When Kevin Bruch steps up to the plate, opposing pitchers should take note.

They never should let his good manners and soft-spoken voice fool them.

He really knows how to swing the bat.

“As far as raw power, Kevin’s the best on our team,” Oakville American Legion varsity head coach Mike Wilhelm told the Call. “He’s extremely intimidating at the plate.”

The 6-foot-3-inch first baseman/designated hitter batted a red-hot .367 with a team leading 28 runs batted. He was second on the team in home runs — five — and doubles — 10 — in 104 plate appearances.

Bruch believes that one of the keys to his success this season was just going out onto the field and having a good time.

“It (the season) was a lot of fun,” Bruch said. “The coaches taught us a lot yet they still let us have fun.”

That pure love for the game has developed Bruch into not only a solid hitter, but also a more complete team player.

“I just try to do what’s best for the team,” Bruch explained. “I just want to get into the game and do what I can do to help us win.”

Such was the case on June 27 against Lemay at Heine Meine Field. Bruch was 2-5 at the plate with five runs batted in. Those five runs were generated from two home runs, of which one was a grand slam.

Oakville went on to win the game 7-5.

“Kevin’s possibly one of the better power hitters at this level,” Wilhelm said. “Every home run that he hits are just bombs. They’re all legitimate.”

Bruch now enters his senior season at Christian Brothers College High School where he hopes to help the Cadets improve on their 16-12 record with a quarterfinal appearance in the state tournament.

“I’m going to work really hard in the off-season,” Bruch said. “I hope I’ll be able to do more for the team this year.”

He also is known for his hard work in the classroom with a 3.0 grade-point average — which would explain why he is such a smart player at the plate.

“He’s a very smart hitter that just doesn’t miss bad pitches,” Wilhelm said.