GJHS baseball swinging for state

Unity and confidence drive the Tigers’ success on the field

Landon Ward and Wren Wilcox

April 30, 2026

The GJHS baseball team shakes hands with the Fossil Ridge after their game on March 6. The Tigers won 16-6 for this game, their second of the season.

Wren Wilcox

The Grand Junction High School baseball team continues a strong season in the 2026 spring season.

As of April 29, the baseball team has a record of 16-4 and is ranked 8th in Colorado Division 4A. Their success has shown through individual achievements and in creating a more unified team as a whole.

“Our team morale is really high this year, we’re really hype and together we’ve been working really well,” said GJHS junior baseball player Gareth Keller.

The team’s energy has turned into exciting moments on the field with several home runs, many stolen bases and big wins.

“This season we’ve hit quite a few home runs and had some big wins and walkoff wins that have been memorable,” said GJHS baseball coach Si Espinoza.

The team currently has 3 games left in the regular season. According to Espinoza, all 3 games are critical for the team, as they will determine home-field advantage heading into regionals and a possible state tournament appearance. The final games will take place against Palisade High School on May 1, and against Fruita Monument High School on May 5 and 7.

“Everyone’s mentally strong, and we all feed off each other’s work ethic,” said GJHS senior baseball player Kaleb David.

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About the Contributors

Landon Ward, Online Editor

Landon Ward is a junior at GJHS, and is the Online Editor for the Orange and Black newspaper. He enjoys playing tennis and the outdoors. He joined the Orange and Black during the second semester of the 2023-2024 school year.

Wren Wilcox, Reporter

Wren Wilcox is a sophomore at Grand Junction High School and a reporter for the Orange & Black Newspaper. She enjoys swimming, playing softball, hanging out with friends and being outside. This is her first year being a part of the Orange & Black.