Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Spencer Ross, Havre Legion Baseball

There aren’t a whole lot of them this season, but Spencer Ross is one of the veteran leaders for the Havre North Stars American Legion baseball team. He has been around Havre baseball his entire life, and he finds himself nearing the end of his Legion career.

Ross graduated from Havre High this spring, and not only had a long baseball career, but was also a varsity contributor for the Blue Pony basketball and golf programs. Ross played four years of both basketball and golf at HHS, and even managed a trip to the Class A state golf tournament his senior season. And now that he is graduated, Ross already has plans to attend Montana State University-Northern next fall, majoring in the newly added criminal justice program.

But baseball has been Ross’ main sport since his first day of T-ball, and his passion has carried him through countless T-ball, minors, majors, Babe Ruth, and Legion games.

A right fielder, and southpaw pitcher for the North Stars, Ross and the rest of the roster are looking to make a run the second half of the season. Havre has just three wins so far in 2013, and as a key pitcher in the rotation, and one of the more consistent bats in the lineup, Ross will key in any future success.

Here's five questions with Havre's lefty as the North Stars prepare for a doubleheader tonight

HDN: What is the toughest thing about playing on such a young and inexperienced team?

Ross: “Hitting. It really comes around with experience, and a lot of people think you can just step up to the plate and hit the ball. But really, it is a lot more than that. Our hitting is coming along though, and we have improved.”

HDN: Outside of Havre and Legion Field, who has the nicest facilities the North Stars play at?

Ross: “Well ours is definitely the nicest, but the second nicest would have to be Lethbridge. They have a minor league team up there, and they are sponsored by Spitz (sunflower seeds), and it is just really nice. They have real dugouts, a nice scoreboard, and it's a lot more new than other fields.”

HDN: Do you have a favorite MLB team or player that got you turned on to baseball?

Ross: “My family really influenced me, my uncle was a really good player, and my grandpa was a really good player, too. But my team is the Colorado Rockies, and I have always liked No. 2 (Troy) Tulowitzki. Me and my grandpa always used to watch games, but I really followed in my uncle’s footsteps. And once I started taking interest in baseball, my grandpa really began to help me too, and even coached one of my little league teams.”

HDN: Is there another position besides outfielder that you always wished you had played?

Ross: “Not really. I have always felt my speed was a factor, and the outfield was where I was more productive. That is where I can help my team win games.”

HDN: What does the team have to do to earn more wins moving forward?

Ross: “We always say that you can’t win if you don’t get on base, you just can’t score any runs if you don’t get on base. We have been working on that, working on getting on base any way you can, whether it is getting walked, getting hit or getting hits. We have to do whatever we can to score runs.”