BASEBALL Gulls could be the league’s most improved squad By Gary Henley Seaside Signal FILE PHOTO Duncan Thompson is one of several talented pitcher/infielders on the Seaside baseball roster. It’s the price you pay when you have a great bas- ketball team. While other baseball teams are out practicing, many of your players are still shooting 3-pointers and winning champion- ships. So it is with Seaside. Af- ter most teams began prac- tices Feb. 26, the Gulls had exactly four days between their last basketball game and the first baseball con- test. In his 21st year as the Seaside coach, Joel Dier- ickx was pleased with a 2-2 start after four games. “It’s a good measuring stick of where we’re at and what we need to work on,” Dierickx said. “There’s a lot of areas that need work. (The basketball players) had only three practices, for the most part. We’ll figure it out.” The Cowapa “I think Banks is head and shoulders above every- body else,” Dierickx said. “They’re a real solid team, in all facets. From athleticism to speed, good pitching and contact hitting. They’re just super solid. “And Astoria’s always going to be there,” he said. “They will always be tough. Tillamook is a much-im- proved team. Scappoose has quality. It’s like any other sport — the Cowapa League is going to very, very strong.” Seaside finished 4-11 in league play last year, which included three wins over Til- lamook and a season-ending victory over Scappoose. The Gulls Most area coaches see the Gulls as possibly the most-im- proved team. “We’re hoping,” Dierickx said. “We have a lot of expe- rience coming back, and some athleticism. Combined with some baseball knowledge and doing things the right way, maybe we can win some of the closer games we’ve had.” Call it “young experience,” because the Gulls only have four seniors. Several juniors have been starting since their freshman season. The Gulls had six pitch- ers listed on their preseason roster, but “we’ll see how that pans out,” Dierickx said. See Baseball, Page 11B printing • copying • digital services Benneco, Inc. dba Independent Lazerquick Centers Locally owned & operated Serving the North Oregon Coast for over 20 years S E R V I C E S P E C I A LT I E S Offset Printing • High Speed Duplicating • Self Service Copies Engineering Copies • Color Copies • Fax Services Laminating • Internet Access • Computer Time Rental Typesetting & Graphic Design • Banners • Brochures Business Stationary • Flyers • Carbonless Forms Bindery Services • Wide Format Full Color Photo Printing Vinyl Lettering • Garment Screen Printing GO LS! L U G SEASIDE ASTORIA Safeway Retail Center 507 S. Roosevelt Dr. (503) 738-4102 LZQSEA1@yahoo.com Historic Spexarth Bldg. 818 Commercial St. (503) 325-1185 LZQAST@gmail.com 4 • Seagull Pride • Spring 2018 PROUD TO SUPPORT THE SEASIDE SEAGULLS! CONTRACTOR INDUSTRIAL HOME OWNER 2525 HIGHWAY 101 N. SEASIDE, OR 97138 503-738-736 8 Fi t ne s s f o r A l l Ag e s ! • FREE Teen Youth Memberships! • FREE Classes with paid memberships -- Over 35 classes to choose from! • FREE Towel Service and Day-use Lockers and Showers. • Punch Cards and Visitor’s Passes. 503-738-8304 840 24 th Avenue, Seaside, OR 97138 www.SunsetFamilyFitness.com