Bend Elk’s outfielder, Canon Reeder grabs a hit ball and throws it to second base to stop an advancing runner, during the Bend Elks game against the Walla Walla Sweets at Vince Genna Stadium in Bend Tuesday evening. 7-1-25 Andy Tullis/The Bulletin

Word began circulating around the Bend Elks coaching staff that there was a chance a local player who started on one of the country’s top college baseball programs could soon be joining the team.

After a couple-day delay, Canon Reeder, a 2022 Summit High graduate, made his Elks debut Tuesday evening at Vince Genna Stadium against the Walla Walla Sweets.

“It is about time I’ve put this jersey on,” Reeder said. “It has been a long time coming.”

Reeder, who just wrapped up his junior season where he was the starting center fielder for the Oregon State baseball team that advanced to the College World Series, signed a 10-day contract with the Elks.

In the Elks’ 11-9 win over the Sweets to kick off the second half of the West Coast League season, Reeder made an immediate impact. Playing right field and batting second in the lineup, Reeder reached base three times – he walked twice and hit a double – scored twice, and in the bottom of the eighth inning, stole two bases.

“It is awesome to add a guy like that to your team,” said Elks coach Allen Cox. “He is just such a smart baseball player that helps a lot. When we have already been scoring a lot of runs, and when you add Canon Reeder to the lineup, we just got really good.”

Reeder is weeks removed from a breakout junior season with the Beavers. He made 53 starts, batted .293 with 11 doubles and eight home runs. Drove in 36 runs and stole four bases for the Beavers.

“It was a great experience,” Reeder said. “To be able to play the Regionals and the Super Regionals in front of Goss was a dream come true. To make it all the way to Omaha was awesome. It was a great environment, I just wish I would have made it a little further, but that’s baseball.”

The Beavers advanced to the College World Series after winning their regional round then taking two of three games against Florida State in the Super Regionals. In the deciding game against the Seminoles, Reeder started the game with a three-run home run in the first inning to help Oregon State win 14-10 and advance to its eighth World Series.

“That was probably the coolest game I’ve ever played in my life,” Reeder said. “That crowd was unmatched. It is giving me chills just thinking about it. That was one for the books.”

With Tuesday’s win over the Sweets, the Elks have now won four games in a row and six of their last seven games.

“If we can throw it and play a little defense then I think it will be hard to beat our offense,” Cox said. “I think we are going to score a lot of runs. But on nights where we aren’t, we need to throw strikes and play defense.”

The Elks game Thursday evening series finale against the Sweets will start at 6 p.m. and there will be a firework show following the game. The Elks will then travel to face the Corvallis Knights for a three-game series before returning home for a three-game series against the Marion Berries on July 8.