When a high school team has played together since Little League, things just seem to click on the baseball diamond.

Most of the seniors on the Bend High baseball team have played together since sixth or seventh grade.

The Lava Bears’ team chemistry – and the fact that they have eight returning seniors – make them a favorite to win the Intermountain Conference title in what could be a tight race with Redmond and Pendleton.

”We’ll be as successful as our seniors lead us to be,” Bend coach Brian Crook said this week. ”Their leadership will determine our success. They’ve been playing together a long time.”

The most recognized Lava Bear senior is outfielder Drew Rundle, who plans to attend the University of Arizona starting next fall on a baseball scholarship. But other seniors figure to have a big impact as well, including pitcher and designated hitter Cody Knight, shortstop Quinn Clair and utility player Paul Oakley.

Rundle – a first-team all-IMC outfielder last season – and Knight, Clair and Rhett Shumacher figure to make up the core of the Bears’ pitching staff.

”Drew (Rundle) obviously gets a lot of attention, and other guys have started to,” Crook said. ”But it’s ALL our seniors.”

Crook said the team has been focusing on defensive fundamentals, but the Lava Bears could also pack some power at the plate this season.

”If opportunities arise, we’ll take it,” Crook said. ”We have some power, but you’ll see a balanced offensive attack.”

Crook said that Bend figures to compete with Redmond, Pendleton and possibly Mountain View for the IMC title.

Redmond has won the IMC championship the last two years, and Bend last claimed the league crown in 2003, when the Bears reached the Class 4A state semifinals.

”I think it’ll be a battle down to the last week, like it always is,” Crook said.

Redmond will try to win its third consecutive IMC title behind the leadership of its own seniors – eight in all.

Returning seniors for the Panthers include all-IMC outfielders Marques Hase and Daniel Bulkley, second baseman Seth Webb and first baseman Cameron Peterson.

Senior catcher Joey Graves returns from an injury last season, and junior third baseman Tyler Hilgers is also back.

Junior Mark Shatka, Hilgers and senior Lance Lott figure to be the Panthers’ top three pitchers, according to Redmond coach Marc Horner.

”We’re a lot farther along than we’ve ever been at this point as far as being prepared for games,” Horner said. ”That’s more the mental side of it. They’ve been in the system a long time, and they know what’s going on. It’s a great group of smart kids.”

Horner said his players have worked diligently on their hitting by analyzing video of their swings and lifting weights. He said there are several smaller Panther players who have the ability to hit home runs, including the 5-foot-7-inch, 160-pound Hase.

”They work extremely hard on their swings,” Horner said. ”We’ll put the bat on the ball pretty consistently.”

Horner said he does not see one team as a clear favorite to win the IMC championship, and he agreed with Crook that Redmond, Bend and Pendleton should vie for the title.

”The team in the league with two or three pitchers that can step up will win it,” Horner said. ”Pendleton has some decent arms coming back.”

Summit hopes to reload after last season, in which the Cinderella Storm finished third in the IMC, then made it all the way to the state semifinals.

But Summit faces an annoyance this year, being forced to practice at night across town at Genna Stadium because of sinkhole problems on the Summit High field.

”We’ve had some cold practices,” said Storm coach Mike Durre. ”We’re looking at it as a positive opportunity. We’ve been dealt a certain hand and we’ll take it with a positive attitude.”

Summit returns four seniors, including three who earned all-league recognition last season: second baseman Chris Luersen, first baseman Blake Randall and outfielder Ryan Lilley. Junior Ian MacDougall is a returning all-IMC pitcher.

MacDougall, Randall, Luersen and senior Grant Lucas should make up the core of Summit’s starting rotation on the mound, according to Durre.

”We’ve got great depth at pitching,” Durre said, ”with 10 or 11 guys. But it’s yet to be determined. We’ll learn a lot about ourselves over the course of the season.”

Mountain View is a young team that is trying to overcome some sickness and injuries as the season gets under way. Leading the way for the Cougars is senior catcher Taylor Bement and senior center fielder and pitcher A.J. Shaff.

Senior outfielder and pitcher Seth Davies is still nursing an ankle injury and Mountain View coach Dave Williams said he hoped Davies would be available by early May.

”We’ve got a bunch of young kids we think will step up this year,” Williams said. ”We’re real excited about our youth.”

Williams said as many as eight or nine players could see time on the mound, with Shaff and sophomores Hayden Mace and Tyler Sustare getting the bulk of the innings.

”We won’t have a guy that can overpower teams,” Williams said, ”but we’ll try to play fundamental defense and keep ourselves in ballgames.”

Williams said that Bend and Redmond will likely compete for the IMC title.

”If you had to pick somebody, Bend is the favorite,” Williams said. ”And Redmond is always right at the top.”

Crook County has a new coach this year: Chris Felton, who was an assistant in the program for five years. Felton said the nonleague season will be key for the Cowboys to build a strong foundation.

Leading the way for Crook County is senior shortstop and pitcher Bryce Garner and catcher Matt Haring. Also key to the Cowboys’ success is junior center fielder Garret Queen and junior infielder and pitcher Michael Morton.

”Our pitching is one of our strengths,” Felton said. ”It will be important to stay on the same page and keep our heads up. The mental game of baseball can be grueling.”