Viking Softball Overpowers Ferndale in Home-Opener

Highlights + pics asLake Stevens battered Ferndale 14-3 behind a complete game win from Charli Pugmire, a 3-run double from Cora Quintel & a pair of 3-run HRs from Emerson Cummins & McKenna Richer.

Charli Pugmire strikes out one of the ten batters she fanned. J425 photo.

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LAKE STEVENS HIGH SCHOOL — The Lake Stevens Vikings softball team opened the 2025 home slate in style Tuesday, sending visiting Ferndale home early after an eight-run bottom of the fourth blew the contest open. 

The Vikings’ senior ace Charli Pugmire earned the complete game victory, striking out ten, walking one and allowing just two hits and one earned run. Pugmire also hit for herself, reaching base twice and singling in a run.

Sluggers Emerson Cummins (junior) and McKenna Richer (senior) both hit three-run shots to left center.

Junior Cora Quintel had four RBIs — three coming on a bases-clearing first inning double and sophomore Alaina Emme was 2 for 3 with a walk, a double and a run scored. 

Cummins and Richer reached base in every plate appearance Tuesday. Richer, batting third, went 2 for 3 with two walks and 3 runs batted in. Cummins was 2 for 2 with a walk and three runs batted in.  

Viking Sluggers Put Up Crooked Numbers

After Pugmire started the home campaign with a scoreless first, punctuated by a pair of strikeouts, Quintel put Lake on the board in the bottom of the first, staking the Viks to a 3-0 lead with a bases-clearing double out of the sixth spot in the order.

3-0 Lake Stevens after one. 

Pugmire, who moved to 1-1 with the win, looked in mid-season form over the second and the third frames, facing the minimum and striking out five. 

Cummins, an emerging force in the batters box, homered in the final home game of the 2024 slate.

And Lake’s 2024 home run leader picked up where she left off, turning around a third inning payoff pitch into a three-run shot to left center. 6-0 Vikings after three. 

Ferndale would make the most of a pair of Viking infield errors in the top of the fourth. The extra outs and base runners led to three runs – just one earned – as Pugmire limited the damage. Lake led 6-3 after four and a half. 

The Viks then ripped the game open and sent Ferndale north after applying the ten run mercy rule.

Lake scored eight runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth inning, punctuated by Richer’s homer to left.

Richer, the Viks best returning hitter (by career average) has reached base in seven of ten plate appearances to start the year — including three walks and two hit-by-pitches. 

Pugmire retired the side in order in the top of the fifth, striking out two. Lake Stevens took the victory by a final of 14-3, moving to 1-2 on the season.

Lake Stevens is next in action Friday at Meadowdale. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 pm. Box score, photo gallery and Viking Softball Notebook after the jump.