After a bumpy start to the spring season, the Othello High School baseball team capped off the schedule on a high note last weekend, taking down Pullman High School 4-2 to claim the Regional Championship.

The Othello Huskies, playing in the Greater Spokane League, went 1-4 and were outscored 45-6 in those losses. From that point, the Huskies won six games in a row and seven of their last nine to wrap up the year at 8-6.

Othello head coach Sonny Garza said he blames some of the early season struggles on rustiness, with a lot of players not playing for a year and half to two years. This season’s juniors were only freshman when the Huskies last took the field and only four or five had seen any significant varsity time.

In the season-opening doubleheader against West Valley High School, Garza said the team got a wake-up call early.

“We kind of got smacked and had our backs up against the wall after that week, but the kids battled back and they were able to get together, string together some great wins and great games,” Garza said.

As the team built some rhythm, Garza said, the confidence grew too. He said his players realized they could compete, and had confidence the last few weeks of the season that they could face anyone.

Garza said he’d like to think his team did everything well this season, even if there were some areas that could improve. The team’s three pitching aces, Jonathan Gomez, Andre Garza and Rodrigo Garza, were all dominant to end the season, he added.

At the plate, he said, there was maybe one time in the final 10 games or so of the season when the Huskies left a lot of players on base.

“The cool thing about it was all nine guys that were in the lineup were contributing,” Garza said. “It was top to bottom, one through nine.”

Garza said catcher Chon Sauceda was probably the team’s MVP this season.

As a coach, Garza said, this shortened season was a lot more relaxing. While he said he still feels like spring sports took the brunt of the damage from COVID, missing last season and then dealing with a reduced schedule this year, he focused on being happy with whatever opportunity the team had.

He said once he got the team to relax a bit this spring, it paid off on the field.

“Just being able to get them to understand whatever happens happens and it was going to be a fun season,” Garza said. “And it ended up being a great season.”

Garza said he’s really excited to see how this team fares next year, returning to the Central Washington Athletic Conference after facing some tough competition in the GSL.