Washington OG's win Northwest title, earns national tourney bid

MOSES LAKE — The Washington OG's adult softball team has brought home the 2026 Jim Sherman Memorial Northwest championship after a 6-1 run in Salem, Ore. With the win, they will represent the Northwest in January when they travel to Florida for a national tournament.  

"It was the first time that we've done that and gone that far," Head Coach Rudy Perales said. "We've kind of been knocking the door because we went to Reno last year and we took second. So, to come back this year and actually win it was pretty exciting." 

After winning the lower division championship in Moses Lake, the OG's traveled to Salem to compete in the Jim Sherman national tournament. They started the tournament hot with five consecutive wins, including game one of the championship round which is a best of three series. After winning game one 17-16, Good Times Roll bounced back in game two with a 26-21 win to tie the series. Like most of the tournament, the OG's had to get it done in a shootout against GTR, earning a 21-16 win in game three to secure the championship.

"The guys played excellent," Perales said. "We'd played them in Pasco before, and we beat them in the championship game by one run. They knew us and we knew them, and it was great. It turned out great for us, and we're pretty excited about this bid to go to Florida now and represent Washington." 

From Moses Lake roots to Washington pride 

Originally organized in 2014, the OG's began as a smaller adult softball team local to Moses Lake. Since, it has grown to the point they draw in players from all over Washington, Perales said. Now they represent Wenatchee, Tri-Cities, Bellingham and the Seattle area, which prompted Perales to change the name to the Washington OG's.  

As of late, Perales and the OG's have been able to enjoy the fruits of their labor, he said.  

"I miss playing baseball as a kid, and love playing baseball, and so for that weekend, I can go out there and be a kid again and play baseball," Perales said. "It's softball, but I still enjoy the camaraderie, you're hanging out, and playing and being competitive at the same time." 

Having fun stands at the forefront of the teams priorities, however, finding the success they have recently has been the cherry on top, according to Perales.  

"To win a tournament of champions and then get to go to Florida and represent, the Columbia Basin (and) the state of Washington is pretty exciting, and the guys are pretty proud about that," said the coach.  

The people who make it work 

Perales emphasized a strong team chemistry as a major draw for the players. He pointed to three players who form a perfect melting pot of personalities the team benefits from. Erik Sundet leads the team by example, Perales said. The tournament MVP takes a subtle approach to his role at shortstop.  

"Eric is an outstanding shortstop, a real team player," the coach said. "I think he batted .850 last weekend. He's quiet, but he leads by example. Hustles every play, he doesn't ever not hustle." 

Todd Lee brings the emotional edge to the team that can get the group fired up, Perales said.  

"He's our fire. He's the guy that gets us motivated and just plays his heart out," he said.  

William Lovell rounds out the trio as the teammate that can be relied on for keeping everyone loose in the dugout. In a lot of cases where teammates are laughing and joking, Lovell might be in the middle of it, according to Perales.  

"You need a little bit of everything," he said. "You need the guy that leads by example, you got the guy with the fire, and you got the other one that keeps people loose. You have those three different dynamics of the team, and I think that's what really makes our team. Everybody is accountable to each other and playing hard for each other, and at the same time, having fun doing it." 

Even those who aren't sitting in the dugout play an important role in the team's success, said Perales.  

"Our wives are playing a big part of that because they come out and cheer us on," he said. "They're a big part of it as well because they support us. They come out and watch us play, and it's a long day for them too, sitting there watching. We appreciate them." 

Back in his office, where plaques and awards line the wall, the latest addition — the Northwest champion plaque — forced him to pause and reflect. 

"I really had to sit back and really just take it all in and say, 'Man, we've gone a long way from when we first started, and never thought we'd be where we are now,'" Perales said. "Here we're going to Florida in January and represent our area, just a just team out of Moses Lake that started out just playing softball, and here we are."