James Gronberg, a 6-3 185 pound junior outfielder is seeing the country playing baseball. Gronberg hails from the north in Stamford, CT and plays ball in the south at Florida Tech University and now will travel to Virginia to play for the Turks this summer. As a freshman, Gronberg appeared in 49 games, making 48 starts as a freshman and batted .279 with 29 RBIs and 29 runs scored. He posted a .980 fielding percentage with two outfield assists. Gronberg tied for second in the Sunshine State Conference in sacrifice bunts (9), and ranked tied for eighth in the SSC in stolen bases (14). So far this spring the speedy Gronberg is posting a .276 BA in 21 games with 76 at  bats, with 14 runs, 21 hits, 1 double, 1 home run, 14 RBI’s and has stolen 14 of 15 bases for the Panthers. We look forward to seeing him patrol the outfield this summer at Veterans Memorial Park.

Another Panther will be accompanying Gronberg to Harrisonburg, junior RHP Rhett Willis is from Ford White, FL. The 5-9, 170 pound pitcher appeared in nine games, making one start on the mound as a freshman and compiled a 2-0 record with one save in 22.1 innings pitched. He posted a 4.03 earned run average with 31 strikeouts and just five walks. This spring Willis is 0-1 with a 4.60 ERA in 15.2 innings of work giving up 24 hits, 14 runs with 12 strike outs.

This season will be the first Panthers we’ve ever had so we look forward to building a relationship with the Florida Tech program.