Prep Baseball Report

Division III Team Of The Week: Week 6 - Zane Trace


Bruce Hefflinger and Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Ohio Senior Writer and Editor in Chief/NW Scout

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Division III Team Of The Week: Week 6 - Zane Trace

CHILLICOTHE - The 2022 baseball season has been a pleasant surprise for Zane Trace and head coach Ron Allen. A 19-2 record and at least a share of the league title has Allen’s crew being honored as the Prep Baseball Report Division III Team of the Week.

“We were an 11-17 team last year after covid,” Allen reflected. “We only returned one player with varsity experience a year ago, but this year we have basically the same team with a few additions.”

The results have been outstanding for the fourth-rated team in Ohio in Division III.

“The key to our success so far is not striking out and throwing strikes,” pointed out Allen, whose team defeated Piketon 8-1 on Monday to earn a piece of the Scioto Valley Conference.

Ben Nichols has been the team leader with a 6-1 record to go along with a 1.71 ERA on the mound while averaging .514 with 35 runs scored, 30 RBIs and 11 doubles.

The senior committed to Otterbein, who plays shortstop in addition to pitcher, is supported on the mound by Trey Edler who has a 5-1 mark with a 2.92 ERA.

Edler also carries a .441 batting average with 26 RBIs for a squad that has a team batting average of .360.

Austen Ison is the second-leading hitter on the team with a .462 average, driving in 32 runs on the season.

The lone defeats have come in the season opener to Washington Court House, currently the 22nd-rated team in Ohio in Division II, and Unioto, the 17th-ranked D-II team in the state. Zane Trace avenged the 5-4 defeat to Unioto back on April 14 with a 9-3 victory two weeks later.

A tough week looms after the big win Monday, with state-ranked Wheelersburg and Jackson ahead with the week capped off with a trip to Waverly on Saturday.

“I knew we would be better, but I didn’t think we’d have the record we have now,” admitted Allen. “The kids have really stepped it up.”

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