AMERICAN LEGION: Wilder Senior has some big arms this summer
Published 4:45 pm Monday, June 1, 2026
PORT ANGELES — Coming off one of the squad’s most successful seasons, the Wilder Baseball Club began its season this weekend with some of the top baseball players on the Olympic Peninsula joining forces to play deep into the summer.
Wilder Sr. is coming off a 37-win (37-11-1 overall) season in which they won the Pacific Northwest Babe Ruth championship, made it to the Washington state American Legion championship game and played in the Babe Ruth World Series, going 4-2 over six games in Florida.
Coach Zac Moore is back to lead the team again this year. He stressed that the team is not looking to the past.
“2025 is 2025. This is 2026,” he said.”
This year’s team has a few players from 2025, but it is mostly new starters. One thing this year’s team has in common from last year’s is a solid mix of Sequim and Port Angeles players.
Wilder Senior will have nine Olympic League all-leaguers on its team — First-teamers Kody Williams and Owen Leitz of Port Angeles, and Lincoln Bear and Zeke Schmadeke of Sequim. It will also have second-teamers Abe Brenkman, Ethan Swenson, Brayden Martin and Easton Fisher of Port Angeles, and Devyn Dearinger of Sequim.
Moore said this year’s team is deep in pitching and outfielders.
The team will boast a one-two-three punch of Williams, Martin and Schmadeke on the mound. Williams and Martin were virtually unhittable down the stretch for the Riders with a no-hitter, two one-hitters, a two-hitter and a three-hitter in May. They helped power the Roughriders to a third-place finish at district and a state tournament berth.
Schmadeke has been for two years Sequim’s lead pitcher. Right behind that trio are several other solid pitchers.
“We have three really good arms and a bunch of guys right behind them,” Moore said. “Fifteen of our 18 players all throw the baseball.”
The team is experienced too with 11 seniors and just one sophomore.
Also senior players are Parker Pavlak, Carson Waddell, Zach Debray, Carston Seibel, Bryce DeLeon, Ian Smithson of Port Angeles and Hunter Tennell, Connor Oase and Logan Doyle of Sequim.
“We love getting all the best kids in the area and seeing what they’re capable of together,” Moore said.
Moore is confident in the team’s pitching. In four games this weekend, Wilder Senior pitchers allowed just 18 hits. The team’s success will depend on how well the hitting comes around.
Wilder Senior begins home play at Civic Field on Monday at Civic Field against Narrows 18U Premier and will host the Dick Brown Memorial Tournament June 24-28 at both Volunteer Field and Civic Field. The tournament will feature 16 teams this year, the most ever, including a travel team from Australia.
The Babe Ruth Regionals are set for Calgary, Canada, this year, from July 12-17, and the American Legion state tournament will be held July 25-30 in Spokane. The Babe Ruth World Series runs from July 29-Aug. 4 in Branson, Mo.
There will be a Wilder Jr. team that begins play Saturday at Volunteer Field with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against the Kitsap County Rebels 15U. The team will again be coached by Greg Dickman and members of the team are Noah Johnstad, Logan Botero, Asher Irvive, Ryder Trudeau, Boe Borejsi, Sawyer Brinton, Van Johnson, Landon Eastman, Morgan Evans, Kayden Miller, Easton Schlichting, Lalo Dominguez and Wyatt Bruch.
There is also a Wilder 14U squad.
