Rossiter Leaving His Mark Early

Call it pregame jitters, but it is starting to become a trend for Burroughs High pitcher Mike Rossiter. In his past two starts, Rossiter has hit the first batter.

Rossiter was tagged for four runs in the first inning of a 7-3 loss to Hart on March 18 after hitting Tom Wolff to start the game. On Friday night against Burbank, Rossiter hit Burbank leadoff hitter Ozzie Areu.

However, there was a different outcome the second time around.

The 6-foot-6, 200-pound senior right-hander retired the next three batters--two by strikeout--and went on to throw a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts in a 12-0 victory. The win ended Burroughs’ six-game skid.

Rossiter struck out the side in the third, fourth and seventh innings and had at least two strikeouts in every inning but the fifth--in which he had one. He threw 101 pitches and faced 25 batters. Burbank did not hit a ball out of the infield.

“After I hit the first batter again, I was thinking flashback,” Rossiter said. “I just told myself to fight back and to have a positive attitude.”

The term no-hit applied only to Rossiter’s pitching--he drove in four runs with a single, double and his first career home run.

Rossiter’s mind also raced back to a one-hitter against cross-town rival Burbank last year. He took a no-hitter into the sixth but lost it after failing to cover first base on a slow roller up the first-base line.

“I thought about it and I wanted the no-hitter this year,” he said. “This time I walked off the field with a big smile.”

Rossiter has 46 strikeouts in 23 innings and has allowed only one earned run for a 0.39 earned-run average to go with a 2-1 record.

Rossiter’s fastball has been clocked in the low 90-m.p.h. range and he is considered a legitimate major league prospect. Forty-two of his first 43 pitches against Hart were fastballs. He threw approximately 30% breaking pitches and changeups against Burbank.

“I just got carried away,” Rossiter said. “I threw too many fastballs and they figured that was all I was going to throw. I tried to overpower them and overdo it. I started to change it up in the second inning.”

Rossiter completed the game against Hart, finishing with 13 strikeouts, but he needed 149 pitches. His first-inning eagerness was understandable. About 20 major league scouts have attended each of his starts this season.

“He decided to be a pitcher instead of a thrower after the Hart game,” Burroughs Coach Terry Scott said. “He is learning to throw strikes instead of throwing gas and trying to impress everybody behind the stands.”

One of those scouts in attendance Friday was Ray Moore, Rossiter’s American Legion coach.

Moore worked extensively with Rossiter and helped him develop a changeup. Rossiter still consults several times a week with Moore.

“If I ever go anywhere or do anything or become pro, I have to dedicate it all to him,” Rossiter said. “He has helped me on my mechanics and on a little bit of everything.”

Moore is predicting big things for Rossiter.

“He has matured to the point where he is getting into the mental aspect. He is getting the idea of placing the pitch and reading the hitter,” Moore said.

“He’ll go very high in the draft this year.”

Areu, who played with Rossiter on the freshman team at Burroughs before transferring to Burbank, also notices a difference.

“He throws a lot harder than he used to,” Areu said, “but he has established a curveball and a good breaking ball. He is definitely a better pitcher this year.”

Rossiter is unsure whether he will play college baseball next season or sign a professional contract. “I hope I’m playing somewhere,” he said. “I know the scouts are there. But when I’m on the mound, I try to stay in my own little cage and concentrate on pitching.”