Central Washington Spuds initial season gets underway
<p style="text-align: left;">Pictured in the back row from left are pitching coach Craig Carter, head coach Jameson Lange, Chase Tunstall, Mason Mathews, Spencer Street, Louie Reyes, Jerry Reyes, Cameron Ball, Colton Kelly and assistant coach Dan Caballero. Front row from left are Brad Fox, Zack Wulf, Erick Huberdeau, Nathan Ball, Gunner Raymond, bat boy Colin Carter, Jacob Price, Brett Moser, Bryan Wulf, Eliott Sage and Nick Bailey.</p>
MOSES LAKE - It's been some years in the making, but Ed McNamara's, vision of having a Senior American Legion baseball team in town has finally come to fruition as the AAA Central Washington Spuds open league play against the Sun Devils in Pasco today.
McNamara was the former head baseball coach at Moses Lake High School from 2005-2011.
"The team was formed about six months ago," Spuds board member Keith Tunstall said. "We are members of the Central Washington League (CWL)and will play approximately 50 games this season; 28 league and 22 nonleague and tournament games. We are sponsored by American Legion Post 209 here in Moses Lake."
The Spuds pull their talent from Moses Lake, Quincy, Ephrata, Warden, Othello and Royal City.
There are 16 players on the roster this year. Eleven are from Moses Lake, three from Ephrata and two from Warden. Jameson Lange is the skipper, Craig Carter who is the pitching coach for Big Bend Community College, and Daniel Caballero, the head coach at Warden High School, are assistant coaches for the Spuds.
"Jameson came up through the program through our developmental teams and was the hitting coach at Moses Lake High School for two years," Tunstall said. "He's also an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Pete Doumit out at Big Bend. So, it was a natural fit for Jameson to coach the surrounding six town's talent. When the Spuds are on the road, he is also looking at kids to recruit for the college team."
Eight teams comprise the CWL. The Spuds will hold their practices at BBCC and play all of their home games at Larson Field. All home games will be broadcast live on KBSN 1470 AM. Each Monday during the regular season KBSN will also air "The Coaches Show." The program will rotate between three locations in Moses Lake: The Porterhouse Restaurant, Papa's Casino and the Rock Top Grill. It will broadcast live from 5 to 6 p.m. On June 10, the show will air from the deck of the Rock Top Grill.
This Saturday is the home opener for the Spuds. Local legend and former Big League pitcher Dave Heaverlo is scheduled to throw out the first pitch of the doubleheader at 5 p.m.
"It's going to be a tribute to the local American Legion and to our local veterans," Tunstall said. "So we'd love to see a big turnout."