WHERE THE SAINTS CURRENTLY STAND AS SPRING SPORTS CONTINUE

Web Photo.

Through games played May 7, the Saints Baseball team is second in the South Division of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) with a record of 12-6.

In the April 11 game against the Chemeketa Storm, Jacob Biesterfield threw a no-hitter for Mt. Hood. He struck out 10 and walked only two, in a seven-inning, 10-0 Saints win at home.

“He is a well-rounded pitcher. He certainly has above average velocity for the JC (junior college) level, but also has some secondary pitches that make him that much more effective,” said Saints Head Coach Bryan Donohue.

Biesterfield had played at University of Portland for two years, in 2019 and an abbreviated 2020 season. He regained eligibility for the current season due to COVID-19 rule adjustments.

Donohue said the no-hitter (the ninth in Mt. Hood history, since 1968) made for a special day at the ballpark.

“I was a part of a perfect game as a player at Mt. Hood and this is the second no-hitter I’ve been a part of as a coach, the last one coming in 2013,” Donohue said. “It’s fun when you start to get really close… everyone is aware of it for the most part, but no one says anything about it. Every out becomes a pretty fun thing to get.

“They (no-hitters) are never easy, there are always some tense moments along the way. When it finally happens, it is pretty special for everyone on the team. It’s a moment that never gets forgotten.”

The Mt. Hood team is hitting well, led by sophomore catcher Ezra Samperi, who through May 7 was batting .397 and had 12 runs batted in.

“This is a very talented, deep team,” Donohue said of his squad. “I believe our biggest strengths are our depth on the pitching staff and our ability to score runs in bunches. We have a very capable lineup of hitters that can not only have big days at the plate, but also can do a lot of things to produce runs on the basepaths,” he said.

Donohue said the Saints have been able to continue to play home games, despite COVID safety restrictions. And some have been able to watch the Oslund Field action.

“No fans allowed, of course, but people have been parking above the first-base side and sitting in lawn chairs to view the games,” he said.

April turned out to be an eventful month for Donohue: He and his wife, Karalyn, celebrated the birth of their first child, Everett William, a 9-pound, 3-ounce boy.

OTHER SPRING ACTION

In softball action, the Saints are currently fourth in the South Division of NWAC, with a record of 6-10 after taking two games against Chemeketa on Friday, May 7.

The team is completely comprised of freshman players this season. The top four hitters include Maya Phillips (13 hits, 11 runs scored on the season), Janelle Almaguer (14 hits, 13 runs), Alexia Geary (14 hits, 9 runs), and Abigail Padilla (13 hits, 14 runs).

The Saints men’s basketball team stands in fifth place in the South Division. Leading scorers are sophomore guards Jahville Collins, averaging 22 points a game, and Sam Muller, at 15 points per game.

The women’s basketball team is only 0-3 on the year, good for sixth in the South Division, due to several postponed games. Freshman forward Paige Collins leads the team with 13.3 points per game. There are six more games scheduled (as of May 7).

Both men’s and women’s basketball teams have been unable to play home games, due to water damage to the Yoshida Events Center floor suffered in February.

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