Comets' season ends in semis

At the beginning of the season, Naselle Head Coach Randy Lindstrom and the Comets set their goals sky-high. The program sought a return to the state finals and, though they fell just short in the semifinals, the season was still a success, decided by the finest of margins.

"When we started, we set our goals very high and checked almost all the boxes," Lindstrom said. "Baseball is such a funny sport. You can play well and almost perfect all year, but all the pieces of the puzzle have to fall into the right spots in the last few games. If one piece doesn't, it's all over in the blink of an eye."

The Comets battled through a tough schedule this year, one that was set to give them the best chance to be battle-tested and prepared for the biggest games. After starting the season 1-3, the Comets put together a 10-1 stretch to close out the regular season.

In the postseason, Naselle continued to shine, winning the district championship and cruising past Northport in the quarterfinals. In the semifinal on May 30, however, number-one-seeded Liberty Christian proved too big a challenge.

Naselle ended up losing 2-4, but it was a tight game, with the score not telling the whole story. Naselle jumped out to an early lead in the contest, scoring a run in the first and third to go up 2-0. Leith Chadwick was on the mound for the game, but he also notched a hit and RBI in the batter's box.

Unfortunately, the Patriots put together a late run to which the Comets couldn't respond. Liberty scored a run in the fourth and fifth inning to tie it up and snatched the lead with two runs in the sixth. Sadly, the Comets just couldn't get the hits they needed to bring them back in the seventh, and the game ended 4-2.

In the third-place game May 31, Naselle lost to #3 Almira-Coulee-Hartline 3-1 in another tight matchup. Lindstrom credited the team's pitching in both games but said the hits didn't quite materialize at the critical moments.

"Our pitching this weekend at the semifinals was outstanding," said Lindstrom. "Leith Chadwick and Will Anderson had all their stuff working. Moved the ball around well and mixed speeds. We gave ourselves an opportunity to win but couldn't get that big hit with runners in scoring position."

Despite ending the season with two losses, Lindstrom walked away from the season with nothing but praise for how the team performed this year and their resolve to keep competing.

"I'm proud of them; these boys worked hard all year! We had some big wins along the way and some hard-fought battles against some good clubs," Lindstrom said. "They kept battling till the last pitch and never gave up."

One of the backbones of this year's season was the leadership and contributions of the program's seniors: Jack Strange, Logan Quashnick, Will Anderson, Jacob Lindstrom, and Caiden Burke. Lindstrom noted the talent and experience that the contingent brought to this year's team, noting that some of them have been on the varsity team since eighth grade and have been core members of four trips to the Final Four and two state championships.

"They are some gamers, you can't teach that," said Lindstrom. "They came to compete every day and gave their all. It's been like that for years. The older leaders put their stamp on the program, and the younger players pick up on it, and they carry the torch for the next years to come. It's a Comet culture. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Lindstrom and the Comets will miss the standard that the seniors brought, but their legacy will live on with the impact they've had on the younger players.

This year's semifinalists had no shortage of youth who are sure to be featured players in the coming seasons. One of the youngest contributors to this year's squad was eighth grader Kayden Wirkkala, who operated as a designated hitter for the Comets and played some outfield.

"That kid is a talent, he keeps working at it, there is no ceiling for his future on the diamond," Lindstrom said.

Two other precocious underclassmen who will be players to watch next season are Eli Gardner and Garrett Bogs. "Eli Gardner is a freshman and DH for us as well," said Lindstrom. "He is one of the hardest-working kids you will coach. Great attitude and is going to be a real gem. Garrett Boggs, a sophomore, stepped in and took over the catching duties for us this year. He grew a lot in the season, and we expect big things out of him for the next couple of years."

While the Comets seem set to have a bright future, some of the biggest lessons and highlights Lindstrom had related to things that are bigger than just the game of baseball. Lindstrom said the biggest highlight for him this season was seeing the way his squad handled "adversity and tragedy."

Commenting on some of the lessons he learned, Lindstrom said, "Never take anything for granted. Let everyone you love know you love them and cherish every day. Be thankful for what we have and the opportunities we get. There's much more being learned on the diamond than throwing strikes and hitting balls; it's bigger than that."