Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
The Santiam High baseball team still is seeking its first win, but coach Zac Steele says he is seeing good improvement by his young squad.
The Wolverines (0-10 overall and 0-5 in Class 2A-1A Special District 3) have just one senior on the roster, Logan Hays, who is hitting the ball well with a .381 batting average.
“Experience is definitely our biggest weakness, and we have started to put it together defensively,” Steele told The Canyon Weekly. “With that being said, our bats are inconsistent, and our execution needs improvement.”
Defensively Steele praised his all-freshman outfield of Hunter Titus, Collin Storey and David Massey.
“Our outfield made a huge difference in (last) week’s games,” Steele said. “Their communication and aggressiveness out there has helped our pitchers feel more confident in allowing the other teams to put the ball in play.”
Top hitters in recent days for Santiam include freshmen Mason Lindemann (.379 batting average) Payte Hansen (.348). Sophomore Connor Meeker also has stepped up his defense for the squad, Steele said.
Like all Oregon teams Santiam has been at the mercy of 2023’s relentless wet weather. Coming off one of the Wolverines’ best games of the season, an 8-5 loss last Friday, April 14, at No. 7 Regis, the squad faced successive rainouts Monday and Tuesday against the Rams and No. 15. Culver.
Santiam’s track and field squad, meanwhile, continues to produce strong early-season marks, most recently at a Class 3A/2A meet on April 13, at East Linn Christian Academy in Lebanon.
Sophomore Averie Peterson set personal bests in the long jump (15-4.75) and triple jump (31-6). She is ranked second in Class 2A in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump.
Senior Emma Longfellow, meanwhile, set a personal best in the discus of 117-3, a mark that ranks her third in Class 2A.
On the boys side senior Parker Hanna set an 11-3 personal best in the pole vault. He is tied for second in Class 2A with Tim Crowell of Regis. Senior Gage Twede of the Wolverines set a 19-10.75 PR in the long jump, where he ranks 5th in the state.
Santiam hosted a Class 3A/2A meet April 20, after The Canyon Weekly’s presstime.
The Wolverines also are scheduled to participate in the annual Meet of Champions on Saturday, April 22, at Sweet Home High.
