PORTLAND, Ore. --- The University of Portland baseball program is adding five recruits as Harrison Howell (Hood River, Ore./Hood River Valley HS), Gavin Kleier (Portland, Ore./Grant HS), Riley McCarthy (Vancouver, Wash./Mountain View HS), Spencer Scott (Portland, Ore./Grant HS), and Kyle Sullivan (West Linn, Ore./West Linn HS) have all committed to the Pilots, announced head coach Geoff Loomis. All five recruits will enter the program as freshmen in the fall.
 
"I like the upside of this group," Loomis said. "Individually, they are all accomplished high school players and in each one of them we see the potential to become breakout college players."
 
Harrison Howell is a right-handed pitcher/outfielder from Hood River, Ore., where he starred for the Hood River Valley Eagles. As a sophomore in 2019, Howell was among the state's leaders in wins, ERA, and WHIP, while at the plate he was in the top-10 in both triples and doubles. He was selected to the 2019 All-Intermountain Conference Second Team as both a pitcher and an outfielder. PBR Oregon ranks Howell as the No. 8 recruit in the state, and he's a three-time selection to the Perfect Game All-Tournament Team (2017, 2019, 2020). He was named a second-team Preseason Underclassmen All-American, and in limited action with the Northwest Futures this summer, Howell K'd 12 in 7.0 innings.
 
"Harrison commands three pitches, which is rare in a high school player," said Loomis. "He overwhelms the opposition with strikes, and he is the blend of velocity and strike throwing that we look for here on The Bluff."
 
A left-handed pitcher from Portland, Gavin Kleier comes to The Bluff from nearby Grant High School. As a sophomore in 2019, Kleier was named to the All-PIL First Team, and he helped the Generals go 21-6 overall and post a perfect 14-0 league record. He got the save in the league championship game, which sent Grant to the state playoffs. In 28 innings, he allowed only 14 hits, while fanning 49.
 
"Gavin has arguably turned himself into the best left-handed pitcher in the state," said Loomis. "With a fastball already in the 90's and the ability to land off-speed pitches for strikes, we see Gavin having a strong career here at Portland."
 
Riley McCarthy is a catcher at Mountain View High School in Vancouver, Wash. A 2019 All-Greater St. Helens League 3A First Team selection, McCarthy helped the Thunder go 22-3 as a sophomore, and they claimed a pair of league titles with him behind the plate. He led the team in batting average, RBI's, slugging percentage, and OPS, and he picked up the win on the mound when Mountain View claimed the program's first ever victory in the state playoffs.
 
"Riley is a high-energy leader at the catcher position," noted Loomis. "He's a very physical player that will eventually end up as a middle of the order bat here on The Bluff. Riley is also an active member in his student body leadership."
 
Spencer Scott, an all-league shortstop, is another product of Grant High School. He was First Team All-PIL in 2018 and 2019, and he was second in the league with a .433 batting average in 2018. Scott also collected Oregon All-State Honorable Mention that same season. Scott and the Generals, along with teammate and fellow Portland recruit Gavin Kleier, are the reigning PIL Champions since the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19.
 
"Spencer is a very good overall athlete," Loomis said. "He can play anywhere on the infield and has the arm strength to stick on the left side. A leader on a very talented Grant High School team, Spencer is one of the best infielders in the northwest and we are excited for him to stay in Portland."
 
Kyle Sullivan, a right-handed pitcher, hails from West Linn, Ore., and twice he's earned All-Three Rivers League Honorable Mention. In 2019, the West Linn Lions won the league title and finished fourth in the state of Oregon, with Sullivan going a perfect 5-0 on the mound as a sophomore. Sullivan has also been named team MVP every year he's played with Baseball Northwest.
 
"Kyle is a big physical right-handed pitcher who can throw from multiple arm angles," said Loomis. "He comes from a baseball powerhouse in West Linn and has had a lot of success both in high school and during the national events. Kyle can fill a lot of roles within a pitching staff."