PORTLAND — Before joining the Ridgefield Raptors for their inaugural season, Michael Hicks joined another inaugural of sorts.
The incoming redshirt senior is one of 12 players who redshirted on campus at Boise State. The Broncos are reviving their baseball program for 2020, and the University of Portland transfer estimated previous live at-bats came last summer.
No rust for Hicks as of late, and especially Wednesday when the designated hitter went 3 for 5 with two runs scored in Ridgefield’s 8-1 win over the Portland Pickles at Walker Stadium.
“It’s pretty easy to hit,” Hicks said, “when everyone else is doing it in front of you. It’s a team thing; we’re not good alone.”
By the time Hicks got his third hit, Ridgefield (6-2) raced out to a 6-1 lead in the fourth inning. Its 1-6 hitters — Jack Bauer, Jonny Weaver, Hicks, Grayson Sterling, Ole Arnston and Dominic Enbody — all had multi-hit games. The Raptors had 15 hits.
And the Raptors are turning those early losses into wins. They’ve now won six straight after dropping their first two games of the season. The team concludes its series with Portland at 7:05 p.m. Thursday back at Walker Stadium in Southeast Portland.
“Team morale is high,” Hicks said. “… the arms have been unbelievable or us giving us a chance to win every night. It’s been pretty cool to watch.”
3 key moments
Load ’em up — Three times Wednesday, the Raptors loaded the bases. Two came in the third inning when they batted around and scored four runs.
Extra bases, please — Of Ridgefield’s 15 hits, four were extra-base hits. Back-to-back doubles came from Concordia’s Dominic Enbody and Oregon State’s Justin Boyd in the sixth when the Raptors extended their lead by seven runs.
Done after 3 — Pickles starter Daniel Naughton (Gonzaga) was chased after three innings with Ridgefield’s lead at 6-1. In that third, the Raptors batted around playing four runs.
3 key players
Grayson Sterling — The Gonzaga product went 2 for 4 and was part of a 9-4-2 relay for an inning-ending putout to prevent the Pickles’ second run from scoring.
Jack Bauer — The Union High graduate extended his hitting streak to five games with his lead-off double to start the game. He finished 2 for 5, including a lead-off double to start the game.
Joey Martin — The Kansas State pitcher allows one earned run on three hits over five to earn the win.
3 key numbers
7 — Camas’ Grant Heiser has played in seven games at catcher for the Pickles. Earlier this spring, Heiser signed a 10-day contract with the club and went onto hit .461 for Camas.
2 — The Pickles have three members of Clark College’s baseball team on its roster. Head coach Mark Magdaleno is the team’s hitting coach. Shortstop Kai Perreria has scored four runs in seven games and infielder Conner Wojahn scored the Pickles’s lone run reaching base via a walk in the second inning.
4 — The Raptors’ relievers Marc Lidd, Ridgefield High graduate Spencer Andersen, and Addison Berger did not allow a hit the final four innings.
