May 1, 2024

OC Sports Zone: Community First

New Northwood baseball coach has a winning start to Father’s Day weekend

Northwood baseball coach Doug Euper with former youth players (from left) Connor Tallakson, Lucky Ramanathan, Noah Sperling, Alex Qu and Beckett Kreter at the Ryan Lemmon Showcase Friday. (Photo courtesy Northwood baseball).

New Northwood High baseball coach Doug Euper was one of the coaches on the Pacific Coast League team that came away with a 2-1 victory over the Empire League Friday night in the Ryan Lemmon Showcase.

The game was one of four presented by the Ryan Lemmon Foundation.

Euper coached some of the players on the PCL squad as a youth coach.

One of the players Connor Tallakson of Woodbridge had the walk-off single to win it for the PCL, 2-1. Woodbridge pitcher Lucky Ramanathan got the win in relief.

“I coached him from age 8 until he was 10 in Irvine Ranch Little League,” Euper said of Tallakson.

Euper also coached Woodbridge’s Ramanathan.

“I coached him in Irvine Ranch Little League when he was 10 then had him on my Rancheros team last summer,” Euper said.

Euper also coached Noah Sperling from University.

“First coached him in IRLL when he was 10 and continued to coach him off and on every year through last summer on the Rancheros,” Euper said.

Euper also coached Alex Qu and Beckett Kreter from University.

“I first coached him (Qu) when he was 10 in IRLL the continued to coach him on the Rancheros through 2019.”

“I first coached (Kreter) when he was 9 in IRLL then last coached him in 2019 on the Rancheros. I was fortunate enough to get to coach these guys for a lot of years, they can play the game of baseball and are wonderful young men,” he said.

Euper spent Father’s Day with his two sons, who are both at Northwood.

“As far as coaching my own 2 sons (Cal is 17 and going to be a senior, Casey is 15 and about to be a sophomore), it is one of the great joys of my life,” he said. “To share a love for the game of baseball with them is special, I’m a lucky guy.”

It has been another special Father’s Day for Euper.

“For Father’s Day my boys and I went to breakfast at Knowlwoods (restaurant), watched the Dodger game on TV, now we’re heading over to play golf at Strawberry Farms,” he said. “So just a little baseball today.”

Coaches, send photos of the Ryan Lemmon Showcase to:

timburt@ocsportszone.com (please ID players left to right)