Select Page

FREMONT – Rare is the year when a team enters its first season following the graduation of its ace pitcher feeling as though the position is stronger.

But that’s how the Fremont Ross baseball team feels as the 2019 season gets underway.

The Little Giants can no longer rely on Trey Ickes’ mowing down opponents with six or seven innings of stellar work.

Cole Druckenmiller

John Lotycz

Rather, Ross will be looking to spread the innings around with a deeper rotation, giving opponents a different look from game to game.

“The past couple years we’ve relied so heavy on one or two guys that can go deep into games, and Trey was a great example, rarely did he ever come out, he was throwing six or seven innings a game,” second-year Ross coach Jared King said. “This year we have a lot more depth. We have eight or nine arms and we’re going to rely on all eight or nine.”

The early results are promising as Cole Druckenmiller was fantastic Monday in Ross’ season-opening victory at Tiffin Columbian. King will also turn to Brandon Schneider and John Lotycz to carry heavy loads while Victor Jimenez, Connor Malan, Anthony Mata, Caleb Bennison and Noah Hotz will also get their turns on the mound as well.

“We have lot more options this year and I don’t necessarily know who the per se ‘ace’ is,” King said. “It might change every week. We’re going to ride whosever hand is hot.”

The Little Giants posted an overall record of 10-16 last season with a 4-10 mark in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference. But Ross returns the vast majority of its season, with only two seniors, Ickes and catcher Josiah Cook, leaving holes needing to be filled.

Brandon Schneider

Noah Hotz

“We have 11 seniors, so I think we can get that senior leadership that, not necessarily that we’ve lacked, but haven’t had enough senior leaders the past few years,” King said. “I’m looking forward to the leadership and I think we’ll have a lot more depth than in years past.”

With that experience also comes a versatility that gives King flexibility with his lineup.

“(We have) a lot of guys that can play multiple positions and I think that will put us in potion where we can rotate guys around and get fresh looks at different spots and ride the hot hands,” he said. “I’m looking forward to moving to pieces around and give ourselves and opponents a different look.”

Among the returning veterans are Hotz and Schneider, both of whom are entering their fourth year on varsity, while Bennison, Druckenmiller and Gabe Witt are entering their third year.

“They’re kids who’ve been playing since their freshman and sophomore year at the varsity,” King said. “I think they’re used to the speed of the game now and know the competition they’re going to play and they’ve adjusted to that now and are comfortable with the positions they’ll play.”

Jonathan Szymanowski

Osirus Johnson

King is also excited by the addition of two newcomers. Sophomores Jonathan Szymanowski and Osirus Johnson are expected to provide new avenues of production for the Little Giants.

“Jonathon Szymanowski, he’s a phenomenal athlete,” King said. “He’s a very versatile kid, he can play anywhere in the outfield he can play anywhere in the infield. You can see he’s a natural born athlete but he’s still kind of raw.

“Osirus Johnson, not sure how much he’ll see the field defensively but I’m looking at him in a DH role, another big, strong kid who played baseball growing up, got a great swing. Left-handed and I like to see him continue to grow and want to get him the varsity experience for the next three years as well.”

King said Ross’ biggest challenges will be finding consistency at the plate, something they lacked last season.

“As long as we can take good approaches and continue to get those reps and square up on the baseball, we should be fine,” he said. “We got a lot of kids who have a nice, short swing with a direct path to the baseball and we should be able to hit the ball. One of our biggest issues the past couples has been getting those kids in scoring position and not being able to get them in.”

Wednesday night Ross staged a late rally, overcoming a three-run deficit in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at Norwalk only to see the Truckers win it in the bottom half of the inning.

“I’m very proud of the fight our kids showed tonight,” King said. “We had one bad inning where we kicked some balls around and put ourselves in a hole. Our kids continued to battle down to the last at-bat. They showed resilience scoring three in the seventh to tie the game back up. Norwalk is a very good team and our kids showed a lot of heart tonight.”

Ross totaled seven hits, two each from Hotz and Luke O’Brien, Lotycz started and threw four innings giving up six hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

“I thought we took better approaches at the plate tonight,” King said. “We were able to tally up 7 hits and put more pressure on their pitchers. I thought we barreled up the ball more consistently and even were robbed of three or four hits where their kids made great plays. Overall a much better effort at the plate.”

The Little Giants are scheduled to make their home debut Thursday as they host Mohawk at 5 p.m.

 
BOYS GOLF
BOYS SOCCER
CHEERLEADING
CROSS COUNTRY
FOOTBALL
GIRLS GOLF
GIRLS SOCCER
GIRLS TENNIS
VOLLEYBALL
BOYS BASKETBALL
GIRLS BASKETBALL
SWIMMING & DIVING
BOYS WRESTLING
BOWLING
BASEBALL
BOYS TENNIS
SOFTBALL
TRACK & FIELD
CHEERLEADING
GIRLS WRESTLING
T  H  E       O  F  F  I  C  I  A  L       S  I  T  E       O  F       F  R  E  M  O  N  T       C  I  T  Y       S  C  H  O  O  L       A  T  H  L  E  T  I  C  S
X