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Division III Team Of The Week: Coldwater

COLDWATER - After losing all three games in the month of March, Coldwater has been perfect in April. Winners of 15 straight, the Cavaliers are the Ohio Prep Baseball Report Division III Team of the Week.

“It took awhile to get our basketball guys in baseball shape,” noted veteran coach Brian Harlamert. “We had a great run in basketball and nine of our top 14 played basketball. Once they got into baseball mode and baseball arm shape, we’ve been good. But the first three games we played some good teams. Fort Loramie (#1 D-IV) is still unbeaten and Ben Logan and (Lima) Shawnee are pretty good.”

Since the start Coldwater has been better than good, including wins over St. Marys, Eaton, New Knoxville and Elida (#23 D-II) last week.

“We had a good run last year and a good summer with ACME,” Harlamert said of expecting to be strong this season. “We just had to fit the mold.”

With more than 80 stolen bases in 18 games played, the Cavaliers certainly have their fair share of athletes.

“We’re very athletic,” Harlamert explained. “All of our guys run well. Our lineup 1-to-9 is solid with two-and-three-sport athletes.”

Last year’s Division III state runners-up are loaded with experience starting with the one-two pitching punch of Cole Frilling and Jake Wenning (Video). Frilling, who pitched in the state final last year - a 3-2 loss to South Range - is 4-1 while Wenning stands 5-1. Each has an ERA just below 1.00.

“Both are throwing the ball well,” Harlamert said. “They’re also good senior leaders that have played for three years.”

Wenning, the three-hole hitter last season as well as in 2019, is batting .465 with 21 RBIs, 19 runs scored and six doubles. Maybe more impressive is that the 6-4 180-pounder, who plays second base and short in addition to pitching, has not struck out.

Frilling plays both infield and outfield when not on the mound, depending on who is pitching for Coldwater.

The third key senior is catcher Austin Riethman, a first baseman last year. The 6-0 160-pounder is hitting .405 with 18 runs scored and 18 stolen bases.

“He’s one of our senior leaders,” Harlamert said of the leadoff hitter for the Cavs. “He’s done a great job behind the plate.”

Junior Jake Hemmelgarn is the number three pitcher in addition to seeing time at second and short while batting better than .300. Fellow junior Noah Miller is batting more than .400 and starts at first base.

A pair of sophomores are also producing in Zack McKibben and Myles Blasingame. With expected starting center fielder Mitch Niekamp out with an injury, McKibben has filled in for the Findlay football recruit and has 15 stolen bases hitting ninth. Blassingame is the third baseman for the Cavs, which are currently ranked fifth in the state.

“We need to be consistent, we didn’t play well on Saturday or last night (Monday),” noted Harlamert, whose team plays Marion Local today, New Breman Thursday and Division IV second-ranked Lincolnview on Friday. “The key is pitching and defense. If our pitching stays solid and defensively we do a good job, we’ll be okay. But down the road to win it, we’ve got to pick up the offense. It has to be a little better.

“Hopefully, when the weather gets better we can get more consistency in practice and when we play games and then our offense picks up.”