COTTAGE GROVE LIONS
■ Home games: 1375 S. River Rd.
■ Head coach: Nathan Rheuban’s third year at Cottage Grove (15-32 record)
■ 2024 season: 7-18 overall … 0-12 in league … 5th in Sky-Em League … No. 28 in Class 4A … Missed playoffs
■ History: Last playoff appearance: 2018 … League titles: 1 … State titles: 0
■ Returning players: 6
Top returners
■ #10 Micah Spear, Sr., Pitcher & SS
2024 season: Spear will be the Lions’ ace on the mound and team captain this spring. Rheuban said, “We are excited to have him back after he suffered a season-ending injury in the second game of the season last year.”
■ #4 Anthony Eubanks, Sr., Catcher & Utility
2024 season: Rheuban says: Eubanks is an “unselfish senior leader” who is willing to play every position on the field to help the team win. He will be a three-year starter on the varsity team.
Team strengths
■The Lions have a quality group of athletic players who can cover a lot of ground on the field defensively. Once they get on base, they can steal and put pressure on the opposing team.
■The Lions have six players who can contribute to quality innings on the mound and overall depth on the mound is crucial for a successful season.
Areas for improvement
■The Lions will be young this spring made up of a majority of underclassmen. They will have to adjust from “Babe Ruth level junior varsity.”
2025 schedule
3/18 vs. Harrisburg, 4 p.m. 3/20 at Klamath Union (Kiger Stadium), 2 p.m.
3/20 at Klamath Union (Kiger Stadium), 4 p.m
3/26-27 Madras Tournament, TBD
4/1 at Creswell, 4:30 p.m.
4/4 vs. Glide, 4:30 p.m
4/8 vs. Sweet Home, 4:30 p.m
4/12 at Springfield (Hamlin), 1 p.m. 4/15 at North Bend, 5 p.m. 4/18 vs. North Bend, 3 p.m. 4/18 vs. North Bend, 5 p.m. 4/22 at Marshfield, 5 p.m. 4/25 vs. Marshfield, 3 p.m. 4/25 vs. Marshfield, 5 p.m. 4/29 vs. Marist Catholic, 5 p.m.
5/2 at Marist Catholic, 3 p.m. 5/2 at Marist Catholic, 5 p.m. 5/6 vs. Junction City, 5 p.m. 5/9 at Junction City, 3 p.m. 5/9 at Junction City, 5 p.m. 5/13 at Tillamook, 4:30 p.m
5/16 at Klamath Union (Kiger Stadium), 3 p.m.
5/16 at Klamath Union (Kiger Stadium), 5 p.m.
Top games
■ J. City … N. Bend … Marist … Marshfield
CRESWELL BULLDOGS
■ Home games: 33390 Niblock Ln.
■ Head coach: Kevin Feist’s second year at Creswell with a 7-16 school record and a 222-162 overall record.
■ 2024 season: 7-16 overall … 4-14 in league … 6th in Mountain Valley Conference … No. 24 in Class 3A … Missed playoffs
■ History: Last playoff appearance: 2009 … League titles: None in the past 10 years … State titles: None
■ Returning players: 10
Top returners
■ Deacon Edwards, Sr., P/1B
2024 season: Edwards has the most varsity experience in the Bulldogs’ program. He will pitch, play infield, and hit in the middle of the Bulldogs’ order. He was named as a utility player/designated hitter on the Second Team Mountain Valley Conference in 2024.
■ Matthew Jenkins, Jr., OF/P
2024 season: Jenkins will play centerfield, pitch, and hit in the top part of the lineup. “He is as good as any outfielder in the league,” Feist said. Last season, he was crowned 2024 Team Outstanding Defensive Player.
■ Colton Hartman, Soph., Utility/P
2024 season: Hartman can play almost anywhere on the field. He is a true utility player. He was named the 2024 Team Most Improved Player.
Team strengths
■ Several players played a lot of baseball together this past summer.
■ The players are excited about establishing a successful program at Creswell.
Areas for improvement
■ Continuing to improve the program culture and expectations, and learning how to compete consistently.
■ Executing fundamentals consistently in all facets of the game.
■ Improving approaches at the plate and being better situational hitters so the hitters are tougher outs.
2025 schedule
3/18 vs. Marist Catholic, 4 p.m.
3/20 at Douglas, 4:30 p.m.
3/25-27 Creswell Showcase Tournament
4/1 vs. Cottage Grove / Yoncalla, 4:30 p.m.
4/2 vs. Kennedy, 4:30 p.m.
4/7 at Sutherlin, 4:30 p.m.
4/9 vs. Santiam Christian, 4:30 p.m.
4/11 at Glide, 1 p.m.
4/11 at Glide, 3 p.m.
4/15 vs. Harrisburg, 4:30 p.m.
4/18 at Pleasant Hill, 2 p.m.
4/18 at Pleasant Hill, 4:30 p.m.
4/22 at La Pine, 4:30 p.m.
4/25 vs. Sisters, 2 p.m.
4/25 vs. Sisters, 4:30 p.m.
4/29 at Elmira, 4:30 p.m.
5/2 at Harrisburg, 2 p.m.
5/2 at Harrisburg, 4:30 p.m.
5/6 vs. Pleasant Hill, 4:30 p.m.
5/9 vs. La Pine, 2 p.m.
5/9 vs. La Pine, 4:30 p.m.
5/13 at Sisters, 4:30 p.m.
5/16 vs. Elmira, 2 p.m.
5/16 vs. Elmira, 4:30 p.m.
Top games
■ Marist Catholic … Sisters … Pleasant Hill
PLEASANT HILL BILLIES
■ Home games: 84455 N. Enterprise Rd.
■ Head coach: Boone Casarez’s first year at Pleasant Hill with a 20-24 overall coaching record.
■ 2024 season: 21-7 overall … 14-4 in league … 3rd in Mountain Valley Conference … No. 4 in Class 3A …
Lost to Brookings-Harbor in the semifinals at the Class 3A playoffs
History: Last playoff appearance: 2024 … League titles: 21 … State titles: 1
■ Returning players: 8
Top returners
■ #44 Alejandro Ziolkowski, Sr., P … 2024 Season: 3-2 with a 2:12 ERA. and 51 kills in only 31 innings pitched.
■ #23 Kaden Fisher, Sr., P/1B … 2024 Season: 5-0 as a pitcher. Hit .431 with 13 RBIs.
■ #3 Caleb Van Ordstrand, Sr., OF … 2024 Season: .362 batting avg. He totaled 25 hits and 18 stolen bases.
Team strengths
■ Senior leadership
■ Playoff experience
■ Young talent
Areas for improvement
■ Getting young talent “up to speed”
2025 schedule
3/18 at Siuslaw / Mapleton, 4:30 p.m.
3/21 vs. Sutherlin, 4:30 p.m.
3/27-29 Challengers Classic Tournament 3/31 vs. Molalla, 4:30 p.m.
4/2 at Valley Catholic, 3:30 p.m.
4/5 at Newport (Frank Wade Field), 5 p.m.
4/7 vs. South Umpqua, 4:30 p.m.
4/9 at Cascade, 4:30 p.m.
4/10 vs. Stayton, 4:30 p.m
4/15 at Elmira, 4:30 p.m
4/18 vs. Creswell, 2 p.m.
4/18 vs. Creswell, 4:30 p.m
4/22 at Harrisburg, 4:30 p.m
4/25 at La Pine, 3 p.m.
4/25 at La Pine, 5 p.m.
4/29 vs. Sisters, 4:30 p.m
5/2 vs. Elmira, 2 p.m.
5/2 vs. Elmira, 4:30 p.m
5/6 at Creswell, 4:30 p.m
5/9 vs. Harrisburg, 2 p.m.
5/9 vs. Harrisburg, 4:30 p.m. 5/13 vs. La Pine, 4:30 p.m 5/16 at Sisters,3 p.m.
5/16 at Sisters, 5 p.m.
Top games
■ Banks … Sisters … Warrenton
SPRINGFIELD MILLERS
■ Home games: Hamlin
■ Head coach: Kyle Casperson’s first year at Springfield
■ New coach report: Casperson is a taste of local Springfield flavor having played in Bushnell and the Drifters. In his 2024 season at Bushnell, he played in 32 games as a senior, making 27 starts and led the team in hitting with a .396 batting average. He also coached at the Drifters Youth Camp and the Bushnell Baseball Academy in the summer. Casperson is originally from Olympia, Wash.
■ 2024 season: 1-26 overall … 0-18 in league … 7th in Midwestern League … No. 32 in Class 5A … Missed playoffs
Top returners
■ Tim James, Jr., Catcher
2025 schedule
3/18 vs. North Salem (Hamlin), 5 p.m.
3/24-26 Springfield Invitational at Hamlin
4/1 at Corvallis, 5 p.m.
4/4 vs. Dallas (Hamlin), 5 p.m.
4/8 at North Salem, 5 p.m.
4/12 vs. CGHS / Yoncalla (Hamlin), 1 p.m.
4/15 at Eagle Point, 5 p.m.
4/19 vs. Eagle Point (Hamlin), 1 p.m.
4/19 vs. Eagle Point (Hamlin), 3 p.m.
4/22 vs. Ashland (Hamlin), 5 p.m.
4/26 at Ashland, 1 p.m.
4/26/25 at Ashland, 3 p.m.
4/29 vs. Churchill (Hamlin), 5 p.m.
5/1 at Churchill, 3 p.m.
5/1 at Churchill, 5 p.m.
5/6 at Thurston, 5 p.m.
5/10 vs. Thurston (Hamlin), 1 p.m.
5/10 vs. Thurston (Hamlin), 3 p.m.
5/13 vs. N. Eugene (Hamlin), 5 p.m.
5/17 at North Eugene, 1 p.m.
5/17 at North Eugene, 3 p.m.
5/20 vs. Crater (Hamlin), 5 p.m.
5/22 at Crater, 3 p.m.
5/22 at Crater, 5 p.m.
THURSTON COLTS
■ Home games: 333 58th St.
■ Head coach: Dennis Minium’s 11th year at Thurston with a 97-13 school record and 198-79 overall.
■ 2024 season: 28-3 overall … 18-0 in league … 1st in Midwestern League … 2024 Class 5A state champion
■ History: Last playoff appearance: State champs in 2024 … League titles: 8 (2008-09, 2018-19, 2021-22, 2023-24) … State titles: 3 (2009, ’23, ’2024)
■ Returning players: 10
Top returners
■#2 Brock Johnson, Jr., SS … 2024 season: .427 BA. First-Team all-league infield and First-Team all-state infield.
■ #3 Kyle Miller, Sr., CF … 2024 season: .385 BA 6-0 pitching. 1.4 ERA. First-Team all-league OF and First-Team all-state OF.
■ #5 Grady Saunders, Jr., 3B/RHP … 2024 season: .484 BA. 13-0 pitching. 812 ERA. … 2024 Midwestern League “Pitcher Of The Year” along with Class 5A “Pitcher Of The Year.”
■ #6 David Macdonald, Sr., 2B … 2024 season: .274 BA. Honorable mention IF
■ #10 Braden Corgain, Sr., C … 2024 season: .171 BA 9 caught stealing 3 pick-offs. Second Team all-league
■ #16 Connor Molony, Sr., RHP/3B/1B … 2024 season: .424 BA. He will be returning to our starting pitching rotation after not pitching last year due to an injury. First-Team all-league DH. First-team all-state DH
■ #20 Collin Hernandez, Sr., LHP/1B … 2024 season:7-1 on mound 2.1 ERA. First-Team all-league P. First-Team all-state P
Team strengths
■ Pitching
■ Defense, offense, speed
■Experience of being in the big game
Areas for improvement
■ Underclassmen: Varsity experience for 2026
2025 schedule
3/17 vs. Sheldon, 2:30 p.m. (Jamboree)
3/17 vs. Marist Catholic, 4:30 p.m. (Jamboree)
3/19 vs. Sheldon (PK Park), 7:30 p.m.
3/24-28 Coach Bob National Invitational
4/1 vs. West Albany, 5 p.m.
4/3 at Caldera, 4:30 p.m. 4/8 at Churchill, 5 p.m.
4/12 vs. Churchill, 1 p.m.
4/12 vs. Churchill, 3 p.m.
4/15 at North Eugene, 5 p.m.
4/19 vs. North Eugene, 1 p.m. 4/19 vs. North Eugene, 3 p.m. 4/22 vs. Eagle Point, 5 p.m. 4/26 at Eagle Point, 1 p.m.
4/26 at Eagle Point, 3 p.m. 4/29 vs. Crater, 5 p.m.
5/3 at Crater, 1 p.m.
5/3 at Crater, 3 p.m.
5/6 vs. Springfield, 5 p.m.
5/10 at Springfield (Hamlin), 1 p.m.
5/10 at Springfield (Hamlin), 3 p.m.
5/14 at Sunset, 5 p.m.
5/20 at Ashland, 5 p.m.
5/23 vs. Ashland, 2 p.m.
5/23/25 vs. Ashland, 4:30 p.m.
Top games
■ Sunset … Coach Bob National
– McKenzie Days, The Chronicle
