WEST COAST LEAGUE BASEBALL: Port Angeles Lefties a mix of new and the familiar

Published 4:15 pm Wednesday, May 27, 2026

PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Lefties begin their ninth season Friday with a mix of the new and the familiar.

The biggest change for the team this year is a new general manager, former Leftie player Kole Acker, son of owner Matt Acker. Kole also played for Port Angeles High School and the Wilder Baseball Club so he has deep roots in the community baseball scene.

Returning this season is manager Donald Brais for his third season at the helm. Brais is a coach for Citrus College in Glendora, Calif. Brais also has ties to Chaffey College and other Southern California schools that have been instrumental in the Lefties recruiting elite players.

“Don returning has made a large impact,” Acker said.

The Lefties start with a three-game series in Salem, Ore., on Friday to play the second-year Marion Berries for the first time. They return to Port Angeles for a six-game homestand beginning June 2 against the Portland Pickles, followed by three straight against the Ridgefield Raptors.

The Lefties also have a six-game homestand from June 16-21 (Bellingham Bells and the Victoria HarbourCats), another six-game homestand July 3-9 (Kamloops NorthPaws and Wenatchee AppleSox), including a July 4 home game.

Other homestands include July 17-19 and July 24-30. The Lefties will make road trips to as far away as Edmonton, Alberta (June 28-30), Kelowna, B.C., (June 12-14) and Kamloops, B.C. (June 9-11). The West Coast League All-Star game this year is in neighboring Victoria on July 15 so it will be easy for Port Angeles residents to attend.

There are a few returning players from last year, including the Lefties’ top hitter Tommy Markey. Markey, who attends Fordham University in the Bronx, N.Y., had a monster season for the Lefties last year, hitting .302 with 52 hits, 19 RBIs, seven doubles and 32 runs scored last year for Port Angeles. The highlight of his season came when he was named the West Coast League All-Star Game MVP after driving in the winning run.

Another returning player is Garrett Patterson, a two-way player who both catches and pitches. Acker said he probably will be primarily a catcher this season. Patterson hit .392 for Citrus College this year and batted .294 for Port Angeles last year. He is transferring to Eastern Illinois. As a pitcher, he had 16 strikeouts in 20 innings.

Also returning is pitcher Mason Seay from the University of Puget Sound. Seay was 2-0 for Port Angeles last year with a 4.87 ERA.

Acker said one of the biggest newcomers to keep an eye on will be Tyson Pettingill. He is the latest prospect to join the Lefties from Cal State, San Bernardino. He had an incredible season for the Yotes, hitting .402 in 168 at-bats with 66 hits, 52 runs scored, 11 doubles, 11 home runs and 54 RBIs. His slugging percentage was .683.

“He is in the transfer portal to a Power Four [Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, SEC] conference school,” Acker said.

Another college stud coming to Port Angeles is Jordan Daniels from Brais’ Citrus College. His numbers are nearly as good as Pettingill’s. He hit .368 with 10 home runs and 48 RBIs.

Another player to watch is first baseman Ethan Wood, who was all conference at Regis University, hitting .402 with eight home runs. He is transferring to Wright State.

Evan Willis is another pitcher from Citrus State who is transferring to Long Beach State.

He will be joined by a Citrus College teammate with a very famous baseball name, Tim Hudson. Hudson had an 8-1 record this season with a 3.59 ERA in 57 innings. He struck out 59. Another flamethrower is Devon Hewitt of Paradise Valley Community College, who had 53 strikeouts in 50 innings.

“Both of these guys are 95-plus arms,” Acker said.

Also joining the team later this year will be a couple of former Roughriders and Wilder Baseball Club players — Luke Flodstrom and Jordan Shumway. Flodstrom now plays for Yakima Community College and Shumway plays for Olympic College.

Also back this year will be broadcaster Mason McLean, who will do the play-by-play on the West Coast League website and app.

The evening games will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the Sunday games beginning at 1:30 p.m.