West Coast League expands

by Derrick Pacheco<br
| October 13, 2009 9:00 PM

PORTLAND, Ore. — The West Coast League announced Monday it will operate with nine teams during the 2010 summer baseball season.

The West Coast League is a leading summer collegiate wood-bat baseball league and features some of the best college baseball players throughout the country, including members of the Moses Lake Pirates baseball team.

The 2010 season will include a pair of new organizations while a familiar face will be taking the season off to prepare for a market change.

The Spokane RiverHawks, a longtime member of the West Coast League, will take the 2010 season off to prepare for a move to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, said West Coast League president Ken Wilson.

RiverHawks owner Irv Zakheim is excited for the market change.

“We’ve been working with city officials and local businessmen for almost two years, and we’re on the way to getting a stadium built that we think will be the finest in the West Coast League,” he said. “We believe the stadium will be ready for play in 2011, and no later than 2012.”

While Spokane is changing markets, the West Coast League is adding a pair of Washington state markets.

The Cowlitz Black Bears and a yet to be named team from Walla Walla, Wash., will make their West Coast League debuts this season.

The Cowlitz Black Bears will play their games at Story Field in Longview, Wash. Walla Walla will reveal the team nickname in November and will play their games at Borleske Stadium.

The West Coast League is expanding and Wilson is anxious for the season to begin.

“We are excited to have two new teams and eagerly look forward to the upcoming season,” he said. “Our league expansion has exceeded all expectations.”

In addition to a pair of new teams in 2010, the West Coast League will expand again in 2011 when the Kalamath Falls, Ore., franchise begins play at Kiger Stadium.

Kalamath Falls isn’t the only market Wilson hopes to add for the 2011 season.

“We have at least one other market we expect to enter the league in 2011,” he said.

The 2010 West Coast League schedule has not been released, but will feature each organization playing 48 homes games with an equal number of games against each league opponent.