Nearly every other game since the start of the 2023 season, Robert Wunsch has taken the mound for the South Windsor High School Bobcats baseball team. The 5 foot 9 right hander has been a staple in both the ‘Cats lineup and rotation since his sophomore season that saw him receive CCC all conference honors.
Wunsch’s baseball career began over 14 years ago with the help of his father and grandfather. “It all started with playing whiffle ball with my family and then it switched to having catches with my dad, uncle, and grandpa, and then turned into games and [I] became absolutely in love with the sport,” Wunsch told The Prowl.
Back in his freshman year, Wunsch didn’t make any appearances on the varsity diamond, but the team finished with a measly 3-17 record. Just one season later, Wunsch got his shot and helped the Bobcats pull off a phenomenal turnaround by going 15-5 and making a run to the state quarterfinals before ultimately losing to the eventual state runner-up Staples.
Wunsch’s teammates nicknamed his starts during his sophomore season as “Bob day”, a title that still carries to today when he takes the mound.
His junior campaign featured a much improved version of Wunsch both on the mound and at the plate, but the ‘Cats struggled more than the previous year despite still clawing their way to a 14-6 record. The Bobcats won the CCC East, but fell shy in the inaugural CCC championship to Southington.
In 25 ⅓ innings, Wunsch struck out 40 batters, allowed just 23 hits, while boasting an ERA of 2.76. At the plate, a statline featuring a .388 AVG and 20 RBI would lead to another CCC all conference honor following his junior season. Receiving the honors for a third consecutive year remains on the agenda for Wunsch this season, as well as making the all state team.
Despite the increasing pressure, Wunsch maintains high expectations for the team. “Our schedule is very hard but my expectations aren’t going to change. It’s going to be tough but I’m expecting 14 wins and another CCC East banner, as well as a strong run in the state tournament,” Wunsch said.
Nearing the halfway mark on the 2025 season, the team has overcome their rollercoaster of a start that saw two tough losses to Maloney and Berlin. Since the loss to Berlin, the ‘Cats have won six straight games and exploded up both the Maxpreps and Gametime CT rankings.
Wunsch’s best start of the season came on Tuesday, April 15. The Bobcats traveled to Woodstock to play the then third ranked Woodstock Academy Centaurs. A complete-game one-hit bid with 12 strikeouts started the spark under the Bobcats that’s carried through their winning streak.
Nearly one week after his brilliance against Woodstock, Wunsch took the mound to pitch a highly anticipated game against the fifth ranked Southington Blue Knights. Despite a close game, Wunsch settled in when it mattered and got several huge outs to keep the game in reach.
The bottom of the sixth saw the pitcher drive in his own run support with a go-ahead RBI triple to make it a 7-6 game. Wunsch came out to finish the game in the top of the seventh with a pitch count nearing 100. A pop-out and two strikeouts would seal the deal and mark another stellar outing from Wunsch.
Prior to the start of the season, Wunsch officially announced his commitment to play baseball in college for the UMASS Boston Beacons, a decision that came easy to Wunsch. “I wanted to be near the city but also the campus is beautiful. I liked the good academics and that it’s a team that can compete for a championship that also will allow me to develop as a pitcher,” Wunsch said.
Wunsch has emerged this season as not just a pitcher but also at the plate. A .437 batting average with 10 RBI, 10 walks, a home run, and just one strikeout on the season have helped pave the way for the dominant ‘Cats lineup.
While his time at the plate has been more than successful, opposing hitters haven’t had such luck against Wunsch. In 19 innings, Wunsch has tossed 29 strikeouts, allowing just 12 hits and seven earned runs. Batters have just a .176 average against the ‘Cats starter and have only mustered three walks.
With still more than half of the season to go, plus any potential CCC or state tournament games, Wunsch will almost certainly continue to improve as he looks to guide the ‘Cats back to the promise land and end their 32 year championship drought.
