By Jon Mettus
July 10, 2015
COTUIT — Head coach Mike Roberts thought his team needed to look tougher and more rugged. His solution: Ross Grosvenor (South Carolina).
Ross Grosvenor made his debut with Cotuit on Friday. Photo by Brigitte Rec.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound junior from Tennessee made his debut with Cotuit in Friday’s 4-3 win over Bourne. He batted sixth as the designated hitter and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
“He brings that rugged look to us,” Roberts said of Grosvenor. “… I think he and (assistant) coach (Trey) McCall will bond really well. They’re good southern guys —big men. I like the look he brings to the plate.”
Grosvenor will infuse power into the Kettleers lineup. Even when he doesn’t, he scares opponents, which is what the team needs, Roberts said.
“It was a rough start today, didn’t hit well, but I just have to get used to it,” Grosvenor said.
Grosvenor’s role on the team will be primarily as a DH, Roberts said, though Grosvenor has played first base in college.
Grosvenor had played baseball with Kettleers catcher Will Haynie (Alabama) since he was about 12 years old. When a spot opened up on the team, Haynie put Roberts and Grosvenor in touch.
FABIO MOVES TO RIGHT FIELD
About a half an hour before game time, infielder Cole Fabio (Bryant) found out he’d be playing in right field. The outfield was depleted because of injuries and though Fabio usually appears at second base for Cotuit, Roberts needed him to move back to right field.
Fabio moved from his usual position of second base to right field. Photo by Brigitte Rec.
“I just had to get ready,” Fabio said.
Fabio didn’t have any putouts or assists, but he did have to make some plays in right field. In the top of the first innings, Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) hit a fly ball to deep right field that caromed off the fence and into Fabio’s glove before he threw to the infield to limit Boldt to a double.
“It hit the exact top of the fence,” Fabio said. “I just turned around and hoped it ran into my glove, but luckily it hit the fence and I just grabbed it and threw it in.”
Fabio said he’s a little rusty, but he’ll get used to playing outfield again. Though he doesn’t know whether or not he’ll be in right for Saturday’s game at Wareham, if Roberts asks him to play there again it’ll be “no big deal.”
KLEIN AND ALBANESE DAY-TO-DAY
Two of Cotuit’s top hitters, Matt Albanese (Bryant) and Jack Klein (Stanford), weren’t in the lineup on Friday. Both injuries will be evaluated “day-by-day”, Roberts said, but he doesn’t expect either to play at Wareham on Saturday.
Albanese has been the team’s top hitter as of late, batting leadoff, and Klein, who started off hot, was bouncing back from a hitting slump.
Klein hit a foul ball off his foot in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s win over Wareham. He finished out the game, but hasn’t been in the lineup since. This was the first game that Albanese missed.
PAEZ ROBBED OF HOMER
With a runner on first in the bottom of the seventh, Mike Paez (Coastal Carolina) hit a blast to left field near the foul pole and “320” sign marking the distance. Paez watched the ball carry through the air, but left fielder Nick Solak (Louisville) backed up to the fence and leapt, snatching the ball as it traveled over the fence and bringing it back.
The home run would’ve given Cotuit a 6-2 lead and added more breathing room for closer Justin Dunn (Boston College) in the eighth and ninth innings.
You can find action photos of every Kettleers game HERE and photos of every player HERE.