Ridgefield Raptors fall in season opener, but the team and fans are excited to be back for another summer of West Coast League baseball at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex
Paul Valencia
Clark County Today
It is more than a game.
It is a community event.
For many, it is a tradition.
The Ridgefield Raptors are back on the field, and their fans are back home at the RORC.
The team would end up losing on Opening Night of the 2025 baseball season Thursday, but their fans still felt like winners, just being back at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex.
“I love baseball, and I do love Ridgefield,” said Sandy Schill, who has been a season ticket holder since the Raptors started playing baseball in 2019.
She said the combination of baseball and the facility is perfect for her.
“It’s fantastic out here. It’s a great way to come out and just end your day,” Schill said. “I get off work, come out, sit down, enjoy baseball. I look forward to coming back the next day, and the next day, and coming to as many games as I can.”
The Raptors have 35 home dates on the schedule this season.
She said she also enjoys seeing all of her seat neighbors, others who have been ticker holders for so long.
“It’s fun to see the same ones come back,” Schill said. “It’s nice to be out here with familiar faces. It feels like it’s our home. It’s our team. It’s my team.”
Chris Cota is back as the team’s head coach. The longtime coach of the College of the Canyons in southern California, Cota said he loves taking in the fresh air of the Northwest every summer.
“It’s fun. Good to see all the fans and all the friends I’ve made up here,” he said.
Cota said he and his staff appreciate building a new team every summer. Yes, there are a handful of players who return to the Raptors from the previous season, but for the most part in the West Coast League, the teams start fresh. West Coast League teams are for baseball players with college eligibility. The teams often play six times a week, much like a professional baseball schedule.
The Raptors have made the WCL playoffs four consecutive seasons. Cota said that credit should go to the players.
“We just try not to mess them up,” he said with a laugh.
On this night, the Cowlitz Black Bears got the best of the Raptors in a 9-2 decision. This was considered a non-league game. These two teams play each other in the first game of the season every year, then play each other six more times in league play. The seven-game “series” decides the Columbia River Cup for the two Southwest Washington rivals.
The Raptors hit the road this weekend for a three-game series in Bend to open league play. The Raptors will return to the RORC next Tuesday for a three-game series.
Even in defeat, Raptors management was pleased with opening night.
“The weather broke for us, and the fans are loyal. They are back here,” said Gus Farah, the general manager of the team.
It rained for much of the day Thursday, but no weather issues at all in the evening.
The Raptors sold more than 1,400 tickets to Thursday’s opener.
“Overall the atmosphere is fantastic,” Farah said. “It’s a community gathering for Southwest Washington. We’re excited.”
Also read:
- Clark County Baseball presents Baseballism Kickoff this week with action all over the region
Thirty-six teams from across the Northwest, including two state champs, are competing in free high school baseball tournaments at local turf fields in Vancouver, Camas, and Ridgefield. - The Study of Sports Podcast March 13, 2026: We discuss the state basketball tournaments, the incredible run from Columbia River boys, the state placing for Evergreen girls, and more
Reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland discuss a series of subjects around the WIAA’s state basketball tournaments, plus we get into some Mariners baseball talk and NFL free agency/trade cancellations - Falcon Baseball Academy to host inaugural Extra-Innings Bazaar & Market at Prairie High School
Prairie High School’s Falcon Baseball Academy will host its first Extra-Innings Bazaar & Market on May 2, inviting local vendors and community members to support the school’s baseball program and student activities. - Trophy games: Columbia River boys finish fifth, Evergreen girls take sixth at state tournaments
Columbia River’s boys and Evergreen’s girls both reached the final day of their state basketball tournaments, returning to Vancouver with fifth- and sixth-place trophies. - High school state basketball: Columbia River suffers heartache in overtime loss in semifinals
Columbia River’s run to the Class 2A semifinals ended on a buzzer-beater in overtime, while Evergreen advanced to a trophy game and several other Clark County teams wrapped up their state tournament seasons.
