors on this year’s varsity and junior varsity squads, then for longtime head coach and Washington State Coaches Association Hall of Fame member Rudy Ochoa.
After a celebration held in between games for the seniors – including Camryn McDonald, Makiah Galindo and Natalie Martinez off the Othello varsity squad – Othello students, alumni, fellow coaches, administrators and fans gathered around the softball field for a ceremony for Ochoa’s final regular season home game as head coach of the Huskies.
“In my eyes, he’s the legend of Othello softball,” said Jenny McCourtie, current athletic director at OHS and a two-time state softball championship winner with the Huskies from 1999-2002. “All the years he’s put in, the commitment. Not only is he an amazing coach; he’s an amazing person.”
About 50 former players gathered on the field, spreading out from first to third base while stopping for photos with their former coach along the way. The alumni wore t-shirts with “Farewell Coach Rudy” and “Ochoa Dynasty 1996-2023” written on them, along with a photo of the coach. Numerous speakers, including longtime assistant coach Mike Jensen, spoke on the years with Ochoa at the helm of the Huskie softball team. The master of ceremonies called Ochoa “the godfather of softball” at the event.
“When I saw some of the alumni here, it pretty much brought me to tears,” Ochoa said. “Between games, I saw all the kids – I really wasn’t expecting anything like this.”
Ochoa began coaching in 1986 – he coached a youth baseball team, which was his only losing season as a coach at any level – and then progressed to become the head coach of Othello’s softball program in 1996. In his 27-year career at Othello, Ochoa has guided the Huskies to four state titles (1999, 2002, 2008 and 2016), earned five Washington Coach of the Year awards and was inducted into the WSCA Hall of Fame in 2011. Through all the success, he credits the program’s tradition for all of it.
“It’s tradition,” Ochoa said. “Everybody wants to be the next state champion, the next placer at state. When they get on the team, they expect to be good.”
Othello’s senior class has accrued a 49-7 record throughout their four years with the program, including a second-place finish at last year’s 2A State Softball Tournament.
“I was more calm than I expected to be, I think I’m at peace with that being my last (home regular season) game,” McDonald said. “That was a good win, we played well and stayed focused. I’m proud of my team for that.”
Seniors took the field to receive gift baskets from teammates and an audio recording played what future plans the players have for themselves.
“It was good closure, and you can feel the love in our community at all times,: McDonald said. “Especially today.”
With the celebrations now in the rearview mirror McDonald said the focus now turns to the postseason, where the Huskies hope to be on the other side of last year’s loss in the state title game.
“We’re going to be completely dialed in, working on what we need to personally work on as well as as a team,” McDonald said. “We’re going to be trying to fire on all cylinders and put it all together for the postseason.”
Othello travels to East Valley (Yakima) on Saturday for a doubleheader against the Red Devils, which will decide the Central Washington Athletic Conference winner. East Valley is 7-1 in league play (10-4 overall), while the Huskies post a perfect 10-0 record in league contests (15-3 overall).
“It’s going to be tough,” Ochoa said.
Ending his career with a fifth title would be a nice way to wrap a career, Ochoa said.
“If it’s possible, it’d be great,” he said. “You never know.”
Othello won both games over Grandview with 15-0 scores. The Greyhounds didn’t record a hit against the Huskie pitchers, who combined for 16 strikeouts over the two games.
Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.
Box Scores
Game One
GRV: 0-0-0: 0
OTH: 7-5-3: 15
Game Two
GRV: 0-0-0-0: 0
OTH: 9-2-3-1: 15
