April 30, 2008

Eric Oxford may be surprised that he's the leading hitter among the starters for the Holy Cross baseball team. He's a 19-year-old freshman, after all.

Yet the first baseman from Danvers and reigning Salem News Player of the Year admits that he headed to college wondering how much playing time he'd actually get. There was a senior first baseman for the Crusaders with a ton of experience in front of him, so Oxford spent a summer full of apprehension.

He was almost resigned to being a spare part; a game here and there in doubleheaders, a pinch hit role on occasion, a chance to play in a blowout. In Oxford's eyes, his playing time outlook was not very promising.

But when the opportunity for him to play materialized, Oxford took full advantage.

For the complete article from Bill Kipouras of The Salem (Mass.) News click here