Eagle Valley Devils Baseball Reaches Best Season in Nearly 20 Years

“‘I kind of got lucky finding Levi, but he’s done an excellent job.’”

That’s Ryan Lynch, assistant principal and athletic director at Eagle Valley High School, summing up a season that feels less like a fluke and more like a correction of history. The Devils finished 17-3. It is their best showing in nearly two decades. They are heading to regionals.

The short version? This team didn’t just win games. They rebuilt a culture.

Coach Levi Rozga took over two years ago. He didn’t just tweak a batting stance; he changed the DNA of the program. Lynch admits he got lucky landing Rozga, but the results speak for themselves. The team is bought in. The season has been, in Lynch’s words, “pretty magical.”

But Rozga isn’t looking for the spotlight. He’s looking at the depth chart.

“The program is at its healthiest state in 20 years,” Rozga wrote in an email.

He didn’t stop at the varsity record. The JV team finished 9-2-1. The C team went 5-4. The C team even played three games against other schools’ JV squads. The full program win percentage sits at 78%. That is hard to do. It is very promising for the future.

The players agree. They aren’t talking about stats. They’re talking about trust.

Xander DeHerrera, the team captain, says the key was leaving it all on the field with “child-like intent.” He plans to walk on to the baseball team at California State University San Marcos this fall. He says his favorite memory isn’t a trophy. It’s the fun. It’s playing with the guys he grew up with.

James Bivins, the pitcher, echoes that sentiment. He’s proud of the whole-team effort. “So many people get to contribute,” Bivins said. His highlight? Beating Montrose. A milestone not accomplished “in our seeable history.” Bivins is headed to LSU this fall. He’ll focus on accounting and sports studies. He knows how to balance the books, and he knows how to balance a rotation.

Jake Foster, the first baseman, says the team meshes like a family. They win in any way possible. If one part of the game struggles, another steps up. Foster cites team dinners as a favorite memory. It’s not just about the hits. It’s about the connection.

This isn’t a one-hit wonder. The infrastructure is there. The junior varsity depth is real. The coaching staff has a plan.

Lynch notes that the guidance from Rozga has been the catalyst. The players have provided the execution. The result is a team that has earned its spot in the postseason.

The Devils are 17-3. They are hungry. They are ready for regionals.

The question isn’t whether they can win. It’s how far they can go now that the rest of the valley knows what’s coming.

Read that again. A 78% win percentage across three teams. That’s not luck. That’s a system.

The community is waking up to it. The players are staying focused. And the coach? He’s just getting started.

The season is over. The work continues.