Bosch is a big hit with Dragons

It may not be Barry Bonds’ quest for No. 714, but when Riaan Bosch steps to the plate for the Woodland High baseball team, heads turn.

That’s because Bosch, a native South African who moved with his mother from Santa Barbara, Calif., to the tiny Maine town of Waite late last year, is putting up incredible numbers.

In 29 plate appearances heading into Saturday’s 7 p.m. game against Shead of Eastport at Bangor’s Mansfield Stadium, Bosch has reached base 27 times – for an on-base percentage of .931. Officially, the 5-foot-10, 215-pound third baseman is 18-for-20.

Yes, he’s batting. 900.

“The thing about him is he’ll do anything to get on base,” said Woodland coach Dave Seavey. “He’s been hit by a pitch three or four times, and after he gets hit, I tell him to get out of the way so he can hit the ball.”

“There’s no doubt in my mind he could play Class A ball here and be a very good player.”

Bosch, 18, was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, a city located along the Indian Ocean. Cricket and rugby were the sports of his youth, until his family decided to seek a new life in the United States.

They relocated to Santa Barbara, where the 9-year-old Bosch quickly picked up sports most American – baseball and football.

He went on to attend Dos Pueblos High, a school of 2,300 students where he played linebacker on the football team and third base and center field on the baseball team.. A two-year starter in baseball, he hit .324 last spring to help Dos Pueblos make the Division II sectional playoffs for the second straight year.

Bosch’s summer was slowed by an Achilles tendon injury, and by the time he was ready to resume play last fall, his mother had met a man from Maine online and decided to move.

“I knew it was going to be a real long journey,” he said.

After a cross-country drive from the glitz of southern California to the woods of northern Washington County, Riaan Bosch enrolled at Woodland High – a school one-tenth the size of Dos Pueblos – and quietly adjusted to this dramatic lifestyle change.

“I’m a home guy anyway,” he said. “From what I hear, it was a mild winter, but it was pretty cold for me. I’m used to playing baseball year round, but here in the winter you have to sit it out. I didn’t like that very much.”

Since winter has given way to spring, Bosch has found nothing but success on the diamond, though admittedly the Downeast Athletic Conference isn’t quite as challenging as baseball-rich southern California.

“It’s a lot different here,” said Bosch. “The pitching is slower, a lot slower, but I’m pretty much used to it.”

Not that he has dominated all sporting endeavors since moving to Maine, particularly those nearest to the hearts of those like him who live in the shadows of Grand Lake Stream.

“I tried fishing,” he said, “but the rod broke on my first cast.”

Bosch plans to return to California this summer, enroll in college and hopefully continue his baseball career. For now, he hopes help Woodland return to postseason play – and garner a few more hits along the way.

“I’ve probably had more fun playing baseball this year than I’ve ever had,” he said. “There’s a lot of fellowship. The team is like a family.

“This is one experience I’ll never forget.”

Ernie Clark may be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or at eclark@bangordailynews.net