Back row: Bryce Wang, Deegan Bearden, Jaden Wang, Dylan Landgren, Kai Brasuell, Trenton Boydston and Coach William Gross. Front row: William Mann, Wyatt Stelma, Landyn Patnode, Falkner Grabb, Ben Borton and Kellen Olson.
Back row: Bryce Wang, Deegan Bearden, Jaden Wang, Dylan Landgren, Kai Brasuell, Trenton Boydston and Coach William Gross. Front row: William Mann, Wyatt Stelma, Landyn Patnode, Falkner Grabb, Ben Borton and Kellen Olson.
WHITE SALMON — First-year baseball coach at Columbia High School, William Gross has already spurred change in the program that won just ten games in the past two spring seasons. Gross graduated from CHS in 2018 and since then the summer baseball program went away — until this summer. Gross was hired last summer and saw an immediate need for a summer baseball program.
With the help of athletic director AJ Valencia and an assistant coach, Trenton Howard, they resurrected the Columbia Gorge River Bandits. Gross said other schools within the Trico League offer summer baseball teams and he wants to compete with the upper echelon of baseball teams in the state.
“They play baseball year round. They play with guys all the time. You know that’s how they develop,” Gross said. “So to be able to have the summer baseball program where it’s even a couple more months and 15 to 20 more games, I think it’s really important for us to develop the talent in our high school.”
The Bandits played a total of 14 games this summer.
“You try to win as many games as you can, but the most important part of it is just that those players, they’re having more at bats, and they’re pitching more innings on the mound,” he said.
“It was a change of scenery for our guys. And we actually beat some really good teams,” Gross said.
He said a highlight of the season came at the end of their summer when the Bandits swept a two game series against a team from 3A Heritage High. Columbia is a 1A school.
Gross said that the team was comprised mostly of returners from the Bruins’ spring season, but a few freshman and sophomores were on the team as well.
“We actually had a few freshmen and sophomores that were on the JV team that were able to play innings against varsity level players. So for those kids, I think it was most beneficial,” Gross said.
This summer, Wyatt Stelma and Jaden Wang paced the offense with both players batting an average of 0.357 and recording 15 hits. Jaden had six doubles and Stelma recorded 18 RBIs (Runs Batted In). Jaden’s brother Bryce, stole a team-high 15 bases. Kai Brasuell pitched 20.2 innings over six games and struck out 27 opposing batters.
Gross said that there are strict “dead periods,” where coaches are not allowed to have contact with the athletes. He said they will continue to make baseball more accessible, a key to youth development.
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