FRUITPORT – After being placed in one of the toughest districts in Michigan last season, the Fruitport Trojans trounce into spring with a lot of their production returning.
The Trojans’ season came to a screeching halt in the pre-district with a 1-0 loss to Coopersville that ended the campaign. The lone run for the Broncos came in the bottom of the first with an RBI double off Fruitport’s Ryan Bosch. Though Bosch was dominant after that, striking out eight batters and holding Coopersville from scoring the rest of the game. The Trojans managed only two hits all game and were never able to get much offense going.
Second baseman Brady French led the Trojans with a .481 batting average last season. With French graduating, Fruitport will need to fill that spot, as he was a guy you could rely on to get on base.
Wake Forest commit Bosch is back for his senior year and will lead the staff once again.
Head coach Nick Reed is back for his 13th season as the Trojans’ skipper.
Even with the loss of French, Fruitport will return many of their top pitchers, as well as a few bats that hit over .300 last season. “We have a lot of varsity-experienced players with two or more years on varsity,” Reed said.
2024 Season
16-16 record
6th in OK-Blue
Lost in the pre-district round
Seven-game winning streak in the month of April
Batting
Bosch will be a four-year starter this season, and the kid straight up mashes. Alongside the fact that he is committed to being a pitcher at one of the best baseball programs in the nation, Bosch has averaged a .390 BA over the last three seasons. The senior will play first base this season when he’s not on the mound.
Braxton Ward returns to the team as a fourth-year starter himself and will play the captain of the infield position at shortstop. Ward is a career .300 hitter and has one of the best gloves on the west side of the state.
Tommy Anderson and Jax Flynn will control the outfield this season for the Trojans; both hold elite upside at the dish.
Pitching
The pitching staff this season will be the strength of this team. Led by Bosch, the six-foot-eight lefty is one of the best pitchers in the state and potentially the nation. The senior has 235 strikeouts across 140 innings pitched in his career, as well as a 1.94 ERA in three seasons. Per Prep Baseball Report, Bosch is topping out at 92 MPH and sits at about 88-90 MPH. A three-pitch mix that consists of a FB, CH, and CB keeps hitters off balance.
Junior Avery Lambers tossed 38 innings last season and went 6-0 with a 2.35 ERA while punching out 58 hitters. Lambers will also catch when he’s not on the mound.
The Trojans will also show junior Trevor Rusnak on the bump this season. Rusnak threw nearly 50 innings a season ago, posted a 2.81 ERA, and picked up 49 strikeouts. Sophomore Hudson Hazekamp logged a healthy number of innings as a freshman last season. Hazekamp finished with a 3-3 record and a 2.90 ERA.
The Bottom Line
Fruitport will need to have a repeat of a season from last year with four arms finishing with a sub-three ERA. Replacing an on-base machine in French will be tough, but with upcoming juniors, they very well could have another strong lineup. The district will remain tough this season, but anything can happen in playoff baseball.
2025 Tentative Schedule
3/28 – @ Wyoming DH
3/31 – Vs. Kelloggsville DH
4/2 – @ Kelloggsville
4/15 – Vs. NorthPointe Christian DH
4/17 – @ NorthPointe Christian
4/18 – Vs. Allendale
4/22 – @ Godwin Heights DH
4/24 – Vs. Godwin Heights
4/25 – @ TC Central DH
4/29 – Vs. Calvin Christian DH
5/1 – @ Calvin Christian
5/3 – GMAA TBD
5/6 – @ Comstock Park DH
5/8 – Vs. Comstock Park (3 PM)
5/9 – Vs. Fremont
5/12 – Vs. Belding
5/13 – @ Belding DH
5/14 – Vs. Hamilton (@ LMCU Ballpark)
5/16 – Vs. Spring Lake (@ Marsh Field, 7 PM)
5/20 – Vs. Hopkins DH
5/22 – Vs. Hopkins
5/24 – Old Fashion Days Invitational
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