Vermilion's Jacob Krausher back in town with Ice Haulers

PERKINS TWP. — One of Jacob Krausher's biggest regular-season outings as a high school pitcher came at Sports Force Parks on April 30, 2021, when he threw a one-hit shutout against Perkins to win the SBC Lake Division. The Vermilion graduate will be back on the Sports Force mound this summer as a member of the Sandusky Bay Ice Haulers. Krausher just completed his first season at the University of Akron. He's slated to be joined by a fellow Sailors alum, Mason Montgomery (Bowling Green). "It's hard to tell, but right now, it seems like we're gonna be pretty good this year, hopefully," Krausher said. The former SBC standouts are part of an Ice Haulers second-year roster that includes 17 players who played high school baseball in the state of Ohio. "I think it's good for Sandusky Bay to have a couple local guys around and represent the city," Ice Haulers manager Jared Hagan said. Krausher made 11 pitching appearances as an Akron freshman, totaling 30 innings. He struck out 20 batters and had a 7.80 ERA. "Great team," Krausher said. "Great chemistry throughout the whole season. Got a lot of innings this year, which I'm thankful for." The first scoreless outing of Krausher's college career was a quick inning on Feb. 25 at the University of Georgia. Krausher walked one and struck out one in a 14-pitch frame. Jacob Krausher (@TheSailorNation) recently picked up his first collegiate strikeout pitching for Akron at No. 15 Georgia ⚾️pic.twitter.com/Da8ZRNBHBD — Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) March 1, 2022 Krausher's standout outing of the season came on March 29 against Shawnee State, when he went seven innings and struck out seven. He served in a sort of swingman role for the Zips, sometimes working less than an inning and other times getting three or four frames of work. Krausher's final outing of the season was on May 21 against Purdue-Fort Wayne. He went three innings, allowed two hits and struck out five while not allowing a run. "It was a good time, for sure," Krausher said of his freshman season. "Got to meet a lot of new guys." One of Krausher's coaches at Akron brought him the Ice Haulers opportunity as a chance to play summer baseball close to home at a solid level, the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. Krausher is just a 20-minute drive from home, he said. "Just convenient for myself and my family if they want to come watch," he said. Playing for Sandusky Bay provides Krausher an opportunity to get more innings and build on his freshman season. He's still focused on getting stronger. Krausher has already experienced what added strength can do when he focused on that before his senior year at Vermilion. He then helped lead the Sailors to their best-ever season and a spot in the state final four. "Trying to get my legs bigger," Krausher said. "More mobility in the shoulder, elbow, trying to come back next season at Akron trying to throw harder." The University of Akron has three players with the Ice Haulers this summer. Ty Stolarski (Medina HS) is another pitcher coming off his freshman year, and Andrew Horvath (Aurora HS) just played his freshman season as a catcher. Krausher also knows a number of other players from a well-traveled amateur baseball career, and once Montgomery arrives, that'll be a familiar face from Krausher's younger days on Vermilion's varsity. "I've played baseball with a lot of these dudes, summer teams and travel ball and stuff like that," Krausher said. "So I know a lot of them." The Ice Haulers' 25-year-old field manager, Hagan, also has Krausher and his teammates energized. With the season starting Tuesday at home against the Lima Locos, the Ohio-heavy team is ready to get to work. "The coaches are great," Krausher said. "They're just young guys ready to play some baseball, and I think the dudes here are ready to play and compete."