Wildcats Begin Season vs. Ottawa (Ariz.) in Surprise

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Kicking off the 2025 season, the Baker baseball team fell to Ottawa (Ariz.), this past weekend in all four games by scores of 6-3, 7-6, 15-5 and 10-0.

Kole Starlin got the start in game one of the series, pitching two innings, while Ty Clark, Jake Miller and Brayden Youkon also pitched in the game. Offensively, the Wildcats picked up six hits in the game with Tyson Wallace leading the Wildcats with two hits and two RBI.

Baker fell behind early in the first inning, but was able to score two in the top of the fourth inning on a double from Wallace to cut the lead to 3-2. After a run for the Spirit in the bottom of the sixth, a sac-fly from Jon Jenkins brought the game back within one. Ottawa then tacked on two more runs before the end of the game as they went on to win the game, 6-3.

Vaughn Wells took to the hill in game two as Baker had seven different pitchers pitch in the game. Both Camden Karlin and Eli Young picked up two hits in game two as the team had eight total hits in the game.

Again, the Spirit scored first to take a 2-0 lead, but Baker was able to tie the game in the top of the third on two wild pitches. A big third inning followed by another run in the fifth inning gave Ottawa a 7-2 lead heading into the sixth inning.

In the sixth, Wallace singled to center to score one and then Baker added two in the eighth on a single from Jaidon Bowers, followed by a home run to left from Camden Karlin, but Baker could not complete a comeback, falling in game two, 7-6.

John Green got the start in game three of the series as five total pitchers combined to throw six innings in game three. Karlin picked up his second straight multi-hit game, while Jackson Truman also had two hits and picked up three RBI.

Despite Baker taking an early 2-0 lead on singles from Kolden Howerton and Jackson Truman, the Spirit scored 15 unanswered runs to hold a 15-2 lead heading into the sixth inning. A Truman double and a Brennan Johnson single cut the lead to 10, but that is the closest Baker would get in game three, falling by a score of 15-5.

With a start from Tyler Vigna in game four, the Wildcats had five pitchers pitch once again. The Baker offense struggled to get going, just getting two hits in the game.

Ottawa scored at least one run in four of the six innings, as they went on to beat Baker, 10-0 and win the series, 4-0.

Baker begins the season with a record of 0-4. The Wildcats will continue their season with their home opener on Tuesday, February 18, when they host Avila at 3:00 p.m., at Sauder Field.

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