By Mike Weber
For Columbia Gorge News
WHITE SALMON — After a week of practice May 28-June 3 at Columbia High School in White Salmon, the Columbia Gorge River Bandits opened their 25-game independent summer league baseball schedule last week at Quinton Street Ballpark in The Dalles.
The Bandits, an age 17-and-under squad, lost 11-11 and 13-3 to the Columbia Gorge Hustlers 19U.
Gunnar Bustos, Sawyer Case and Chase Peterson tossed a no-hitter to help lead the Hustlers to the Game 1 win. In Game 2, the Bandits’ offense was a little better as they had three hits. Wyatt Bolton (1-for-2), Korben Herman (1-for-2) and Kellen Olson (1-for-3) each had a hit for the Bandits.
The 14-member squad of players from Columbia High School in White Salmon and Goldendale High School is guided by third-year Coach William Gross.
“This is the third year that we’ve had a summer league team,” said Gross, a 2018 Columbia High graduate who is the Bruins’ head baseball coach. “We’re able to develop a lot of players who are on the spring baseball roster at Columbia High School. It’s also great that we have three kids from Goldendale High School (JJ Miller, Graham Grindling, Bolton) on our team as well and I love that we have kids who are interested in competing in our summer league program and help the development of their respective teams.”
The River Bandits will play their next game June 12 in the first day of the three-day Boys of Summer Tournament at Heritage High School in Vancouver. They’ll play their first home game June 17 at 5 p.m. versus the Red Roosters squad at Columbia High School.
“Summer league is really just about extending the spring season and providing more opportunities for the kids to play baseball,” said Gross. “Obviously, we want to be competitive and win some games, but I’m just hoping that everyone on the summer league team will become better baseball players – that’s our main goal. It’s great that kids are willing to sacrifice some of their summer to play baseball and that’s what makes me excited to be with a group of guys like that.”
The Bandits’ offense will be led by Bolton, who earned a WIAA Class 2B baseball Eastern Washington Athletic Conference first team all-league award. Columbia High incoming senior Kellen Olson earned a WIAA Class 1A Trico League baseball first team all-league award as a member of the Columbia High Bruins. Olson, Samuel Knott and Ryder Graves will help provide the Bandits with a strong pitching rotation.
“Olson is our best hitter and our best pitcher, so he kind of does everything very well,” said Gross, who guided the Bruins to an 8-15 Trico League record as they reached the district playoffs for the first time in four years. “Olson did everything he could to help our team in the spring season and I expect him to continue playing well in the summer league.”
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