The second annual Tom Craze All-Star game will take place Monday, June 13, at Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s Cougar Field.
The game is set to honor Tom Craze, the former Fredericktown coach who passed away suddenly a few days before Christmas in 2019, a short time before he was about to begin his new adventure as varsity baseball coach at Logan High School. Craze, a resident of Mount Vernon, had compiled a 126-55 coaching record in five seasons (2011-2015) at Fredericktown – his alma mater – as well as two seasons (2017-2018) as coach at Granville.
Craze made an impact locally. He was two-time Central District champion in Division III and was named Coach of the Year twice by each the Ohio Baseball Coaches Association, the Central District Baseball Coaches Association and by the Mount Vernon News.
The Tom Craze All-Star game was created in 2021 by Utica baseball coach Mike Sandman, who was looking for a way to give back after the outpouring of support he received after he was diagnosed with cancer the previous winter. He reached out to Mount Vernon baseball coach Nate Hunt, and the two coaches built an event that raised money for charity, memorialized Craze and provided a stage for local high school student-athletes.
Sandman said he was just trying to find a way to give back "because of how good people were to me with everything I went through,” Sandman said. “I just wanted to something more to give back."
The proceeds of the event last year went to Warrior Bags, an organization that gives care packages to cancer patients. One of the founders, Mandy Craze, was Craze’s wife. Warrior Bags is a nonprofit organization with a goal to remind people they are not alone during their fight with cancer.
In this year’s format, Knox County high school baseball all-stars will line up against their counterparts from Licking Valley.
The Knox County team will have 13 players representing six schools in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference and one team from the Ohio Cardinal Conference.
From the KMAC, Centerburg will send Grayson Reynolds (shortstop), Jarred Rings (infielder), Griffin Collins (pitcher) and Caylan LeMaster (outfielder). Danville will send Walker Weckesser (utility player). Representing East Knox is Bryar Householder (pitcher). Fredericktown’s all-stars are Brady Lester (outfielder) and Kaid Carpenter (utility). Highland’s invited all-stars are Rider Minnick (infielder), Blake Jodrey (pitcher-infielder) and Zach Pinkerton (utility).
From the OCC, Mount Vernon will send Konner Daughriety (third baseman), Caden Rowland (pitcher-outfielder) and Logan Trace (catcher).
For Licking County, Utica will be represented by Roman Gamble (pitcher-outfielder), and all-stars taking the field will also represent Granville, Heath, Johnstown, Lakewood, Licking Heights, Licking Valley, Northridge, Newark Catholic and Watkins Memorial.
In last year’s inaugural event, Centerburg, Danville, East Knox, Fredericktown, Highland, Mount Vernon and Utica participated, and the teams were divided into blue and gold teams.
The blue team roster included Centerburg’s Joe Tepper; Danville’s Preston Brady, Wyatt Weckesser and Walker Weckesser; East Knox’s Weston Melick; Highland’s Kadin Johnson; Fredericktown’s Ty Hatfield and Caleb Sheriff; Mount Vernon’s Blake Meyer, Owynn Gleason, Caden Rowland and Jonny Askew; and Utica’s Josh Dillon.
The red team was staffed by Centerburg’s Brock Hurtt; Danville’s Bryce Colopy and Darren Mickley; East Knox’s Peyton Lester; Highland’s Wyatt Groves and Randy Cain; Mount Vernon’s Marcus Bradley, Logan Trace and Konner Daughriety; and Utica’s Brock Pfister, Hunter Billman, Collin McCullough and Nolan Bennett.
For information, contact Mike Sandman at msandman@northfork,k12.oh.us.
