By Ray Hamill — The Hoopa Warriors are optimistic they can turn the corner on the baseball fields this spring after struggling to compete in the Little 4 in recent years.

And if numbers and early-season results are any indication, there’s every reason to believe they can do so.

The Warriors opened the new season last weekend by splitting a doubleheader at Fortuna, racking up 18 runs over the two games.

They lost the opening game 6-3, but responded with a statement 15-4 victory in five inning sin game two.

“We looked pretty good,” first-year head coach Aaron Williams said. “We had one bad inning in the first game but our boys fought till the end.

“In game two, all of our bats came alive to get the win.”

This year’s team will be led by a pair of seniors.

Lyle McKinnon has been one of the top pitchers in the entire H-DNL in recent years and always gives his team a chance to win any time he takes the mound, while Brandon Romero is enjoying an outstanding senior year in sports after big campaigns in football and baseball and he has hit the ground running on the baseball fields this spring.

McKinnon took the loss in Saturday’s opener, but gave up just two hits and struck out 14 in a complete-game six innings.

Unfortunately, six walks didn’t help his cause and the Huskies scored five runs in a decisive second inning.

“Lyle tossed a gem,” Williams said of his team ace. “He pitched really well in that game.”

Romero also had a good day, particularly on the bases.

He finished with a base hit in each game, including a double in the opener, and was 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts on his way to scoring five runs.

The two standout seniors are co-team captains this year, along with impressive junior Allen Kane.

Kane also got the new season off to a flying start and went 4-for-8 at the plate over the two games with eight RBIs, three runs and four doubles.

Williams, who has been an assistant coach with the Warriors in the past, has plenty of players on hand this spring as he looks to reinvigorate the program.

He has a roster of 18 players, so depth won’t be a problem.

“Our team is pretty deep this year,” he said. “But we’re very young and we’ve got some returning players who haven’t played since little league.”

Fresh off a big season on the basketball courts, junior Brian Richards returns to the baseball field for the first tine since eighth grade and he had an immediate impact on opening day, finishing with a hit in both games, including a double in the opener.

Richards also pitched a complete game for the win in game two, allowing just three hits and five walks and striking out five.

Another junior, Carlos Anzora, is also back with the team after not playing in 2024 and he also had an immediate impact on his return, finishing 2-for-4 in game two with three RBIs and a run.

Cher-geesh Mace also made some noise at the plate on opening day and had three hits over the two games, including a double in the opener, while Barret Myers had two hits in game two, including a double, and Delmer Ferris had a double in game two and scored a pair of runs.

Williams is hoping the Hoopa bats can carry that momentum into the team’s home opener against Happy Camp on Monday and that the Warriors can make some noise in the Little 4 this spring.

“That’s my hope, definitely,” he said. “We want to get a little belief in the team. These kids are very athletic.”