The Tumwater Thunderbirds are finding their groove at just the right time, notching their second straight victory with a hard-fought 5-3 win over the Aberdeen Bobcats on Friday. For only the fourth time this season, the T-Birds have strung together back-to-back wins, and this one carried extra weight in the Evergreen Conference standings.

The game was a tale of resilience and timely hitting. After Aberdeen struck first with two runs in the top of the second, Tumwater answered immediately. The pivotal moment came in the third inning when Chloe Johnson delivered a clutch two-out, two-run home run—a shot that followed a hit-by-pitch that kept the inning alive. That blast turned the tide and gave the T-Birds a lead they would not relinquish.

Tumwater added insurance in the fifth inning with consecutive RBI singles from Megan Barrett and Kiera Rich, extending the lead to three runs. But the Bobcats refused to go quietly. Aberdeen mounted a seventh-inning rally, stringing together back-to-back doubles and a single to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. With the game on the line, T-Birds ace Sarah Stevens induced a lineout to Barrett to seal the victory.

Stevens was masterful in the circle, tossing a complete game while striking out five and scattering 10 hits. At the plate, Sophie Skillman and Brielle Womach each collected two hits to pace the offense. The win improves Tumwater to 10-6 overall and 7-5 in league play, keeping them within striking distance of second-place Aberdeen.

The T-Birds will look to make it three in a row when they host Montesano on Saturday. With momentum on their side and a lineup that's starting to click, Tumwater is proving they're a team to watch down the stretch.