Wolverines boys baseball turns up the heat | Spring Sports Preview

By Heather Spaulding • March 15, 2018 9:31 am
Staff photo/Heather Spaulding Top row, left to right: Coach Steve Schramm, Gavin Flaum, Nick Herko, Yadir Plaza, Marshall Clark, Rio Black, Wade Swaitz, Lucas Chevalier, and Jackson Pieples Bottom row: Ethan Germain, Jaden Jones, Austin Wynne, Ty Anderson, Gavin Mason, Satchel Pieples, and coach Rich Warren
Staff photo/Heather Spaulding Top row, left to right: Coach Steve Schramm, Gavin Flaum, Nick Herko, Yadir Plaza, Marshall Clark, Rio Black, Wade Swaitz, Lucas Chevalier, and Jackson Pieples Bottom row: Ethan Germain, Jaden Jones, Austin Wynne, Ty Anderson, Gavin Mason, Satchel Pieples, and coach Rich Warren

Friday Harbor Boys Baseball Coaches Rich Warren and Steve Schramm said the 2018 Wolverine team will bring on the heat.

“We should be very competitive and hold our own against everyone we play,” Warren said.

They lost some irreplaceable players, like two-time league MVP, or most valuable player, Kai Herko, who graduated last year. Five starters are back, according to Warren, giving the team a solid core of return players. New freshman to the team, Warren added, show potential, and he expects they will turn out to be impressive players.

Warren and Schramm have coached the boys baseball team for decades, and their goal, besides winning, has always been about having fun.

“They work hard,” Schramm said of his team, so he enjoys seeing the team get to the point when all that work begins to pay off, where they have mastered their skills and the game becomes fun.

“I love it when I see a kid make an amazing play and he says, ‘Wow, I did that!?’” Schramm said.

Two senior star players Rio Black and Jackson Pieples talked with the Journal about this season.

“I’ve played since kindergarten, and love the game,” Black said.

Pieples has also played for years and originally got into the sport by watching his dad play.

“It’s just a really fun game,” he said, adding that going to state in 2016 in Tri-Cities was one of his most memorable moments.

“We ended up making a major comeback,” Pieples said, smiling.

As to what their goals are for the season, Blackand Pieples said they included leading the Wolverines to state and preparing the team to continue playing competitively after they graduate. In order to do that, they said, working on defense is key.

“If we hit a little and play good defense, we should have another good year,” Warren said.

The opening game takes place off island, March 16, against Sultan. The first home game at Friday Harbors Hartland Fields will be against Sedro-Wolley, March 21.

Boys Baseball Scheudle

3-16 @ Sultan 4 p.m.

3-21 Sedro-Wooley 4 p.m.

3-24 Forks 12:30 and 2 p.m.

3-29 @ Darrington 4 p.m.

4-2 Coupeville TBD

4-9 Concrete 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.

4-13 @ Orcas TBD

4-17 @ La Conner 4 p.m.

4-20 Darrington TBD

4-27 @ Concrete 4 p.m.

4-28 University Prep noon

5-1 Orcas TBD

5-4 La Conner TBD