We began our 2009 season as a very young team with just two seniors and a challenging pre league schedule. After playing a pre league schedule that included six 6A Division teams and three other 5A and 4A teams that eventually made the state playoffs, we started our league season with a match against last years state runnerup Thurston. The opening day match went nine innings and ended in a 0-0 score. The game had to be played over from the start. That game was indicative of what our league season was going to be like. Three of our first five games were decided by one run, and the other two were decided by two and three runs.
We battled throughout the season and our number two playoff spot was not secured until the last game of the league season in an extra inning game at Willamette. We took our young team to the Portland to play Cleveland where we won 3-0 on the strong arm or our three time all state pitcher, senior Tim Keller. We then hosted defending champion Ashland in the quarterfinals. Ashland put on a great display of all around baseball, beat us 5-1, and moved on to the semifinals for the third straight year. We're very proud of the way our young team performed against the Grizzlies. We feel that the playoff experience lays a strong foundation for the 15 players who return from our playoff roster.
The players efforts were not only rewarded by a trip to the quarterfinals, but also by the selection of six Highlanders to the league all-star team. Senior pitcher Tim Keller was selected first team for the third consecutive year. Our other senior, Chris Haxby, earned a Gold Glove for his outfield work. Others gaining first team recognition were junior Zach Fischer as a relief pitcher, sophomore Shaun Boehm as an infielder and freshman Andrew Moore as utility player. Junior Garrett Mills earned honorable mention all star status as an infielder.
2010
Next year looks promising as we return six juniors, three sophomore and six freshmen from our playoff roster. Among that group are four league all star players, a lot of pitching experience and our catcher.
History
North Eugene's successful baseball tradition began when our first baseball coach, Mel Krause, led the Highlanders to the league title in just the third year of the program - 1960. We have earned a total of 24 MWL titles in our 52 years of baseball. We are proud to have the longest consecutive playoff appearance in the Midwestern League - 14 years. During this streak we have won seven outright league championships and two co-championships. Our success is due to the hard work of our players, wonderful parent support, great boosters and an ace coaching staff.
Over 100 Highlanders have gone on to play college ball. At least twelve have moved on to professional baseball, with Danny Ainge playing for the Toronto Blue Jays before moving on to his basketball career.
We are proud to be able to play at one of the best baseball facilities in the Pacific Northwest - Swede Johnson Stadium. This facility was built by volunteer baseball fanatics and has hosted many great high school playoff games as well as state and regional American Legion tournaments..... more history
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