Westmoreland

Portsmouth High baseball standout Ryan Westmoreland has been named Gatorade Rhode Island Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.

The award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement, and exemplary character on and off the field. Westmoreland is a finalist for the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year award, which will be announced next month.

Westmoreland was 6-0 with a 0.35 ERA, recording 89 strikeouts in 40 innings at the time of his selection. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior right-handed pitcher had held opponents to a .054 batting average through 21 games. He also held a .524 batting average with 34 runs scored, 28 RBI and four home runs.

“He put the program on his back,” said Portsmouth coach Dave Ulmschneider. “Any time he takes the mound, we have a chance to win, and he’s a great hitter. Everything he touches turns to gold. He’s an unbelievable leader. He’s the best to ever come through this high school. I know there are a lot of good players in the state, but there’s no doubt in my mind he’s the No. 1 player in Rhode Island.”

In the classroom, Westmoreland has maintained a 3.5 grade-point average while volunteering at local youth baseball camps and clinics. He also helped out with the Portsmouth Little League’s “Challenger Division,” which assists young players with mental and physical disabilities.

Last year, Westmoreland hit .489 and was 6-0 as a pitcher, leading the Patriots to their best season in school history.