Stag Baseball Comes Out Swinging

The 2026 season started with a perfect opening week for the Deer Park Stags as they began their second season of play in the 2A Greater Spokane League.  

In spite of Mother Nature making the home diamond unplayable on March 18, their matchup with Rogers was moved to the Pirates' home field in Hillyard.

With the game well in hand, leading 9-1 after four innings, the Stags left no doubt about the outcome, plating a dozen more runs to take the season-opening matchup 21-1.

Tumwater transfer Carter Criss led the parade to the pay station with four runs to go, with two hits in his Deer Park debut. After not playing his junior season due to injury, Parker Hamilton drove in four to top the team, scoring twice and getting a pair of hits. Returning all-league shortstop Peder Tobeck scored three runs, drove in an equal number, and had a pair of hits.  Ezekiel Callaham earned the opening day start on the mound and supported his own cause with three runs scored, three driven, and two hits. Sophomore Payson Hansen, who made his varsity pitching debut in relief, had two hits, two runs scored, and three RBI. In his varsity debut, Payton Talmich had two hits and scored a pair. Tristan Flugel scored twice, and Hunter Robb drove in two.

Facing North Central on March 21, it took the bats coming alive late to make a winner of starting pitcher Ian Olietti. Trailing 4-2 after four innings, the Deer Park bats went to work with 10 runs in their last three turns at bat.  

Olietti aided his own cause with three hits, three RBI, two runs scored, and a double. Callaham closed out the game as the pair combined for nine strikeouts. Callaham also scored twice on a pair of hits. Returning all-league outfielder Evan Brinlee, hitting in the leadoff spot, had three hits, two runs scored, and two RBI. Hamilton drove in two, and Austin Bruner had two hits.

The second game at North Central was deadlocked at 3-3 after one inning before the Stags' offense took over in dominating fashion, putting up 17 runs over the next three innings to win 20-5.

Brinlee got to showcase his speed with a pair of triples, scoring three times with four hits in the game and four RBI. Olietti scored three, had four hits, and drove in three. Callaham got the win on the mound and scored three runs on three hits. Tobeck scored three times. Talmich scored two runs and drove in a pair. Nikoli Hunsaker had three hits and scored a pair of runs.

Deer Park played at East Valley on Tuesday, with results unavailable at press time. They host defending champion West Valley for a double header at noon on Saturday, March 28. Deer Park was the only league foe to defeat the Eagles last spring.