Eagles face a key stretch in their 2025 baseball season

HRV is 9-5 overall and 4-0 in the grueling Northwest Oregon Conference. Coach Max Reitz’s team was scheduled to play April 29 at Milwaukie and then host the Mustangs (7-7, 1-3) a day later in Hood River.

If Reitz received residuals every time he and his coaching staff have said, “one game at a time” (or something thereabout) this season, his credit at Good News Gardening would be through the roof. As it stands, the only royalties the Eagle coaches can count on is their preparation for an arduous six-game stretch starting May 2. Gardening will have to be limited for a while to the basepath borders and dirt infield at Traner Field where HRV — and more specifically the league schedule makers — have seeded a gem of a mid-season slate.

On the docket May 2 and May 6 is No. 5-ranked La Salle Prep (13-4, 6-0). The away-home series against the Falcons is a harbinger of things to come. Up next are two games against No. 4-ranked Canby (13-3, 6-0) on May 7 and 9, followed by a pair of back-to-back contests vs. second-ranked Wilsonville (16-0, 6-0) on May 13 and 14.

In preparation for the scheduling gauntlet, Hood River took care of business at home April 22 against a solid Putnam High team, 12-4 (whose schedule mirrors HRV’s, albeit a series ahead). Eagle junior right-hander Bodie Stuben was the catalyst in that contest, scattering six hits, striking out a season-high 13, and walking just two in a seven-inning complete game.

“Stuben was great while pitching under the weather and Postlewait keeps getting it done at the dish,” Reitz said.

Addison Postlewait was 3-for-4 with four RBI, leading an eight-hit offensive attack. The game was knotted 4-4 and things were getting a wee bit chilly — weather — and tension-wise — for the home crowd, as the sun dipped toward Mount Defiance. But then HRV turned up the heat with an eight-run sixth inning to clinch things.

Baseball is a “detail” game and HRV took care of them on offense. For example, Trevor Jacobs, Nick Tuttle and Maverick Hockett went a combined 0-for-4 at the plate, but they drew eight walks, stole five bases and scored four runs. Again, Reitz: “Our base running is relentless right now and really making a difference.”

Davis Parr added two hits, including a double (one of four on the day for HRV) and knocked in three runs. The 12-run output was a season high for Hood River, which had more tallies there for the taking but left nine runners on base. Perhaps the Eagles were holding them in arrears for the days and games to come.