Photos by Ray Hamill./HumboldtSports.com – Cooper Ohlsen wil get the start on the mound for the Eagles’ tournament opener on Thursday night.

By Ray Hamill — The Humboldt Eagles are playing some of their best baseball of the summer at an opportune time, as they get set to compete at the 2024 California American Legion 19U Area 1 Tournament this week.

Fresh off a good showing at their own tournament over the weekend, the Eagles beat the Northern Humboldt Giants in extra innings in their final tune-up game at Arcata High on Tuesday.

They open the Area tourney on Thursday night again hosts, the Fairfield Expos, at 6:15 p.m.

“We’re looking forward to carrying the momentum we built at the Eagles tournament,” head coach Tommy Gale said. “We really came together as a team.”

The Eagles were 3-2 in tournament play, including a big 8-0 shutout against local rivals Wild Cactus Baseball, and they finished third in the eight-team bracket.

“We had two losses, but I think we put together some good ball games,” Gale added.

As it has been for much of the summer, Gale will have a limited roster available for Fairfield, with 11 or 12 players expected to make the trip for the prestigious tournament.

But Gale is hoping the players who travel will get the tournament off to a fast start, and with that in mind team ace Cooper Ohlsen will get the start on the hill for the opener.

“He’s our leader and we want to give ourselves the best chance to win and to start with a W,” the head coach said.

One of the things that has impressed the coach the most has been the Eagles’ growing ability to win close games, including a 6-5 win over the Giants in nine innings on Tuesday.

“That’s another example of our team coming together,” Gale said. “Those one-run games, those are attitude games, and these guys are showing the right attitude in those types of games.”

Several players have been stepping up for the Eagles this summer, including Mateo Gutierrez, a St. Bernard’s standout who is quickly establishing himself as a team leader.

Gutierrez pitched a one-hitter in the win over Wild Cactus, a team that features many of his high school teammates, and he also has impressed at shortstop.

“He’s really stepped up as a leader,” his head coach said. “His baseball IQ is so impressive. He’s s fun guy to have on the team.”

Eureka High’s Ryder Mitchell also is enjoying a breakout summer with the Eagles.

Mitchell was a freshman this past spring and played defensively in center field for the Loggers for much of the season, but he is seeing his game reach new levels this summer.

“One guy I’m really excited about is Ryder Mitchell,” said Gale, who also coaches Mitchell in high school. “This summer he’s really starting to show what he can do on the mound.”

Mitchell has been throwing as fast as 85 miles per hour, according to his coach.

“He’s showing a lot of potential there,” Gale added.

The Area tournament runs for five days and the Eagles are guaranteed at least three games — one each on Thursday, Friday and Saturday — before the tournament playoffs start on Sunday.