Golden Eagles Anxious for a Return to Normal, Which Includes Winning Titles

It likely goes without saying that everyone in this country wants a return to normal, including fans at all levels of college baseball.

For Feather River College, who saw their 2020 season end early and their 2021 campaign start late, a return to normal would mean a full schedule and yet another shot at a conference crown and a projected run into postseason play.

Prior to the past two springs when postseason wasn't available, the Golden Eagles had won 12 of 13 Golden Valley Conference titles, they captured seven regional championships and two super region crowns.

So yes, for Feather River, a return to normal would be welcomed for so many reasons.

"It feels like it has been a really long time since we were able to compete for a full season, so we are really excited about the opportunity this spring," said Golden Eagles head coach Terry Baumgartner, who orchestrated all of those titles. "Our players did a very good job this fall getting back into a routine that allowed them to prepare for a full season. We have picked up this January where we left off in the fall and the guys are working really hard through all the challenges that we will face in a spring season with Covid, etc."

Baumgartner's team was 19-9 in an abbreviated 2021 season and were 14-11 in 2020 when the year grinded to a halt in March. In their last full season (2019), they finished 35-8 and went 23-2 to win the GVC title.

The 2022 season begins this Thursday (January 27) with games at Taft (10 am) and Rio Hondo (1:30 pm), followed by a date with Moorpark in Bakersfield on Friday. The Golden Eagles play at Merced on Saturday, and in all will play their first 15 games on the road before coming back to Quincy for a three-game series with Siskyous, February 25-27.

Baumgartner, who in 14 seasons on the FRC campus is 403-153, thinks he has a squad that can be as good as any of his past clubs.

"The 2022 club has a chance to be one of the best we have had during my 15 years at FRC, we have a lot of good kids and depth at all positions," he confirmed. "My coaching staff did a great job of recruiting good kids who have also developed into good players on the field. As long as our kids and coaches keep working hard for a common goal of developing these young men on and off the field we should reap the reward of being successful as a team this spring."

Baumgartner has six position players that started at least a dozen games in a shortened 2021 season and also has four pitchers that toed the rubber.  From the 2020 squad Cooper Kitrel returns with his .380 batting average and 18 RBI in 21 games. Jerry Thomas, a Second Team All-GVC selection in 2019, is back as is Garret Damico. Pitchers with parts of two years of experience include Chace Ostermeyer, Dylan Cabral and Drew Baumgartner. Jake Christianson, a catcher, will also see mound time.

Depth will be a key for the Golden Eagles in 2022, and that's in part where the newcomers come in.

"We have overhauled our roster over the last two seasons to create a lot more depth," he said. "We have a good list of newcomers that will contribute right away."

That group includes catcher Daniel Pruitt (Oregon State), infielder Ryan Blanchard (Eagle, Wisconsin), outfielders Nainoa Kane-Yates (Lihue, Kauai), Cory McIntyre (Cal State Northridge), Mohi Kahui (Australia) and Eric Romero (Rio Rancho, New Mexico).

New pitchers expected to see time include Kyle Giovannoni (Yuba City/Sutter), JJ Neal (Boulder City, Nev.), Elijah Hinojosa (Minden, Nev.) and Tyler Stolfich (Dayton, Nev.).

Baumgartner will have a chance to see how all the returning and new pieces fit together in that 15-game preseason schedule, but the games won't be easy.

"Our non-conference 15 game schedule is one of the toughest in all of California," said the eight-time GVC Coach of the Year. "We schedule a lot of the best teams in the state so we can challenge our guys early on and be prepared for a tough Golden Valley Conference schedule. Not only do players like how they develop in our program but they also like being challenged as a team and individuals on a daily basis. That is what our schedule does for our team year in and year out, is preparation for the GVC and state playoffs."

Those first road games will provide Baumgartner a window for how to position his team and get them ready to chase yet another GVC title. But there is more to the program than winning another conference crown and chase postseason dreams.

"The other goals we have as a club is to continue to create a positive and fun culture that stresses hard work, accountability to one another, playing the game the right way, and winning on and off the field," said Baumgartner. "Our guys spend a lot of time in the weight room as well as at study hall and tutoring sessions so they can achieve success in the classroom. When all of these things happen in our program then our guys have a lot of fun and really enjoy the process of playing college baseball at Feather River.

"Another goal we have is move our guys on to the next level and find the right fit for each player as we send them off to their next destination. This is done through their hard work on the field and in the classroom as we prepare them for their next stop."

Eleven players from the 2020 FRC team and eight from the 2021 squad have gone on to sign with four-year programs, despite the challenges that the pandemic has done to impact roster sizes at universities.

For the newcomers on the 2022 team, they will have to wait 15 games before they get to play at home, which will become a special place to them if history is any indicator.

"Playing at home is always special for our players every year, since we play a majority of our games on the road to start the season," the coach explained. "Our guys are always excited to play at home in front of our fans at one of the best facilities in California, and we definitely have the best backdrop for baseball in the California."

After the home openers against Siskyous, the Golden Eagles will play Shasta in a three-game series at home, March 4-5.

"This team reminds me a lot of our 2008 and 2009 teams my first two years as the head coach at FRC," he recalled, noting teams that won conference and regional titles . "As long as our kids and coaches keep working hard for a common goal of developing these young men on and off the field we should reap the reward of being successful as a team this spring."