A Season Defined by Grit
The Astoria Youth Baseball Under‑14 Babe Ruth League team clinched the championship after a nail‑biting final inning against Banks High School, rallying from a deficit to secure a hard‑fought victory.
Coached by Aaron Barendse and Matt Starley, the Fishermen finished the season with a record of 15‑5‑1, the sole loss coming at the hands of an in‑state opponent, underscoring the team’s resilience and depth.
Offensive spark came from Cooper Hartley, who led the club with a 4‑for‑5 performance and three runs batted in, while Cutter Barendse, Tomas Banuelos, Sabian Gillum, Paul Schacher and Jack Larson contributed key hits and solid defense throughout the campaign.
On the mound, Barendse earned the win by pitching 4.2 innings of steady work, allowing the team to maintain momentum after the comeback.
The achievement was further highlighted when three of the players — Hartley, Gillum and Barendse — earned spots on the all‑state Oregon Bowl, the showcase for the top sixth, seventh and eighth graders in the state, marking a historic milestone for the program.
The team’s grueling schedule this year was deliberately tough, designed to prepare them for the transition to high school baseball next season, a plan that appears to be paying dividends.