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Baseball

Whitefish’s Schwaiger to Pitch for Washington State

Ty Schwaiger will continue his baseball career playing for the Cougars

By Micah Drew
Baseballs rest in the grass near the pitching mound at practice at the Kidsports complex in Kalispell on April 28, 2021. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon

Whitefish High School senior Ty Schwaiger has announced that he has verbally committed to play baseball for Washington State University next year.

The 6-1 right-handed pitcher spent a good portion of his summer on the road competing with the NW Premier Baseball Club based in Post Falls, Idaho, as well as showcasing his skills at training camps and at scouting games.

Getting recruited for baseball out of Montana is no easy feat. It was only this year that the Montana High School Association voted to add America’s past time as a sanctioned high school sport. Until now, players such as Schwaiger played either Legion ball or opted for clubs outside of Montana.

Schwaiger chose the latter and began playing with NW Premier in 2020, a commitment requiring that he make a twice-weekly four-hour drive to Post Falls for offseason training and tournaments. It paid off, though, as Schwaiger developed his skills on the mound. He now boasts a fastball that’s been clocked at 92 miles per hour.

Several colleges were interested in adding Schwaiger to their rosters, and not just for baseball. The multi-sport athlete is an all-state linebacker for the Bulldogs, but considers baseball his true passion. After talks with more than seven programs, including four in the PAC-12, Washington State turned out to be the right fit.

Schwaiger will join a Cougars roster that boasts more than a dozen other pitchers. The team went 27-26 last season.