IN PLAY: Princeton Day School baseball player Gavin Ross makes a play in the infield earlier this season. Last Wednesday, sophomore Ross starred with his arm and bat as PDS defeated WW/P-North 7-4. Ross got the start on the mound and got the win, striking out nine and giving up two hits in 6 1/3 innings. Batting in the leadoff spot, Ross went 2 for 4 with two doubles, two RBIs, and one run. The Panthers, who defeated WW/P-South 18-1 on Monday to improve to 9-9 and post their seventh win in eight games, will be starting play in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament this week. PDS is seeded 10th and will be playing at seventh-seeded Nottingham in a first round contest on May 8. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)
By Bill Alden
After making his debut for the Princeton Day School baseball team last spring, Gavin Ross has developed a comfort level with high school ball this season as a sophomore.
“It is just getting used to varsity baseball,” said PDS infielder/pitcher Ross. “Last year, I was feeling a bit nervous and this year I have settled in.”
As PDS played at WW/P-North last Wednesday, Ross displayed his composure on the mound and at the plate in helping the Panthers pull out a 7-4 win.
Right-handed pitcher Ross got the start and struggled in the first two innings. In the bottom of the first, Ross walked two batters, hit another, and gave up two runs. In the second, he hit the first batter and walked the second.
“I was trusting my coaches, they were telling me what to do,” said Ross. “They helped me get through it.”
In the third inning, things clicked for Ross as he had a one-two-three inning with two strikeouts. He got into a groove from there, pitching into the seventh inning.
“I just relaxed out there, nothing changes,” said Ross, who ended up with nine strikeouts and gave up just two hits in the win. “It was just my mindset. I just had to attack hitters, that was pretty much it. Once I relaxed I felt like every pitch was going for me. Confidence was key.”
As for his batting, Ross led off the game with a double and later scored on a Matt Silverman groundout. In the fifth, with PDS trailing 2-1, Ross belted a two-run double to give the Panthers a 3-2 lead.
“I have been swinging it hot this year,” said Ross. “My approach was I was just seeing a strike and make sure I put a ball in play there. We needed that run, we were down.”
The Panthers added one run on the sixth and three in the seventh and then held on for the win as WW/P-North scored twice in the bottom of the seventh.
Ross liked the resilience the Panthers displayed in pulling out the victory.
“We are never out of it, no matter what the score is,” said Ross. “We are always going to keep adding on. We are a great competitive team.”
PDS head coach Eric Schnepf credited his players with keeping their composure.
“The kids didn’t panic, they didn’t get nervous,” said Schnepf.
“They relied on the guys around them. It was next pitch, next play, that’s all.”
Ross kept his cool despite his rocky start. “I think he was rushing it, they had a couple of guys on base the whole bottom half of the inning,” said Schnepf. “It felt like everything was moving too quick. Once he just took a breath, slowed it down and simplified, he settled in. We made some plays behind him. We got a couple of quick outs.”
As the team’s leadoff hitter, Ross has emerged as an offensive catalyst for the Panthers.
“He has been swinging the bat really well, he is an absolute spark plug at the top, getting on base,” said Schnepf of Ross, who is batting .418 with a team-high 20 runs. “But also when guys are getting on at the bottom, he is turning it over and putting balls in the gap. He is doing a fantastic job. Today he did a ton on the mound and then at the bat to really give us a chance.”
In the win over North, PDS got production throughout the lineup as it pounded out 10 hits with six batters getting at least one hit. Owen Ehrenkranz went 3 for 4 with two runs while Mack Chiavarone was 2 for 4 with two RBIs.
“Everyone is starting to step up, it takes us a while,” said Schnepf.
“What is nice is that they are all starting to play well together. Individually they are doing well and you can see that it is all clicking right now from a team sense. They are running, they are being aggressive, they are taking the extra base.”
The Panthers kept hitting as they defeated WW/P-South 18-1 on Monday to improve to 9-9 and post their seventh win in eight games.
“They are just competing,” said Schnepf. “We always talk about facing adversity and overcoming adversity. They are starting to do that more and more. I think the more you do it, the more confidence you have to do it and the more you continue to do it. The kids are just mentally and emotionally in a really good spot. Also they are enjoying coming out here and competing.”
With PDS starting play in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament this week where it is seeded 10th and will be playing at seventh-seeded Nottingham in a first round contest on May 8, Schnepf believes his squad can make a run in the tourney.
“They are just playing well, we are getting a lot of good outings on the mound and we are playing cleaner defense,” said Schnepf. “I always say if you can control the things that you can control and play good baseball, you have a chance whoever you are playing. We are just focusing on ourselves. That is what you want to do. You go out there and you want to compete. You are excited to play baseball and be out there with your guys.”
Ross, for his part, is excited about the team’s prospects in the CVC tourney.
“Our start was a little shaky, once we got that first win (11-1 over Princeton High on April 9) our confidence came back,” said Ross. “I feel like when we have our A-game, we can compete with any team in the CVC.”