Meet your 2016 Xenia Scouts

By John Bombatch

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The 2016 Xenia Scouts team members are a very talented bunch of baseball players. Some have played in big games in their respective states, others have ties to famous athletes, and still others are proving they’re among the best in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

Here’s just a sampling of information that was derived from the players’ college team biographies:

ROCKER RELATIVE

Scouts infielder Caleb Bloye plays at Lipscomb University, which is located in Nashville, Tenn. He is the cousin of former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker.

SHARPE SHOOTER

Bloye’s Lipscomb University teammate John Sharpe is recovering from a concussion for now. But he leads the Scouts in batting average at .333 (10 for 30). Sharpe and another Lipscomb member of the Scouts — Chandler Adkins — were recently rated by PerfectGame.com as the second and third best shortstops in Tennessee.

FAMOUS ROOTS

Biola University (Calif.) outfielder Jeremy Barth hails from Palos Verdes High School, located in beautiful Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. Former world number one men’s tennis player Pete Sampras and former Detroit Pistons NBA all-star Bill Laimbeer both attended Palos Verdes High.

HOT CHEESE

Local product Adrian Marquez, of the Horizon League champion and NCAA Regional qualifier Wright State University Raiders, has picked up the nickname of “Queso” by his Scouts teammates. According to his bio, Marquez holds the school triples record at his high school of Hononegah, located in Rockton, Ill.

FAMILIAR TERRITORY

Scouts pitchers Will Kruse of Hillsdale (Mich.) College and Nick Cecil of nearby Sinclair Community College are familiar with Grady’s Field at the Athletes In Action Sports Complex, here in Xenia. Kruse’s Hillsdale club competed in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference college baseball tournament, which was held last May at Grady’s Field. Cecil was a regular for the Tartans of Sinclair, and Grady’s Field was their home field.

HIP HIP!

It’s always fun when Wright State redshirt freshman pitcher Jorge Lozano records a strikeout for the Scouts. With each K, his Xenia teammates yell out “Hip Hip, Jorge!” The team has tried the chant with other pitchers, but ‘Hip Hip, Brunner’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Next home games: The Xenia Scouts (9-6) are playing in Richmond, Ind. Thursday and Friday night. The team will be back at Grady’s Field for a 5:05 p.m. and 8:05 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday against the Lorain County Ironmen.

Starting pitcher Kyle Brunner, shown here peering over his glove before a pitch, is from nearby Bellefontaine. Brunner attends Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2016/07/web1_BrunnerStare_PS.jpgStarting pitcher Kyle Brunner, shown here peering over his glove before a pitch, is from nearby Bellefontaine. Brunner attends Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind.

Colt Wolfe attends Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. He leads Xenia in doubles with five, which ranks him in a tie for eighth place in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2016/07/web1_ColtWolfeHit_PS.jpgColt Wolfe attends Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. He leads Xenia in doubles with five, which ranks him in a tie for eighth place in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

Freshman second baseman Cary Holloway has a Andrews College (Ga.) teammate who is on the Lake Erie Monarchs team in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2016/07/web1_HOLLOWAYToss_PS.jpgFreshman second baseman Cary Holloway has a Andrews College (Ga.) teammate who is on the Lake Erie Monarchs team in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

Scouts outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, shown here running bases in a recent game against Lake Erie, is teammates with Scouts pitcher Will Kruse and catcher Donald Ring at Hillsdale College in Michigan.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2016/07/web1_OHearn_PS.jpgScouts outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, shown here running bases in a recent game against Lake Erie, is teammates with Scouts pitcher Will Kruse and catcher Donald Ring at Hillsdale College in Michigan.

Xenia Scouts second-year manager Bubba Cates (27) meets with his team on the mound during a recent game at Grady’s Field.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2016/07/web1_TeamHuddle_PS.jpgXenia Scouts second-year manager Bubba Cates (27) meets with his team on the mound during a recent game at Grady’s Field.