La Center sophomore Tom Lambert bats during a jamboree game against Union at Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex. Lambert was among a freshmen class that helped the Wildcats end a 13-year state playoff drought in 2018. Micah Rice/The Columbian Photo Gallery
The La Center baseball team is not your average youth-laden squad.
Yes, 22 of 27 players in the program are sophomores or younger.
But the Wildcats have experience where it counts. Last year’s freshmen class played a key role as La Center snapped a 13-year state playoff drought, eventually reaching the 1A regional final.
Last year as a freshman, No. 1 pitcher Irving Alvarez threw a complete-game five-hitter to clinch La Center’s state berth in a do-or-die game at the district tournament.
Tom Lambert is La Center’s cleanup hitter and was also a key pitcher last year as a freshman. Infielder Beau Castleberry, now a junior, also played a big role in last year’s success.
Yes, La Center is young. But the Wildcats also know what it takes to win when the pressure is on.
“We’ve got the talent,” Alvarez said. “It’s our second year, we know who’s who. We definitely have talent and I think we’re going to make a far run.”
It’s unusual for sophomores to be thrust into leadership roles. But La Center coach Rick Skinner sees those who played on varsity as freshman adjusting well to that role.
“You can tell they’re taking on a big part of that role,” Skinner said. “Sometimes that’s hard, especially when you don’t have a senior that was on varsity last year. But everybody is stepping up and doing a great job so far.”
It’s not just at the high school level where La Center’s sophomore class has found success. Several have played youth ball together for many years, including two KWRL teams that reached the Babe Ruth World Series last year.
“I think most of us are ready because we’ve all been playing together a long time,” Lambert said. “We make sure everything is clear. We’re here to win. We’re here to get better every day.”
La Center isn’t thinking about a Trico League title at this point. Just getting better every day is the Wildcats’ focus.
“We can control what we need to get better on every day in practice,” Skinner said. “As long as we do that and come with the right focus, work hard and have good attitudes, we know that other stuff takes care of itself.”
That said, it’s a Trico League with no clear favorite.
King’s Way Christian has reached the state championship game each of the past two years, winning in 2017. Under first-year coach Todd Pisarczyk, King’s Way will try to replace seven key seniors, including two of the area’s best pitchers in Damon Casetta-Stubbs (now in the Seattle Mariners organization) and Sam Lauderdale (now at Washington State).
Columbia-White Salmon will also be in the mix. All-League senior outfielder Trent Howard leads a core of five seniors on a team that was co-league champ last year.
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