Palm Springs Power: New league and new excitement as season starts Friday

Celebrating their 20th season at Palm Springs Stadium, the Palm Springs Power will start their 2023 campaign with a bang on Friday with one of two fireworks nights on the 30-game schedule.

There will be some familiar faces, some new stars and the usual ballpark fun throughout the season and it's a year that has team president Andrew Starke excited. After a stretch of years that included uncertainty due to COVID-19 and no consistent league, Starke has a sense of rejuvenation.

"I got my competitive juices back, there's no doubt," Starke said. "We're in a new league and it's a smaller league but more competitive and I'm excited about it. I haven't had this kind of fire in my belly since pre-pandemic."

Part of Starke's excitement comes thanks to a new four-team league he helped create with Charlie Reynoso that will be ultra-competitive. In previous seasons, the Power were in leagues that were top-heavy with Palm Springs not finding much consistent competition. That won't be the case this year. The Power will play in the newly created California Premiere Collegiate League.

The CPCL consists of only four teams — the Power, the Inland Valley Bucs, the Inland Valley Pirates and the Inland Valley Legends — but all of them will be stout and headed by serious baseball competitors. The Pirates are helmed by Reynoso, the Bucs are coached by long-time Cal State Fullerton coach Rick Vanderhook and the Legends by former Major Leaguer and Fullerton product Chad Cordero.

"The new league has four teams and any one of them can win the league," Starke said. "It's caused me to have to beat the bushes and find some great players for us even more so than in other years. I 100 percent felt like I had to up my game, because the competition that we are going to face is going to be just as competitive as we've always been. And you know what? I don't want to lose."

The Power, meanwhile, will be coached by talented baseball mind Casey Dill, who returns for his sixth season including a successful 2022 campaign that saw the team go 19-5.

Players to watch

Noah Blythe: He was the top hitter for the Power last season with a robust .409 batting average. The Santa Clarita native played for Antelope Valley of the NAIA during the college baseball season.

Kyle Mosley: A pitcher from the University of Pittsburgh, who has been competing in the difficult ACC all season.

Julian Orozco: Just finished his freshman season at Long Beach State which included a 3.24 ERA. Dill said Orozco has really good stuff and is expected to log a lot of innings for the Power.

Local talent

A hallmark of Power rosters throughout the seasons has been the inclusion of some homegrown talent and this year is no different.

Seth Mattox: The Xavier Prep product who has played for Cal Baptist the last two seasons, including a 2022 campaign where he had a 1.98 ERA, will be on this year's squad. Local fans remember Mattox as the linchpin to the Saints' 2019 CIF-SS title run in which he pitched 23 straight shutout innings.

At the ballpark

Opening night: On Friday (June 2) the Power host the Orange County Legends with first pitch at 6:30 p.m. The evening will end with a fireworks display. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets: You can see the Power for $10 general admission, $8 for seniors and $5 for kids 12 and under. Tickets are available at the Power box office at Palm Springs Stadium (1901 E. Baristo Road) on non-game days from noon to 4 p.m. or one hour before first pitch on game days.

Promotional days: Tuesday games feature $2 draft beers, Wednesday games feature $4 wine and Saturdays are kids' days where children 12 and under get in free.

The schedule

(all games at Palm Springs Stadium unless indicated)

• June 2: Orange County Legends, 6:30 p.m.
• June 3: Orange County Legends, 7 p.m.
• June 6: Inland Valley Legends, 7 p.m.
• June 7: So. Nevada Coyotes, 7 p.m.
• June 9: Inland Valley Pirates, 7 p.m.
• June 10: Inland Valley Pirates, 7 p.m.
• June 11: (road doubleheader) vs. Inland Valley Bucs and Inland Valley Pirates
• June 13: Invalnd Valley Bucs, 7 p.m.
• June 14: Inland Valley Pirates, 7 p.m.
• June 16: Inland Valley Legends, 7 p.m.
• June 17: Inland Valey Legends, 7 p.m.
• June 20: Socal Field Rats, 7 p.m.
• June 21: Socal Field Rats, 7 p.m.
• June 23: Colton Nighthawks, 5 p.m. (Wrestling show afterward)
• June 24: San Diego Waves, 7 p.m.
• June 27: San Diego Grint, 7 p.m.
• June 28: Socal Halos, 7 p.m.
• June 30: Inland Valley Legends, 7 p.m.
• July 1: Inland Valley Legends, 7 p.m.
• July 4: Power Sumer Collegiate League team, 6 p.m. (Fireworks after)
• July 5: San Diego Grind, 7 p.m.
• July 7: Inland Valley Bucs, 7 p.m.
• July 8: Inland Valley Bucs, 7 p.m.
• July 11: Havasu Heat, 7 p.m.
• July 12: Havasu Heat, 7 p.m.
• July 13: (Road DH) vs. Inland Valley Bucs and Inland Valley Pirates
• July 14: San Diego Bombers, 7 p.m.
• July 15-16: Championship games TBA, 7 p.m.