CORVALLIS — In the bottom of the seventh inning in a July 15 game at Goss Stadium, former Philomath High baseball standout Joe Barnes trotted to the mound to face the Corvallis Knights, a collection of college-level athletes competing for a traditionally dominant summer league ballclub.
Behind him at second base was another former Warrior in Mason Stearns. In the outfield, rising senior Caleb Babcock manned center field and junior-to-be AJ Altishin was making plays in right field — both of those players still in the PHS program.
That’s nearly half of the Gerding Builders lineup — four of the nine players on the field that inning with Warriors baseball on their résumés. Philomath typically places two, maybe three players, on the Legion club in Corvallis but this summer has been a little extra special with four on the roster from the tight sports community.
Longtime PHS coach Levi Webber was in the stands.
“It was a lot of fun to watch that and especially to see them all play pretty dang well,” Webber said after the game. “I mean, Caleb had the one hit and hit that one hard (a deep fly in the late innings), AJ had a hit, Mase had a couple walks and then Joe looked pretty good.”
The Knights are currently 26-13 for the summer in the West Coast League. The program has won the league’s crown in seven of the past eight seasons.
Babcock started in center field and remained through all nine innings. In the fifth, he reached on a one-out single to left. In the seventh, he connected on a shot toward right-center but it didn’t fall.
He still has one more season with Philomath but does have his eye on the next level.
“I want to play in college and hopefully this year, I’ll really get to talk to some colleges and figure out where I want to play following high school,” Babcock said.
Stearns graduated in 2024 and had been away from the game competitively over the past several months. Wearing No. 7, he entered the game in the fourth inning at first base before moving over to second in the seventh.
“I moved down to Arizona and trained and lifted weights throughout this last year,” Stearns said. “I was kind of just recovering my body — I had some injuries from my last high school season.”
Stearns, 19, said he plans to walk-on at a two-year school this fall — he’s not sure where just yet.
Barnes returned to the Marketmen this season and relishes the chance to face a higher level of hitters that Legion ball can offer. He’s headed to Centralia (Washington) College, which discovered his arm talent last year in a fall prospect camp.
“I’m working on finding the slider and the fastball high up — getting it in the zone,” Barnes said. “There’s way more competition — you see kids that are going like DI or DII. A lot of good teams and good coaches.”
Altishin went to Gerding Builders tryouts after his freshman season with the Warriors but didn’t get the call. This year, he’s on the roster and picking up nice experience. He’s played primarily in the outfield, mostly left and right.
Altishin is working on his mechanics at the plate.
“Just swinging it, I like to hit the most,” he said about the game. “I like to do it in my free time, too, so it makes it easier and you certainly always want to be a better hitter.”
Webber, who played at Oregon State and had a taste of pro ball in the minors, sees players benefitting in several different ways from their experiences in the Legion program.
“I think any time you compete at a higher level, whether it’s Legion ball or you get out here for an opportunity to play against college kids, just to see the game at a different speed and different intensity and a different caliber — all of those things bring a new level of confidence,” Webber said.
Webber said the game against the Knights also benefits the younger players just to see how the college-level athletes go about their business. Plus, that confidence can be contagious — and perhaps a part of the game that could impact the rest of the Philomath’s roster with Babcock and Altishin both returning next season.
“It’s really cool to see them come out here and play well and get to play in Goss against a good team like that,” Webber said. “It’s super fun, a great experience.”
Stearns said that despite losing the game, playing against the Knights was all positive.
“It’s good to see all of the better pitching, for sure, and better defense — just everything’s better,” Stearns said. “You see guys that are going to big colleges — it’s good to see that.”
Altishin has been trying to balance baseball with football this summer. The backup last season to senior Caleb Russell, it appears as though he’s next in line to serve as Philomath’s signal caller on the gridiron.
“Football’s a big one because I’m expected to be the starter so they’re trying to get me (to be more involved) but I have obligations here, too,” he said when asked about his summer. “I’m trying to do both as much as I can but right now, baseball’s the main one.”
Babcock is another returning player for the Marketmen. Just like with the Warriors, he’s playing center field and pitching.
“I’ve adjusted my swing a little bit just to be able to turn on the ball and pull it to right field,” Babcock said. “I’ve worked on my pitching a little bit … but really, I’m just seeing the ball better.”
The Marketmen wrapped up the regular season Monday as Area 3 champions. The team will head to the American Legion AAA state tournament this coming weekend at the University of Portland.