The Ridgefield Raptors got in a workout Wednesday in preparation for Thursday’s opener at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex. Photo by Paul Valencia

Ridgefield Raptors open summer league season Thursday night

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

RIDGEFIELD — Once a Raptor, always a Raptor?

Sure seems that way for Isaac Lovings.

Oddly enough, an original Raptor still has one more year of eligibility in the West Coast League, and Lovings said he knew exactly where he wanted to spend the 2023 summer.

Isaac Lovings is back — again — to play for the summer team he loves, the Ridgefield Raptors. Photo by Paul Valencia

“I love it here. It’s great,” Lovings said. “This is where it started for me. I couldn’t see myself playing anywhere else.”

Lovings will experience yet another opener with the Raptors on Thursday night.

The Ridgefield Raptors return to the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex to open the 2023 season with a 6:35 p.m. game against the Cowlitz Black Bears.

The Raptors will have more merchandize on sale this season for their fans. Photo by Paul Valencia

The Raptors play in the West Coast League, a summer, wood-bat baseball league for athletes with college eligibility.

“It means the excitement of seeing our fans again,” said Gus Farah, the team’s general manager, describing Opening Night. “And seeing all the hard work and planning we have put together come to fruition.”

On Wednesday, the Raptors held a workout at the RORC, and then had dinner at the facility with players and their host families.

Farah told the new players what to expect.

“This community is super nice. All of Southwest Washington has supported this team like crazy,” Farah said. “You will see them and it will grow and grow during the summer. They will love you guys. They will support you. They will cheer for you. They won’t boo you. They will be there for you.”

Lovings can attest to that. He saw the crowds in 2019, that first season. Then he returned after the 2020 season was canceled. Lovings just kept coming back, too.

With eligibility rules changing because of the pandemic, he actually has a sixth year of college baseball to play. He has excelled at Pacific University in Oregon, but next year he says he will be playing for Utah Valley.

“I want to get myself as ready as I can for next (college) season, and enjoy this last (summer) ride,” Lovings said.

The West Coast League can be a grind, with games scheduled six, and sometimes seven, days a week. Lovings said most players go into summer ball with things to work on, to better themselves for the future.

The schedule is more like professional baseball than college baseball, too.

“It makes the regular season (of college baseball) feel like a breeze,” Lovings said.

Jack Salmon arrived in Ridgefield for the first time in his life over the weekend. The nephew of former major leaguer Tim Salmon, Jack is looking forward to a big summer.

“I heard a lot of bombs are hit here,” Salmon said, staring at the outfield fence at the RORC.

Jack Salmon is hoping to hit a bunch of bombs this summer for the Ridgefield Raptors. Photo by Paul Valencia

Britton Beeson of the Ridgefield Raptors said the West Coast League is prestigious. Photo by Paul Valencia

He plays for Golden West College in Huntington Beach, Calif. He said he also is looking forward to playing on a turf field for the first time. Yes, his team plays on a natural surface in California.

Britton Beeson plays for Fullerton College, in the same college conference as Salmon.

“We compete against each other and now we’re buddies out here,” Beeson said, adding that an Angels scout recommended that he and Salmon go to the Northwest for the summer.

“The WCL is prestigious,” Beeson said. “If you get the opportunity to come out here, everyone wants to take it.”

Beeson arrived in Ridgefield on Tuesday.

“Super beautiful out here. The people seem great,” he said.

Andy Ambriz of the Ridgefield Raptors said the reputation of the West Coast League is what brought him to the Northwest. Photo by Paul Valencia

Andy Ambriz learned of the Raptors from college teammates, and, of course, his college coach. Chris Cota is the head coach at the College of the Canyons in Southern California, and he is the only head coach the Raptors have known.

“They said it’s a really great place,” Ambriz said. “I wanted to experience it myself.”

Plus, the league has a great reputation.

“You ask around, the WCL always comes up as one of the top leagues,” Ambriz said. “That’s why I wanted to come up here.”

Well, they’re here, ready for another season of baseball.

Opening night is Thursday in a non-league game against the Cowlitz Black Bears. The Raptors will open league play Friday with a three-game home series against Corvallis.

Game times are 6:35 p.m. every home game except for Sundays. The Sunday games start at 1:05 p.m. Gates will open 30 minutes before first pitch.For ticket information, go to: https://ridgefieldraptors.com/