Local athletes win PG State tournament with Reign

PASCO – Reign Sports Performance’s 18u team went 4-0 and became champions of the Perfect Game Washington State Tournament last weekend. The team consists of four basin players Anthony Gutierrez from Warden and Quade Gonzalez, Jordan Montemayor and Kal El Ozuna from Othello. 

“We’ve been very fortunate to have those guys make the commitment and drive over here during the winter and make the practices where it’s not ideal for them to have to get out of their local spots,” said Jorge Reyes, who runs Reign Sports Performance. 

Reyes said the team was looking pretty gritty going into the weekend as they were missing their official catcher. Their middle infielder had to take the place, but the team overcame the challenge, and the pitchers still threw very impressive games. 

“Apparently they found some lucky coyote in the dugout they kept all weekend,” said Reyes. 

Montemayor pitched the first four innings of game one where he struck out three batters, and the team would go on to win 14-2. Gonzalez threw for five innings in the second game of the tournament, where he struck out eight and only gave up one hit, and the team won 9-4.  

Both Gutierrez and Ozuna had success at bat during the tournament over the weekend where in game one Ozuna scored a run and stole two bases on offense. Gutierrez hit .400 during the tournament and was one of the top performers in the tournament. 

“It’s been great for them to rise from the occasion,” said Reyes. “Obviously this area has a lot more people to pick from and being a small-town guy myself, I’m drawn to wanting to give those guys an opportunity and they’ve held their own.”  

Reyes himself is from Warden and played for the high school where he then went on to play for Oregon State University and won Most Outstanding Player in 2007. He played professional baseball until he retired in 2019 and founded RSP. 

Each of the players spent some time with RSP prior to this summer with Montemayor being on the team the longest having played all four years of high school and Gutierrez has been training with the team for years, but this summer will be his first official season on the team. This will be Gonzalez’s second year on the team, and Ozuna joined a few years back and has become an essential outfielder on the team. 

Reyes said that the goal of the organization is to get the players recognized by colleges, such as Gutierrez who will be going to play baseball for Olympic College and Montemayor is going to Whitman College in the Fall. Ozuna is in the works for attending Walla Walla and Gonzalez is still talking with division one schools to determine which college he will be attending. 

“As an organization, that’s why we took them,” he said. “We know that they’re players who can play at the next level and we’re excited to see them continue after they’re finished with us.” 

The team’s next two games will be this weekend where they play in Pasco. Following this they will be headed on the road to play in tournaments at Central Washington University, Whitworth, WSU, Gonzaga and the University of Oregon. 

“The next five weekends will be on college campuses, which we purposefully do so that those guys can ideally get seen by those colleges if they’re not already committed and get an opportunity to continue to play,” said Reyes. 

RSP’s 18u team’s workouts follow college style workouts where they practice two times a week for three hours and they work on their skills for infield and outfield, have throwing programs and bullpens actively going all at the same time, he said.  

“We feel that’s what they need to make sure that they’re ready for each weekend,” said Reyes. 

Reyes said anyone interested in Reign Sports Performance should check out their social media page on Facebook. 

“I know that we’re in the Tri Cities, but we’re definitely an organization for anyone around the Columbia Basin and Eastern Washington as a whole,” he said. “We’d love to hear if anyone wants to have the same opportunities those guys have gotten.” 

RSP’s 18u team’ s next games will be at the Sandlot by Reign Sports Performance in Pasco with tomorrow's game at 10:45 a.m. and Sunday’s game at 8 a.m. 

    The Reign Sports Performance’s 18u team became champions at the PG Washington State Tournament. The RSP organization is run by Warden native Jorge Reyes and this year consists of four players from around the basin.
  

    Anthony Gutierrez points to the dugout after hitting a triple in the championship game, bringing in two runs in the bottom of the second. Gutierrez signed with Olympic College back in April from his involvement with Reign.
  

    Starting as pitcher in game one Jordan Montemayor catches the ball while on the mound in one of the games from the PG Washington State Tournament. Montemayor has been on the team since his freshman year of high school and will be attending Whitworth University in the Fall.
  

    Kal El Ozuna hits the ball while batting early in the PG Washington State Tournament. Ozuna stole two bases in the first game of the tournament and has also been playing as an outfielder on the team.
  

    Quade Gonzalez pitches the ball to an opposing batter during the PG Washington State Tournament where he threw 100 pitches and only allowed one hit. Gonzalez is still being scouted by colleges throughout the state.