Wildcats back on diamond

COLUMBUS JUNCTION - After not fielding a varsity baseball team last season, Columbus High School is back and ready to go for the shortened season that begins today.

Nick Swanson has been named the head coach for the Wildcats.

Swanson said that sophomore Yahir Ayala, who may play second or third base and pitch, junior Mason Hodges, who may play left field, first base and pitch, junior Garrett Palmer, who will play catcher and infield, as well as junior Will Schwab, who will man center field as the key contributors this season.

Promising newcomers are eighth-grader Kaden Amigon, freshman Grant Watson and sophomore Issac Lagunas.

Other members of the team are seniors Evan Reesa and Gustavo Anaya, junior Joey Zaehringer, sophomores Marco Martinez, Gerardo Orozco and Dyson Juhl, freshmen Ethan Palmer, Coby Frost and Julian Jimenez with eighth-grader Kaden Amigon.

Getting the varsity team on its feet and going again is more of a concern for the Wildcats than the coronavirus, although that will be a constant throughout the season.

'With all the craziness that this season brings, we just want to be able to do all the little things right,” Swanson said. 'We want to be able to grow as a program and continue to make strong strides toward becoming a regular contender for the conference.”

Columbus baseball schedule

June 15 Columbus at Lone Tree

June 16 Louisa-Muscatine at Columbus

June 18 Columbus at Mediapolis

June 22 Pekin at Columbus

June 23 Columbus at Wapello

June 25 Winfield-Mt. Union at Columbus

June 26 Muscatine at Columbus

June 30 Columbus at Highland

July 2 Columbus at Hillcrest