Softball Scouter: Division III district tournament loaded with premier talent
NEW RIEGEL - Buckle up, the Division III New Riegel district tournament is not only the toughest in the Elida regional – it's probably one of the most loaded districts in the entire state.
We have a pair of chalk matchups in the semifinals on Wednesday which should set one one heck of a district championship Sartuday afternoon. State-ranked Margaretta is the No. 1 seed and will face No. 4 Upper Sandusky in the first semifinal, then a rematch from last year pits No. 2 Edison against No. 3 Colonel Crawford in the second game.
Let's dive in to the scouting report.
Wednesday's Games
No. 1 Margaretta (23-3) vs. No. 4 Upper Sandusky (15-8), 4 p.m.
On paper, Margaretta should be the team to beat for everyone in the district. The Polar Bears are loaded top-to-bottom and enter the tournament as SBC Bay champions going a perfect 10-0 in league play.
As a team they're hitting .390 on the season led by a trio of dangerous hitters in Addie Kromer (.489 avg., 44 hits, 43 runs), Phoebe Dreschel (.488 avg., 42 hits, 34 RBIs) and Alayna Pemberton (.478 avg., 43 hits, 26 RBIs, 23 runs). Three other girls boast averages above .350 and and eight have 20-plus hits on the season. In the circle, it's all Maria Fields who is 18-1 on the year with a 2.50 ERA, 152 strikeouts and 33 walks.
Upper Sandusky hasn't been quite as dominant as Margaretta, but the Rams have shown glimpses this season splitting with Colonel Crawford and Carey, and taking down teams like New Riegel, Clyde, Marion Harding (twice), Kenton and most recently Huron.
It all starts with Brooke Swavel who leads the way with a .473 average, 35 hits and 31 runs. But she isn't the only capable hitter in the lineup, Olivia Gier (.413 avg., 33 hits, 28 RBIs, 24 runs), Payton Kennedy (.400 avg., 26 hits) and Jenna Kurtz (.394 avg., 26 hits) can all put the ball in play and get this offense going. Gier is also the team's go-to pitcher with a 10-7 record, 2.42 ERA, 113 strikeouts and 28 walks.
No. 2 Edison (15-6) vs. No. 3 Colonel Crawford (19-4), 6 p.m.
The matchup we've been waiting a year to see again. Edison took down Colonel Crawford 3-0 in this very stage last spring and the Eagles have been hungry for revenge ever since.
Edison comes in off a brutal Sandusky Bay Conference - Bay Division schedule featuring the likes of Margaretta and Oak Harbor, and a loaded nonleague against Magnificat, Shelby and Wellington.
The Chargers boast a top-heavy lineup with some powerful batters 1-through-5 and if the bottom of the order gets a couple hits, that's when things get ugly. Kira Appeman leads the team with a .532 average, 41 hits and 20 RBIs while Reagan King is right behind with a .528 average, 38 hits, 33 RBIs and 32 runs. Olivia Vitaz (.448 avg., 30 hits, 24 RBIs, 33 runs), Audrey Linder (.437 avg., 31 hits, 30 runs) and Sophia Guerra (.418 avg., 23 hits) round out their heavy hitters. Appeman then turns around and gets the job done with her arm, too, boasting a 1.67 ERA with 109 strikeouts and just 18 walks.
Colonel Crawford won the Northern 10 title for the first time since 2016, a year before the Eagles were last in regionals. This season they wanted to ramp up the nonleague to better prepare for tournament time and did just that facing state-ranked Lexington and perennial powerhouse Hillsdale twice, along with Plymouth and Riverdale – Colonel Crawford went 4-2 in those games only losing to D-II Lexington.
The Eagles boast a potent offense and, most of the time, a lock-down defense. Lead-off batter Allison Weithman leads the way with a .506 average, 44 hits, 35 runs and 23 RBIs, Harley Thomas is knocking on the 50/50 mark with a .494 average, 39 hits, 29 runs and 27 RBIs. Jostyn Gallant (.413 avg., 26 hits, 26 RBIs), Alivia Studer (.411 avg., 30 hits, 26 runs, 23 RBIs) and Kaylyn Risner (.375 avg., 30 hits, 26 runs, 20 RBIs) are three more names that jump out. But this team can hit 1-though-9 with eight batting over .320 and 20-plus hits. Lauren Frietchen's growth as a pitcher has been tremendous this season and it shows with an 18-3 record, 1.09 ERA, 182 strikeouts and only 16 walks.
Winning Formulas
Margaretta
If the Polar Bears get their bats going early and score some runs early, it might be enough to deflate the Rams' sails and put this game on cruise control. Fields is going to have to rely on her defense some not being a dominant strike thrower like we'll see in the evening semifinal.
Upper Sandusky
The Rams have to limit mistakes because against a team like Margaretta, they can be the difference between keeping it close and going home after five. Gier will need to paint the corners and keep the Polar Bear batters off-balance, while make sure her bat is potent in the top of the innings. But most importantly, Upper Sandusky has to remain confident throughout the contest and ignore the No. 7 state ranking ahead of Margaretta's name.
Edison
Appeman will be the one leading the Chargers back to the district championship game should they win. What she's able to do with a ball or a bat in her hands is something special and if Edison can get an early lead, she's one of the toughest – if not the toughest – pitchers in the area to crack. This one is either going to be a pitcher's duel ending in 1-0 or 2-1, or it could be an offensive explosion early and then relying on mental fortitude to close out.
Colonel Crawford
Similar to Upper Sandusky, mistakes are devastating against quality teams and Colonel Crawford has found out the hard way several times this season. Keeping errors to an absolute minimum will be key to the Eagles' success in the rematch. There's no doubt the offense is capable of keeping up with anyone in the state, and Frietchen's dominance in the circle allows them to stay in any game. Score early, score often and rattle Appeman – that's how Colonel Crawford battles for a district title on Saturday.
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Twitter: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Scouting Report: Colonel Crawford softball in tough D-III district
