By Thad Satre
Prep Baseball Report, Indiana

Expectations are always high for the Crawfordsville baseball team, and 2013 will be no different. The Athenians have won two state championships in the past five years with the most recent title coming in 2011. Coach John Froedge returns four starters and four pitchers from a 2012 team that finished 22-10 overall. Crawfordsville captured the Sagamore Conference title with a perfect 14-0 record. 

Leading the way for the Athenians are two four-year starters in seniors Jordan Jackson and Jake Zurawski. Jackson, the starting center fielder, has committed to Wright State. During the 2012 season Jackson hit .320 with seven doubles and 33 RBI’s. Jackson was also a 1^st Team All-State selection as a sophomore during the Athenians state title run in 2011. Starting at shortstop, Zurawski batted .423 and knocked in 25 runs last season. Zurawski has committed to play at Anderson University. 

Other impact players in Coach Froedge’s experienced lineup are three seniors: Chase Justus (RHP), Logan Meadows (C/OF), and Cam Monroe (3B). Monroe is an Indiana Wesleyan commit who batted .337 and drove in 23 runs last year. 

Justus will lead the rotation along with junior right hander Garrett Phelps. Justus was 6-4 while Phelps was a perfect 5-0 in 2012. Senior RHP Chandler Pursell and sophomore Justin Raters, a hard throwing left hander, round out the rotation for the Athenians. 

Other players completing the starting lineup are juniors Nick Page (OF/2B) and Nathan Baer (C). 

Crawfordsville will look to continue their dominance of the Sagamore Conference this year. Fellow Sagamore members Frankfort, Lebanon, and Danville will look to deny Crawfordsville their 19^th conference championship. With a talented and experience roster the Athenians are poised for another deep postseason run in 2013.