The last time a Eastmont softball team played a tournament in Yakima, the Wildcats were hoisting the championship trophy.

And while that fastpitch district hardware was spiffy, they’re aiming at a more prestigious prize this weekend.

Eastmont, which followed the fastpitch district championship with the slowpitch equivalent earlier this month, enters the Class 4A tournament as the No. 3 seed in the eight-team field.

• CLASS 4A BRACKET

• CLASS 3A/2A BRACKET

Play begins with a pair of 1 p.m. quarterfinals at Kiwanis Park, with two more following at 3. The Wildcats will play sixth-seeded North Creek in one of the earlier matchups.

Eastmont is joined in the field by top-seeded Chiawana, which rolled to the Mid-Columbia Conference championship, and No. 5 West Valley, which won a pair of loser-out contests before outslugging defending state champion Moses Lake in a winner-to-state contest.

The Wildcats are riding a 13-game winning streak. Their last loss was to the Riverhawks, and capped a three-game slump.

While a 4-3 loss to Chiawana, a team that won the first four straight championships before last year’s runner-up finish, might be OK to some teams, it didn’t sit well with the Wildcats.

After Eastmont coach Mike Koch and the team met, things changed.

“It’s been night and day since,” Koch said. “We’ve been just hammering the ball.”

The Wildcats (16-3) have put up at least 10 runs in every game of the streak, with nine games of 17 or more runs, and a season-high 28 in beating the Mavericks in the district final.

All-conference voting hasn’t been held by the CBBN, but Koch knows who’ll be campaigning for from his roster. He feels senior Halle Radach, who has keyed the offense batting No. 3 in the order ahead of top-slugger Ava Garcia, should be the top offensive player, while sophomore pitcher Olivia Gill belongs in the race for the top pitcher/fielder.

“They just don’t hit her,” Koch said of Gill, who helped Eastmont post six shutouts this season, and hold opponents to four or fewer runs in five other games.

Before missing out on state last fall, the Wildcats finished third in the 2024 and 2023 tournaments.

Chiawana enters the tournament looking to reclaim its spot atop the 4A throne.

After dropping an 8-7 decision to Moses Lake that ended a 14-game winning streak to start the season, the Riverhawks and MCC Coach of the Year Aaron Cantu have won five straight en route to state.

MCC Player of the Year Kinsley Jones, a junior, sparks an offense that scored more than 10 runs in 13 games in compiling a 19-1 record.

Chiawana, which was seeded seventh last year and fell to Moses Lake in the championship, opens the tournament eighth-seed Woodinville.

West Valley returns to the tournament after advancing to the semifinals a year ago, when the Rams also became the impromptu hosts when rainy conditions moved the tournament finals to the Big Nine school.

Four teams – including West Valley – shared third place last year because of the weather.

The Rams finished tied with Moses Lake for second place in the CBBN, but drew the No. 3 seed, and was left out of the championship game.

Still, coach Brad Cramer’s Rams (14-3) handled Wenatchee and Sunnyside, before beating the Mavericks, 22-18, to punch their ticket to state.

West Valley opens against Greater St. Helens champion Skyview (18-2) at 3 p.m.

The 4A semifinals will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, with the championship at 3.

Kiwanis Park is also hosting the Class 3A/2A tournament, with quarterfinals beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, and semifinals at 5.