The Saints come marching in

As the weather steadily warms with the transition into spring, it can only mean one thing: Baseball is back.

Mt. Hood’s Oslund Field will once again be peppered with the shells of sunflower seeds while resonating the sound of popping gloves and cracking bats. This past week has given the Saints their first chance to practice outside of the gymnasium and start working on fundamentals before heading out to Western Nevada College during the weekend of Feb. 27-28.

That trip will mark the fourth consecutive year the Saints travel to Carson City, where the four-game series (two double-headers) is called both challenging and rewarding by Saints head coach Bryan Donohue. The WNC Wildcats will enjoy a four-week head start on Mt. Hood by the time they meet, as the Scenic West Athletic Conference begins play in late January. Not only will this provide a huge test for the Saints, but there’s a bit of an underlying story to this matchup: WNC recruits heavily out of the same region Mt. Hood scouts for talent, with rostered players from Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro and Medford, among others. This no doubt adds a little friendly rivalry between the programs, and Western Nevada helps offset the Saints’ traveling costs to make the series happen.

Before the late February weekend that signals the beginning of Mt. Hood’s preseason, Donohue provided some insight into the coaching methods and practice drills the Saints will be working on. “We get in lots of gym time, live scrimmaging and really try to focus on team defenses,” he said.

The team’s scrimmage really emphasized in-game scenarios and tactics on both sides of the ball, while implementing a twist to the game. Innings were modeled to begin with a base runner on first, who was given the green light to steal second base. If he slid in safely, it would count as a run for his team, and he’d have the opportunity to take third, hoping to tally another run. The hitter was tasked with managing his at-bat knowing the runner may look to advance on the base paths. If a runner crossed home plate, just like in real baseball, it also counted as a run. The pitcher and defense behind him are aware of the set-up, so they have to make in-game adjustments to counter the offensive strategy. As usual, three put-outs allowed the split squads to switch places, allowing the defense to come off the field and take its turn at the dish.

This drill just goes to show the intricacies of the game, and how much there is to consider with every pitch thrown. Especially when an Isaac Benard steps to bat and grooves one over the center field wall, rhythm can go out the window in a hurry, much like in a real baseball game.

While the final 24-man roster will be decided by Monday, there are many returning players from the group that won last year’s Southern Region, a Saints team that went all the way to the NWAC title game.

“We have a lot of experience. The returning players bring a ton of knowledge, and this is an old team versus last year,” said Donohue. An “old team” is a huge boon for a program looking to get back in the tournament, and this time see it through to reign over the conference.  With age comes the tools and knowledge learned from past, something Donohue also pointed out “Last year, we have no regrets. We did all we could to win, and our guys will attest to that. We didn’t have a single player who had played in a collegiate tournament before,” he added. They will, now.

There are nearly 40 team hopefuls at this point, and the players have impressed the coach, so far. “From what I have seen, especially since the winter break, this is a group that is determined to (help us) get over the hump”, he said. The 2016 edition of the Saints is expected to feature quite a few returning sophomores, including All-League right-hand starting pitchers Seth Rayburn and Nate Hunter, and fellow All-Leaguers third-baseman Nolan McCall, shortstop Jay Rogers, infielder Kody Matthews and the aforementioned outfielder, Benard.

The Saints are putting in the work early, taking the field six days a week as well as logging hours in the weight room in order to “figure out who’s who in the preseason,” according to Donohue. With the likes of last year’s champion, Lower Columbia, the No. 1-ranked Edmonds Tritons and perennial contender Everett around, Mt. Hood baseball will have a tough road to navigate, but this experienced team just might have what it takes to get the job done.

Advocate Staff