No. 5 Sandy baseball cements spot as ‘team to beat’ in Mt. Hood Conference

Published 8:30 pm Thursday, April 24, 2025

With a smashed home run and heady field play, Sandy baseball has made it official — they are the team to beat in the Mt. Hood Conference.

It is a title you can claim after sweeping your rival, and fellow powerhouse, Barlow.

“We all play as a team, every one of us,” said Sandy senior Kobe Sparks. “When we do that it is easy to compete in games like this.”

The Pioneers shined in back-to-back bouts with the Bruins. At home they won a 1-0 defensive showcase Tuesday, April 22, and then followed it up with a 5-2 win on the road Thursday, April 24. The pair of victories make it seven in a row for Sandy, who continues to creep toward the top of the power rankings.

“It feels good, we came out strong,” said Sparks. “We had way better preparation and way more energy (in game two).”

For No. 5 Sandy (12-2, 6-0 League), Sparks had a HR, RBI and a run; senior Cooper Hibbs hit two doubles and 2 RBIs; junior Cal Green had 2 runs and an RBI; senior Fisher Winchester had a double and a run; and senior pitcher Brayden Sievertsen tossed 8 strikeouts while going the distance.

“It felt pretty good, I knew it was gone right off the bat,” Sparks said of that homer. “Especially after my first at bat, a pretty ugly strike out, so I came back and bounced back.”

For No. 13 Barlow (5-9, 3-3 League), senior River Hamilton had a double and a run; senior infielder Kiyoshi Kiyokawa had a double and a run; and sophomore pitcher Zaydon Marguth threw 6 strikeouts (5 innings). Both of the Bruins scores came late, courtesy errant throws that allowed them to steal home.

“We have to keep this rolling through the rest of the season,” Sparks said.