Sweet Home High School baseball returned an experienced lineup this year that Coach John Best hoped would engineer a deep drive into the state playoffs.
The Huskies were coming off a season in which they finished 13-5 in league and 17-10 overall, good for second in the Oregon West Conference behind Newport, 15-3 in league and 19-6 overall. Philomath, 13-5 in league and 18-11 overall, finished third.
Sweet Home was ranked 12th at the end of the season. Philomath was ranked 10th, and Newport was ranked eighth.
Five seniors – shortstop Zach Luttmer, center fielder Gavin Nichols, outfielder Cole Mizsei, catcher Travis Thorpe and Zach Zanona, who has played a variety of positions as a three-year starter, were expected to lead this year’s team of talented underclassmen.
“They’re ready to play, Best said as the coronavirus shutdown began, adding that his team was frustrated with the season on pause.
Their goal this year was to compete for the league championship and to be a playoff team, Best said.
“I really think we should be competing for the league title.”
The Huskies had “potential” on the mound, Best said, and it had some heavy hitters in Luttmer and Thorpe, and junior Aidan Tyler, who would have been “a big part of what we do offensively” and would have put up the doubles and triples, Best predicted.
“Everybody in that lineup is going to contribute.”
The Huskies were mentally tough and close-knit, Best said, and he’s never had a team so focused in practice.
“All of the coaches have been so impressed with the work ethic.”