The Northwest baseball team has a new coach this spring as Steven Salow takes over after Andrew Sargeant stepped down following the 2024 season. Salow was the Mounties JV coach, and with a younger roster on the Northwest varsity, Salow came into this spring already familiar with a lot of the players on his lineup card. “They already know the expectations and how we play, and we’re just rolling with it,” he said. Salow is a Homer graduate, son and nephew of longtime Trojan coaches. “It’s a family business for sure,” he said. “My father-in-law is coaching with me as well. It’s good having a lot of experience. Being a first-year guy, I have a couple guys who have varsity head coaching experience and have succeeded. That’s good to have.” After a sweep of Hastings on Tuesday the Mounties have improved to 4-4. Even in the Interstate 8 doubleheader last week with Harper Creek, a pair of losses in a rematch of last year’s district final, the Mounties pushed the Beavers until the final out, rallying late in the first game and leading late in the second before the Beavers reclaimed the lead. Three of the Mounties four losses have been by two runs. “We’re getting better,” Salow said. “We really only returned three players from varsity, so it’s a lot of inexperienced players that hadn’t played varsity baseball. They’re learning on the fly and we’re getting better every day. They’re buying in and doing what we preach, so we’re really proud of these guys.”