Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Senior Myles Standish is back to anchor the Eureka pitching staff this spring.

By Ray Hamill — The Eureka Loggers will play one of their most important games of the baseball season on opening day, as they get set for a doubleheader on Friday.

The defending co-champs of the Big 5 get the new season started on the road with games against Analy and Santa Rosa on Friday afternoon, after moving the games forward a day because of the expected weekend weather.

Analy is the only Division-3 team on Eureka’s schedule this spring, giving the game some added importance for potential NCS seedings later in the season.

“It’s probably one of our more important games of the season,” head coach Shannon Rodgers said.

Rodgers, who has taken over from Jeff Giacomini, is one of five new coaches in the H-DN this year, and he inherits a team that will be viewed as one of the favorites for the Big 5.

The Loggers usually have plenty of talent on their roster and that should be the case once again, especially on the mound with senior Myles Standish and junior Cooper Ohlsen expected to give the team a potent one-two pitching punch.

The roster, however, is young and the success could hinge on how effectively a large sophomore class comes together.

“We’re young, but these kids get after it every day,” Rodgers said. “We’re sophomore heavy and we’re just looking to get a little better every day. If you get a littler better every day, you get a lot better over a season.”

In addition to Standish, seniors Rogan Bode, Ean Savage, Caden Vance and Seth Grammar are all expected to provide the necessary leadership for their younger teammates.

Michael Jewell returns behind the plate this season.

Vance, a talented multi-sport athlete, missed the basketball season with an ankle injury, but the new head coach is hopeful he can return to action this spring.

Leading a talented sophomore class are a pair of returning starters — catcher Michael Jewell and outfielder Cole Zeller — each of whom made an immediate impact as freshmen.

Two other sophomores — outfielder/pitcher Robert Williams and pitcher Sebastian Standish — will each also be expected to see their roles grow.

Freshman Ty Crawford joins the team this season and will also be expected to play a key role in the middle infield, alongside Bode.