By Will Kraus, Bates College

Photos by Josh Muir, Endicott College

July 26, 2019

If there were more players with Oraj Anu’s (Kentucky) power baseball stadiums would be much, much larger.

But there are very few baseball players with Oraj Anu level power, particularly from both sides of the plate.

In the 6-1 win over Wareham on Friday Anu showed his incredible ability to pulverize

Anu celebrates his home run with teammates Donta Williams (Arizona) and Adam Oviedo (Oral Roberts)

baseballs out of the park for the fifth time this season.

Cotuit led just 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Anu stepped to the plate from the left side with two outs and runners on first and second. 

Wareham starter Lukas Veinbergs (Missouri Columbia) delivered on a 1-1 count and Anu was all over it. Anu sent an absolute laser into the forest in right field. The ball landed nearly 400 feet from home and was blistered with a 105 miles per hour exit velocity.

“Before I got to the plate I saw [Coltyn Kessler (Kentucky] give me kind of an evil eye and looked at the trees and just said hit one out. I knew I had to do something to make him happy.” Anu said, smiling postgame. 

Anu certainly did just that as he put Cotuit in a commanding 5-0 lead. 

It was just another example of Anu’s amazing pop.

We’ve seen it from both sides of the plate from the switch-hitting Anu.

Oraj cranks it out of the park vs. Wareham

This season he’s hit many balls over 400 feet including a 430 foot bomb at McKeon Park in Hyannis from the left side and a towering 430 foot homer from the right side that completely cleared Lowell Park’s scoreboard in left-center.

“He’s just using his legs. He used to use his hands so much. We’ve really been working on rotating from both sides of the plate.” said Coach Roberts after the game.

Since returning to the line-up from his hamstring injury Anu has really shined at the plate as a designated hitter. He attributes his success to his mother as well.

“My mom just told me to stay loose up there, don’t overswing and I think that’s been helping me a lot.” Anu said following the victory.

Whatever Anu has been doing, it’s been working. After missing ten days Anu has gone 7 for 16 (.438) with 5 RBI. 

The big home run couldn’t have come at a better time. Cotuit was winless in their last four and was starting a seven game stretch to end the season against teams that were a combined 26 games over .500 heading into Friday’s matchup. 

The victory vaulted the Kettleers over the opposing Gatemen for second in the West Division.

Next Up

Cotuit (18-16-4) has another tough test Saturday night at Chatham (23-12-2). The Kettleers will travel to Veterans Park for a 7 PM first pitch.