Penney off to strong start
Cumberland native bats way into lineup
A little of this, a little of that …
• It was Game 2 of URI’s season when Scott Penney made his college baseball debut.
The Rams have played nine games to date with Penney’s name appearing on the lineup card in eight straight contests. Translation: the Cumberland High alum and starting shortstop on last year’s RIIL state championship winner continues to take advantage of his opportunity as a true freshman on this year’s Rhody roster.
Per URI head coach Raphael Cerrato, Penney placed himself on the right track to earn playing time after making a strong impression during the fall ball workouts that commenced not long after the first day of classes.
“When we first recruited him, we thought maybe he would be redshirted,” said Cerrato. “As we saw him play last spring and summer, we said, ‘This kid could help us.’ Then we saw him in the fall and said, ‘This kid is going to play.’”
Truer words have never been spoken. Twice, Penney has batted in the No. 2 hole. He reached base twice in his first college game and collected hits in five of his first eight games. Add in the five walks he’s drawn and Penney has posted a strong on-base percentage for a first-year college player (.414).
Penney’s top offensive game to-date came Feb. 24 when he finished 3-for-4 against Virginia Tech. His batting average has cooled off – peaking at .417 with it currently standing at .292 – but he continues to stack together the starting assignments. He’s also been dependable as URI’s starting second baseman (one error in 12 chances).
“We expected him to be a good player, but he’s been better than expected,” said Cerrato. “For a freshman, he’s not afraid.”
• Known as someone who doesn’t shy away from motivational tactics, Tolman High football head coach Jason DeLawrence has something he can laud over his players heading into next season.
Setting the table, DeLawrence is also an assistant coach on the Hope High girls’ basketball team that captured the Division IV championship earlier this week.
“I’m going to let them [the Tiger players] know that I got my first state title with the Hope girls basketball team. A bunch of these girls are coming back next year so I’m going to invite them to the sideline for football,” said DeLawrence.
• Woonsocket High alum Ousmane Kourouma recently wrapped up his college basketball career at Rhode Island College. His just-completed senior season included the following recognition: First Team All-Little East Conference and a spot on the league’s All-Defensive Team. In 82 career games with the Anchormen (78 starts), Kourouma averaged 11.5 ppg and 12.1 rebounds per contest.
• Talk about rising to the occasion. Lincoln High alum Octavio Brito pumped in a career-best 40 points to help his team (Keene State College) advance to the Division III Sweet 16 following last Saturday’s 109-85 rout of Eastern University.
On his way to dropping 40, Brito shot 12-of-20 from the field, 8-of-13 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-10 at the free-throw line.
• Former St. Raphael standout Angelisse Melendez helped the CCRI women’s basketball team reach the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III National
Championships for the third straight year after scoring a team-best 19 points in Sunday’s 65-48 win over Northern Essex. A freshman with the Knights, Melendez is averaging 14.6 ppg on 36-percent shooting from three, while connecting on 87 percent of her free-throw attempts.
• For the second straight year, Cumberland High al um Ian Horstkamp-Vinekar earned the distinction as the America East Conference’s Elite 18 winner as the men’s student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA who competed at the conference’s recently held swimming championships (4.0, majoring in Chemical Engineering).Asenior at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Hostkamp-Vinekar also earned two silver medals in his final America East meet (100 backstroke, 800 freestyle relay).
• The word on the street is that R.I. American Legion baseball will allow teams to use aluminum bats during the upcoming summer season. The practice of using wooden bats had been in place for over a decade.
• Fingers crossed that Cumberland’s Tyler Kolek hasn’t appeared in his final game for the Marquette basketball team after suffering an oblique injury during last week’s game against Providence.
• The latest Ocean State Sidelines podcast features an interview with Pawtucket’s own Dave Goucher, currently the TV play-by-play announcer with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. Plenty of ground was covered with the former radio voice of the Boston Bruins, including the summer he spent as a fill-in broadcaster with the PawSox. Information on how you can listen can be found below.
• This column would have been longer, but in response to Tuesday’s grim news that the Red Sox could possibly be without RHP Lucas Giolito for the entire season, perhaps new baseball boss Craig Breslow should look into taking out an ad in the local newspaper that reads, “Wanted: Starting Pitching.”
Follow Brendan McGair on X, formerly Twitter, @ BWMcGair03. Check out the “Ocean State Sidelines” podcast that appears on www.woonsocketcall.com