After nine long months, the Trojans return to Funko Field in preparation for the 2025 NWAC baseball season.
Under the continued leadership of third year head coach Keith Hessler, the team looks to improve on their stellar 2024 season. Last year, the Trojans ended the year with a record of 31-16, winning them the NWAC North crown. They proceeded to finish sixth at the NWAC Championship in Longview. Four players were named Second Team All Region and six were named First Team All Region. Sophomores Axel Puls and Colin Beazizo both took home Gold Glove Awards.
Among those named First Team All Region is sophomore righty Blake Sandvik. Sandvik pitched to a 1.93 ERA in 12 appearances. He threw 28.0 innings, striking out 35 batters and allowing 10 walks. The goal for every player and team is to build on success and that’s what Sandvik plans on doing.
“I mean for me, I’m just trying to do the same thing I did last year, just work harder. Everyone here is a really close-knit group of guys which helps me, helps push everyone to get that next step. I feel like if we all come together and strive to win NWAC, that will not only make me better but the team as well.”
Playing consistent baseball is hard. The game is notoriously difficult and filled with many ups and downs. Hessler understands this and pushes his players to keep working and changing.
“It’s just the constant development, just everybody needs to understand that we’re not a finished product and I tell guys all the time, just because they had a good year last year doesn’t mean they can kind of just float through the season this year,” Hessler said.
“I mean only one team gets to go home happy at the end of the year, so we understand that. It’s hard to win in the NWAC. It is our goal at the end of the day, but our first goal is to win the north.”
The 2024 season also saw the coaching staff bringing home some respectable accolades. Ezra Lacina was named North Region Assistant Coach of the Year and Hessler the North Region Coach of the Year. With the coaches and players all bringing home personal awards, it’s clear how much talent is present in this roster.
“I think knowing the talent we have this year is higher than the talent we had last year is already enough to know that we can make it even farther this year. And I feel like this year, the guys are just that much closer and that much more wanting to win with each other so I think that’ll help us propel further into higher seeding in the NWAC,” Sandvik said.
The Trojans 2024 season ended with a tough 3-2 loss in 13 innings to Spokane last May. Try as you might, you can’t win them all. It’s tough to lose so close to the end goal but it’s important to continue moving forward and part of a coach’s responsibility is to facilitate that.
“That one’s hard because it ended our year. I think with 50% of the roster getting turned over, there’s not much to say to the guys at the end. Especially the guys that end up leaving, knowing that that was their last game here. For the guys that return, usually the message we send them off with into the summer is basically, remember what that feels like. The fact that only one team gets to leave happy is big but remember what the sophomores did, remember how the sophomores felt and the looks on their faces and things like that when we did not win,” Hessler said when asked about their final game last year.
“Teams are gunning for that North Region title just like we are, but we have the target on our back this year. The message is constant, constant development, constant work and understanding that it’s all about stringing good days together, making sure we limit the negative, limit the bad days. Last year was last year and this is a fresh slate for everybody.”
As the season draws nearer, the players are all focused on what they can do to be their best selves. The coaching staff does as much as they can to lead their team to success but at the end of the day, it’s up to these players to strive for greatness and play their hearts out.
“I think the staff this year will come out and dominate hitters as well. I think everyone here plays a role. Everyone has a position and everyone knows what they’re gonna provide for the team so I think if everyone can just hone down their position as a player, then everything will work out in the end for us,” Sandvik said.
The Trojans begin the season on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. away against the Yakima Valley Yaks. They play their home opener on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. against Centralia.
