Danbury's Ryan welcomed back to Montpelier

-Originally appeared in the Times Argus

Ryan fields a ground ball. (Danbury News Times)

A few weeks ago, the biggest ovation in a matchup between the Danbury Westerners and the Vermont Mountaineers arguably went to the Westerners first basemen, a familiar face in Montpelier. AJ Ryan, a 2013 Mountaineer, made his return last Sunday for the only time this year. When he stepped up to the plate in the top of the first, he was greeted by applause and his walkup song.

“It was an unbelievable feeling,” Ryan described the moment. “To walk up to the plate for my first at bat and hear my walkup song from last summer but what was even better was the way the crowd embraced me. I could have never imagined that warm of a welcome and I’m  extremely thankful of the fans and the Mountaineers organization.”

Ryan, a first baseman from Dayton, played in 39 games with the Mountaineers in 2013. He was crucial in Vermont’s run to the Western Division finals, hitting .381 over five playoff games with three doubles and four runs. He finished the year with a .172 average and seven RBIs along with three doubles and seven runs.

He drove in two runs twice, including a pair in a 9-0 regular season beatdown of Keene, who ultimately knocked Vermont out of the playoffs. He reached base three of his four times up against Saratoga in the Mountaineers first win of the season and added two hits in the series clinching win against North Adams in the first round.

“My best moment in a Mountaineer uniform is tough,” Ryan continued. “I have so many great memories, but I would have to say just playing the home games and the great enviroment the fans create with their enthusiasm and love for the Mountaineers.”

Ryan now plays a four-hour drive away in Danbury, Connecticut with the Westerners, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. He’s hitting .240 through 26 games with the team, who sit at 7-21 with the second worst-record in the league.

“I am enjoying my summer in Danbury,” Ryan added. “It’s a different atmosphere and situation then Vermont but I’m happy where I am this summer. I’m grateful to have been able to play in two great places the last two summers.”

A rising senior at Dayton, this will be Ryan’s last summer league team. Vermont won’t get another chance to face him and the Westerners, as they split the season series at a game apiece. He finished 0-8 against his old squad, scoring one run after reaching on an error in the first game.

“The Mountaineers have the best fans and home field advantage in the NECBL,” Ryan finished. “That is one of the things that I miss the most.”

However, there  is also another pair of former Mountaineers in the league- Thomas Roulis and Bret Dennis.

Roulis was the team’s starting shortstop in 2013, hitting .244 in 38 games. The Dartmouth rising senior has been key for the first-place Pilgrims this summer, hitting .295 with 14 RBIs and 13 runs as well as an impressive .984 fielding percentage with just two errors.

Dennis is playing for the rival Swamp Bats, the second Mountaineer to do this after Brian O’Grady donned the purple-and-black in 2013.  Vermont’s starting second basemen last summer, Dennis hit .255  in 35 games and scored 15 runs while stealing seven bases. A rising senior at St. Johns, Dennis has already surpassed his Mountaineer RBI total with 11 and is hitting .266 with seven doubles.  

Roulis makes another return to Recreation Field on Thursday, July 24th while Dennis and Keene return on Friday, July 18th. Both of these players could end up facing off against their former team and teammates (Chandler Brock, Cameron Sorgie and Robert Strader) in the playoffs, as the Swamp Bats could play Vermont in either of the divisional rounds while Plymouth could meet the Mountaineers in the championship series.