Owls focus on defense, pitching under first-year coach

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The Spokane Owls return six starters and, after going 6-7 in the fall, are looking to improve on that record this spring. Heading up the Owls this year is first-year head coach Trevor Casterlin.

The Owls will be led by two seniors, Cody Terrell and Matt Sledge. Terrell will be counted on to provide leadership for the young Owls. He will play first base and pitch as part of the rotation. Terrell hit .472 while driving in 14. Sledge will be Spokane’s number two starter and will be counted on to be a run producer as well. Sledge drove in 10 and hit two home runs in the fall.

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Three juniors are also back in the starting lineup, including 1st team all district and 2nd team all SWCL pitcher Trenton Stone. He is Spokane’s ace; when he’s not on the mound, he is playing centerfield and providing offense.

He hit .600 including 4 doubles, 2 triples and 3HR and 13 RBI’s last fall. The two other juniors are Myles Essick and Scott Ingersoll. Essick took the starting second baseman role in the fall and made it his. Ingersoll will be the Owls’ starting catcher. He will also see time in the outfield and on the pitching mound as a reliever.

The one remaining starting is sophomore Austin Holt.  Holt started in left field as a freshman last year and will return to left field. He will also see time as a catcher and as a pitcher. Holt hit for an average of .457 with 12 RBIs.

Others returners to the lineup are juniors Tanner Brown and Chandler Brown and sophomore Landon Bilyeu. Tanner Brown will play shortstop and pitch, while Chandler Brown will play the hot corner at third. Bilyeu will patrol the outfield and play the infield in the utility role.

“The fall season was important for us to learn about each other and especially for me to see what are strengths are and what our areas of improvement are,” said Casterlin. “Our success depends on our defense and pitching.  We are a team that is capable of scoring runs in bunches, but we had some games in the fall that we gave up big innings immediately after, so we will focus a lot during preseason practice on cleaning that up.”

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