Culture drives Colonel Crawford softball, Crawford County's No. 2 returning team
NORTH ROBINSON - When Chuck Huggins retired in 2018 as the second winningest coach in the state of Ohio, he wanted to ensure the Colonel Crawford softball program was left to someone who would not only maintain the culture he had built but continue growing it.
Having previously played under Huggins and experiencing that culture herself, Sarah Fraser led the Eagles back to a league title this past spring and a run to the district championship where the season ultimately ended with a 3-1 loss to Margaretta.
And her perspective is a unique one because she didn't grow up with the culture of Colonel Crawford softball – it's one she walked into.
"I came from Galion transferring my junior year to Crawford," Fraser said. "I came in from a losing program to a winning program. Being that new kid, I didn't know if I'd fit in or if I was going to have a spot. It was a bit overwhelming but they're so welcoming to everyone. We've had transfers in from all over the place, but the culture and people are so welcoming so you get used to it easily.
"The backing the school provides and the fans, we have fans that come to every game – rain or shine – they're there. Coach (Chuck) Huggins built that legacy and built this culture to where people want to come watch us play. We have the best fans around, the biggest crowd and it's just great to play for that."
COVID year just a bump in the road
Spring 2020 wasn't supposed to be a state-or-bust season by any means, but it was one Fraser was eyeing for the talented incoming freshmen to gain experience playing at the varsity level.
"That year we were hoping to get them used to the stage," she said. "I think a lot of times high school – not necessarily gets a bad rap – but put on the back burner with travel ball and stuff. Obviously the competition with travel ball if you play with the right team, it's all the time. Having that year would've helped them, and I think this year we saw a difference in those girls that missed that year.
"Lauren (Frietchen) for example, she came in her sophomore year not expecting that and she adapted so well as a junior. She got the job done grew tremendously, as did Nettie (Gallant) and Harley (Thomas). Even our (graduated) seniors Kaylyn (Risner), Alivia (Studer) and Atley (Crabaugh) had to sit out a year. Fortunately they played as freshmen, but had to sit out the next year for COVID and with a player like Alivia you wonder what her records would've been had she had that year. It hurt a lot of teams, experience alone was what we were banking on, but we didn't get it."
Frietchen's growth from sophomore year to junior year was nothing short of remarkable. Coming off a great year in 2021 her numbers and mental prowess improved in 2022. She went 19-4 in the circle with a 0.95 ERA (2.09 ERA as a sophomore), 195 strikeouts (160 a year prior) and just 16 walks in 132⅓ innings pitched. Colonel Crawford's team ERA of 1.70 was best in the Northern 10 and the .179 batting average against was the only one sub-.200.
Offensively the Eagles were just as dangerous averaging 9.60 runs per game and boasted a team batting average of .372 – four girls hit .400-plus. Three of those four are also back in Thomas (.417 avg., 49 hits, 19 runs, 27 RBIs) and Gallant (.429 avg., 30 hits, 27 RBIs), along with rising junior Allison Weithman (.463 avg., 44 hits, 35 runs, 23 RBIs).
District tournament laid the foundation for 2023
Obviously a win over Margaretta and a trip to regionals would've been the preferred outcome for Colonel Crawford on May 21 in New Riegel, but what the Eagles accomplished in the semifinal against Edison and battling with the Polar Bears up until the final out was exactly what Fraser was hoping to get out of her team after a quick district exit in 2021.
"We talked about that after the loss to Margaretta," she said. "Not only did the Margaretta game play a factor, the Edison game did too because we weren't really tested in close games. The teams we lost to ... we got blown out and just didn't come ready to play.
"That Edison game showed the girls that they can do, they can beat the good teams. We were right there in the Margaretta game aside from a couple defensive miscues and we didn't hit like we should've. Those girls got to experience that taste of wanting to go to the next level."
Sophie Beck joins Frietchen, Thomas and Gallant as seniors this season to lead the way with talented juniors bolstering the lineup. From there, any number of players could fill the three vacant spots left by Risner, Studer and Crabaugh.
"(Juniors) Hannah Allen, Madison Cobb, Allison Weithman and Hanna Perry are back," Fraser said. "But there are no spots guaranteed, every spot is open. We have three big spots to focus on with Liv and Atley in the outfield – that's the majority of our outfield – and Kaylyn was one of the best second basemen around.
"That's a huge gap to fill, too, but we have returners coming back and some sophomores that'll fill in as well as some freshmen if they put in the work."
With six starters back including pitching, tons of offensive firepower returning and depth in the dugout it's easy to see why Colonel Crawford softball comes in at No. 2 in the Crawford 15. This will be a team to keep an eye on in the spring as the Eagles look to defend their N10 crown and make a run to regionals – and beyond.
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Twitter: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Crawford 15: Colonel Crawford softball comes in at No. 2
