The spring has revolved around baseball for Kyle Knutson since he was 4 years old.

However, the recent Crook County High School graduate spent most of this spring working construction with his father and getting better at the video game “Call of Duty.” It was the first spring without a baseball season for Knutson.

“I didn’t know what to do with myself,” Knutson admitted. “I started playing more video games, which was not good. I was working for my dad. It wasn’t terrible, but would I have liked to play baseball? Absolutely.”

On a warm and sunny afternoon following a week of gloomy weather, baseball returned to Vince Genna Stadium as the Boss Baseball 19U team began preparing for its upcoming summer season, which opens Saturday, June 27, at Vince Genna.

“Our season got cut short because of everything that was happening,” said Jake Farnsworth, a member of the 2018 La Pine High School state championship team. Farnsworth will play at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande next spring after spending this spring at Feather River Community College in Quincy, California.

“It is an honor to come out here and play,” he added.

With all the spring seasons, including American Legion and the Bend Elks and Bucks, being canceled, there was a void on the diamond needing to be filled.

Boss Sports Performance, owned by former NFL tight end Kevin Boss, was able to put together three different teams — 15U, 16U and 19U — so that this summer will not go without baseball. Originally, Boss Baseball was planning on only fielding two teams. But without the Elks or the Bucks, a third team was added.

“The plan was to have an 18U team and a 16U team this summer,” said the 19U coach James Cordes, who served as the Bend Bucks coach before the season had been canceled. “There are a couple of Bucks players that fall under that 19U age. Basically, we see Boss Baseball as an AAA American Legion team because we don’t have a legion team here. That’s the whole reason why we started this.”

The team is made up of players from all around Central Oregon, including Bend, Mountain View, Summit, Redmond, Crook County, La Pine and Sisters high schools. Nine of the players graduated high school in 2020 and were without closure to their high school playing careers.

Like Alex Farnsworth, three others are returning from a year in college in which seasons were brought to a halt a couple of games into the season. Nate Monday and Cole Parker return to play from Lane Community College, and Kyle Reed played at Riverside Community College in Riverside, California.

“When (the seasons) got canceled, we wanted to create opportunities for as many Central Oregon players as we could,” Cordes said.

Of course, the game might look a little different in the world of social distancing. Distance between players will need to be kept on the baseball field as much as possible. Perhaps the most significant difference will be outside the diamond and in the dugouts, which will be empty during games.

Rather than sitting on the bench, spitting sunflower seeds, and taking part in all the antics of the pre-COVID-19 dugout, players will have to be outside of the dugout while keeping their proper distance. How will the players properly celebrate a critical hit or a great defensive play in the dugout when high-fives and contact are not allowed?

“I know a lot of the guys on the team,” Knutson said. “Knowing them, I think we will be able to find a unique way to celebrate.”

But the new rules, as awkward as they are at times, are a small price to pay for getting back on the diamond.

“There are a lot of new things that will not be normal for baseball,” Farnsworth said. “But we are going to take advantage of what we can do and follow the rules.”

19U

June 27-28 @ NW Star Academy (3 games) – TBD

July 4-5 vs. Mercedez Benz Baseball (4) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 8-9 @ Grants Pass Nuggets (3) – Agnew Lytle Field

July 13 @ Roseburg Doc Stewards (DH) – One Champion Field

July 14 vs. Grants Pass Nuggets (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 18-19 vs. Springfield Timbers (3) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 21-22 vs. Roseburg Doc Stewards (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 28-29 vs. Lower Columbia (3) – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug. 1-2 vs. Moundtime (3) – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug 6-7 vs. Mercedez Benz Baseball (3) – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug. 10-13 @ OSU Team Tournament (5) – Reser Stadium

Aug. 21-22 vs. NW Star Academy (3) – VInce Genna Stadium

16U

June 27 @ NW Star Academy (DH) – TBD

July 4 vs. City Baseball (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 7 vs. Outlaws Baseball – Vince Genna Stadium

July 11-12 @ Portland Elite Baseball Lake – TBD

July 18-19 vs. Springfield Timbers (3) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 21 vs. Vancouver Cardinals (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 24 vs. BB World Series (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 28-29 vs. Lower Columbia (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug. 1-2 vs. Moundtime (3) – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug. 5-8 @ OSU Team Tournament – Reser Stadium

Aug. 12 vs. Newport Cubs (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug. 15-16 @ WCP Father’s Day Tournament – TBD

Aug. 22 vs. NW Star Academy (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

15U

June 28 @ NW Star Academy (DH) – TBD

July 5 vs. City Baseball (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 8 vs. Outlaws Baseball (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 11-12 @ Portland Elite Baseball League – TBD

July 17-19 @ WCP Championships – TBD

July 22 vs. Vancouver Cardinals (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 24 vs. BB World Series (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

July 29 vs. Lower Columbia – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug. 1-2 vs. Moundtime (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug. 5 vs. Outlaws Baseball (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug. 12 @ NW Nations (DH) – TBD

Aug. 15-16 @ WCP Father’s Day Tournament – TBD

Aug. 19 vs. NW Nations (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium

Aug.  22 vs. NW Star Academy (DH) – Vince Genna Stadium