By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
KEIZER, Ore.– For roughly nine players on the Mac’s Single-A American Legion squad, based out of McNary High School, they return with a season of Legion Ball under their belts.
Those returning played with the Post 58 Single-A Soxs squad, the squad’s former name, as now they’ll get a crack at the American Legion Single-A Playoffs after playing an Independent American Legion schedule last Summer.
“The returners will help us tear it up this Summer in league, I think it will be fun,” said Regis’ Owen Eaton.
“We had a lot of fun last year, so now with the same guys, we can go out, and we can get better and go win some games,” adds McNary’s Kyle Wilson. “We can come out mentally to compete now more than coming out and have fun. We can be ready.”
Eaton and Wilson are just two of the returners coming back from last Summer’s team. Eaton, coming off helping the young Rams squad to a 2A/1A State Playoff appearance as a Pitcher and, as a Catcher, comes back with a little more momentum. The sophomore built off of last Summer for this past Spring and now is looking to do that again this Summer going into next school year
“The Spring season was really beneficial. I was a starter for the first time and made some big jumps in my game, and it prepared me for the next levels of baseball,” described Eaton.
Wilson, the lone Celtic player named to the Central Valley Conference First team as a junior at catcher, this past season was tough with the young team at McNary, but it set up Wilson well going into this Summer a little more battle tested.
“It did help because it was my first year at the Varsity-level, it’s definitely harder, and I definitely feel more prepared now,” said Wilson.
The Macs open the season with a League Doubleheader on Sunday against Crescent Valley and Corvallis, both Single-A Legion teams, at McNary High School starting at 2pm.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
