PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles dipped into its recent past in tabbing former Roughrider standout Wyatt Hall as the school’s new head baseball coach.
Hall, a 2021 Port Angeles High School graduate, was a two-time All-Olympic League infielder with the Riders and also played for Wilder Baseball Club, who went on to play two seasons at Skagit Valley Community College before transferring to play his junior and senior seasons at NCAA Division II program Cal-State San Bernardino.
Having built a reputation as a driven, intelligent and mature individual on and off the baseball diamond, Hall said the head coaching position at his alma mater was a great fit
“I always knew I would get back into it [the game of baseball],” Hall said Friday. “I knew there was an opening and I figured now would be as good a time as any to start and with a program that plays to a high standard.”
Hall helped out this summer as a Wilder Baseball Club assistant coach while working with Black Ball Ferry Line and is looking to pursue a career with Washington State Patrol down the line.
“All of my coaches were pretty relaxed and player motivated,” Hall said.
“They weren’t super strict with us, so long as we got our work done and they didn’t have to yell. So I expect I’ll take a more relaxed coaching style, not afraid of being assertive at times, but give them freedom to play how they want.
Hall also was known as a detail-oriented player with a high baseball IQ.
“We’ll focus on the fundamentals and the small things,” Hall said. “I’m not one of the new era guys who wants everybody to hit for power. If we have those guys in the lineup that would be different. But I’d expect a lot of aggressive base running, moving players into scoring position and throwing strikes. We will play lots of small ball, most likely.”
Hall excelled his sophomore season at Skagit Valley, earning the school’s Male Athlete of the Year honor. He also went on to be a solid contributor, hitting .293 at San Bernadino as a senior last spring.
But his college career wasn’t all smooth sailing. A rough freshman season ended in injury and had Hall questioning how long he’d play the game.
“I had a good bounce back year as a sophomore,” Hall said. “But I was considering wrapping it up and not trying to play anymore after that. But I’m glad I made the decision to go play in California.”
Hall said he has some of his coaching staff tentatively in place, but is still looking for a full-time assistant.
“I’ve got a few guys lined up to assist,” Hall said. “Zac Moore will be back some of the time and Jim Clem and Ethan Flodstrom.”
Moore coached Port Angeles to three straight state tournament appearances from 2023-25, including a state quarterfinal appearance last spring.
Clem is a prep baseball coaching legend who won three state titles and 481 games while coaching at Dayton and Burlington-Edison. He also was the Bellingham Bells longtime pitching coach and Hall played in the WCL for Bellingham in 2022.
Flodstrom, a 2020 Port Angeles grad played prep baseball and for Wilder with Hall. He graduated from Angelo State University in Texas after playing college ball at Tacoma Community College and University of Texas Permian Basin, earning all-academic and All-Lonestar Conference athletic honors.
Hall also has experienced a wave of support from past and present Riders and Wilder alumni after word of his hire was announced.
“I’ve gotten some texts from old coaches and old teammates and it definitely felt good to feel that support,” Hall said.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at sports@peninsuladailynews.com.
