Naselle junior Clay Bergeson (12) hugs senior teammate Jason Harman (20) after winning the state championship against Crosspoint.

RIDGEFIELD — Naselle Comet baseball players threw their hats and tossed their gloves in sheer jubilation as they flooded the infield in a rain-soaked celebration last Saturday in Ridgefield.

The No. 3 seed Comet (14-2) baseball team had just reeled off nine straight victories — an undefeated streak the entire month of May — culminating in a 5-3 victory over No. 4 seed Crosspoint (22-3) on Saturday, May 28 in Ridgefield for the WIAA 1B State Championship.

“Words can’t describe it,” Naselle head coach Randy Lindstrom said as the team hoisted the state championship trophy, the first in school history.

Record run

The remarkable run to the state championship started with three straight shutouts, including district victories over Oakville (15-0) and Mossyrock (10-0).

The Comets opened 1B state play with a 13-0 win over Wilbur-Creston. In the semifinals, Naselle outscored perennial power Almira-Coulee-Hartline 15-10 to set up the state championship game against Crosspoint.

Seniors make clutch playsA trio of Naselle seniors, including Joe Strange (4), Jason Harman (20) and Craig Reitz (10), played an important role in the championship game, their final in a Comet uniform. The senior-laden outfield, including Harman in center and Reitz in left field, each made clutch catches on well-hit balls when Crosspoint was threatening with runners in scoring position. Strange sealed the win by pitching the final inning in relief of starter Kolten Lindstrom amid a rainstorm.

“Our defense did a really good job. Jason [Harman] made a bunch of great catches out there, which saved the game honestly,” Lindstrom said.

Naselle’s ace pitcher all season, Lindstrom, a junior, continued his dominance in the rain in Ridgefield, only allowing one run and three hits through six innings.

“At first I was a little loose, but my curveball and changeup were working well,” Lindstrom said, adding that the rain wasn’t too much of an issue. “In the district championship it rained a lot harder than this.”

Comets overcome shaky start

A shaky first inning allowed Crosspoint to momentarily take a 1-0 lead with help from an infield error and a passed ball. Naselle responded with a Clay Bergeson sacrifice fly and a Jason Harman run-scoring single to regain the lead, 2-1, going into the second inning.

Pull Quote

‘The future is bright for Naselle. Our infield is super young. We’re missing three seniors but we’ve got a lot of guys coming back. I just can’t wait to get back out and give it another shot.’

Naselle head coach Randy Lindstrom

A single by Naselle senior Craig Reitz was followed by a Jacob Lindstrom triple, extending the Comet lead to 3-1 in the second inning. In the third inning, crucial catches by left fielder Reitz and center fielder Harman prevented two Crosspoint runs from scoring, preserving the 3-1 lead. The narrow 3-1 Naselle lead held until the bottom of the fifth inning, when sophomore Dean Helvey delivered a two-RBI triple, giving the Comets a little breathing room and a 5-1 lead.

Crosspoint answered by pushing two runs across in the sixth inning, closing the gap to 5-3 heading into the final inning, where Naselle held on for the victory amid a downpour.

Naselle freshman Jack Strange finished with a team-high three hits, followed by Joe Strange with two. Harman and Helvey each had two RBIs.

Naselle team ‘like brothers’

The 2022 Naselle baseball team had a special bond and chemistry that helped them excel on the field.

“This was the hardest-working group of kids we’ve had, they never want to quit,” Naselle head coach Randy Lindstrom said. “They put the work in and pick each other up like family. It’s like they’re all brothers.”

Lindstrom, a former Comet player who first joined the staff as a volunteer in 1999 before before becoming head coach in 2016, is optimistic about the future of the program.

“The future is bright for Naselle,” he said. “Our infield is super young. We’re missing three seniors but we’ve got a lot of guys coming back. I just can’t wait to get back out and give it another shot.”