MCC pitching duo to continue at Arkansas Tech
Two McCook Community College baseball pitchers will continue being teammates at a four-year school. Sophomores Ethan Fritz and Jordan Muschlaek have signed on at Arkansas Tech, an NCAA Division II school in Russellville, Ark. The team's nickname is the Wonder Boys.
"Both Ethan and Jordan have played a huge role for us on the mound over the past two years," said MCC Coach Jon Olsen. "Ethan was a constant in our rotation and Jordan handled the back end of our bullpen -- we relied on both heavily."
Fritz, a right-handed pitcher from Bellevue, went 6-6 with a team-best 4.34 ERA. He started 13 games and completed four this season. In 76.2 innings pitched he struck out 84 hitters. He led MCC in wins and tied for fourth in the region, and he also had the third lowest ERA in Region IX and the third most strikeouts.
He was named to the 2022 All-Region IX Second team.
In his two seasons at MCC, Fritz went 10-8 with 22 starts and eight complete games and a 5.16 ERA. In 118.2 innings pitched he struck out 111 hitters, an average of 8.42 strikeouts per nine innings.
"The improvement we saw out of Ethan from the time he set foot on campus to when he left was pretty special," said Olsen. "He had a goal and worked very hard to achieve it."
The MCC coach said he is happy that both players found spots that fit them.
"I am excited that both will be going together, they are great friends, and enjoy a lot of the same interests that will be good for them moving forward and going to school at Arkansas Tech," Olsen said.
Muschalek -- from Odessa, Texas -- led the team in appearances the past two seasons. This year he appeared in 20 games, pitched 35 innings and struck out 49 hitters, a 12.60 strikeout rate per nine innings.
"Jordan is one of the hardest workers you will see and has always been ready to take the ball," Olsen said.
For his career he appeared in 45 games with a 3-7 record and four saves. In 72.1 innings he struck out 80 hitters.
"I am very proud of both these guys, seeing guys move on to spots that are a great fit for them is always one of the best parts of the job," Olsen said.