Drifters Debrief: Week Seven
Logan Honma playing with the Drifters in 2025
By Henry Light
Three Drifters’ alumni from last season headline this week’s Drifters Debrief with a productive series, a first career hit and a breakthrough day at the plate.
Nick Gimino (2025) continued his productive debut season at Oregon Tech, going 6-for-17 while collecting two RBI in four games against Eastern Oregon, bringing his season average to .356 and RBI total to 24, ranking him second and fourth, respectively, among the Owls rosters. Meanwhile, fellow 2025 Drifters Logan Honma and Preston Armstrong had breakout performances, with Honma collecting his first career hit for USC against Oregon State on March 24 and Armstrong going 2-for-4 and scoring two runs for Seattle University on March 25.
Austin Wolfe (2025) stood tallest amongst the Drifters’ pitchers for Bushnell, striking out six batters and holding Corban to two hits and one run across seven innings. Bushnell teammate Kai Keamo (2022) also put together a strong outing against the Warriors, throwing six strong innings with four strikeouts, three hits and one unearned run.
The Drifters past pitchers continued to have strong outings this week with Matthew Tachney (2025) and Trey Newmann (2023). Tachney, who will return to Springfield this summer after his junior season at Linfield, navigated five solid innings against LeTourneau University, holding the Yellow Jackets to two runs on six hits while collecting three strikeouts. Newmann put together one of the best starts of his junior season for Portland, giving up two runs over six innings while striking out three Saint Mary’s batters.
Back at the plate, Cesar Chavez (2025) and Ely Kennel (2024) served as excellent table setters for Cal State Los Angeles and Linfield. Chavez had a massive final game in the Golden Eagles’ four-game series against Chico State, going 3-for-4 with a walk and a run in the leadoff spot, while Kennel drew six walks and scored three runs in three games against LeTourneau.
Ryan Cooney (2023) carried a 3-for-6, three-run performance in a midweek game against San Diego into Oregon’s weekend series win over UC Santa Barbara, finishing 5-for-16 with two runs. Jack Brooks (2025) sparked the Ducks’ 4-0 win in game one by breaking up the scoreless pitcher's duel with his home run in the seventh inning.
Two former Drifters parlayed strong performances at the plate into five-game hitting streaks. Dylan Carson (2024-25) collected a hit in each of Bushnell’s four games against Corban, with one of them clearing the wall for his 11th home run of the season, while Brandon Stinnett (2024) broke out of an early-season slump in a big way, tallying seven hits and three RBI in Seattle University’s last five games.
Andrew Gauna (2024-25) and Dane Woodcook (2024) are in similar form for San Diego and New Mexico State. Gauna carried momentum from two standout series against Gonzaga and Oregon State into a 4-for-11 line against Pepperdine, including a homer in game one, while Woodcook broke out with a 5-for-9, two RBI series against Middle Tennessee, extending his hit streak to four games.
Returning Drifter Cooper Mullens (2023-25) and newcomer Griffin Scott both had strong weekends as well. The Marist High School product, Mullens, went 3-for-9 and scored three runs against Rutgers in his best series of the season for Michigan, while Scott put together a gritty start for Lane Community College, pitching his way out around five hits and five walks to hold Mt. Hood to one unearned run across 5.1 innings.
You can view the full list of Drifters alumni currently playing college baseball on the alumni and records page here.
The Springfield Drifters begin their fifth season of West Coast League baseball on May 29, with their first home game scheduled for June 2. You can view the full schedule here, and the promotions schedule here. Season tickets are now on sale at driftersbaseball.com with single-game tickets available beginning April 2.