Frishmuth stars all over the field in Carolina Forest’s big year

It was fitting that Jakob Frishmuth was heavily recruited by and signed with the College of Charleston.

Cougars head coach Matt Heath is somewhat of a rarity in that he had spent time as a hitting and pitching coach before ultimately getting the top job. The two-way coach, then, found a two-way player.

Frishmuth, the Toast of the Coast Baseball Player of the Year, used his well-rounded repertoire as a pitcher and from the outfield to lead Carolina Forest to its best season in school history. The Panthers won 23 games, spent much of the year ranked No. 1 in Class AAAA, won the Region VI and District VIII championships and finished just one victory shy of the state finals.

Much of that happened with the senior in the spotlight – no matter what he was asked to do.

“When you have expectations like that and you’re still able to perform like that, it shows your mettle and your mental toughness,” coach Jack Jolly said. “He had some quality wins. His bat was big for us. Those outfield plays, especially those two against Summerville in the playoffs, were two of the biggest plays I’ve seen out of a high-school kid.”

Jolly was referring to a pair of throws in the Lower State tournament in which Frishmuth gunned down runners at the plate from his spot in right field. They helped Carolina Forest win that game, something he did a variety of ways throughout the season.

When the area’s lone N.C.-S.C. Select series selection was on the mound, he won six games and struck out 61 batters in 59 innings playing a schedule as difficult as any team in the state faced. He hit .333 with seven doubles, a triple, four home runs and 15 RBIs.

There were also those highlights from the outfield.

Putting it all together was natural, but also what he strived to continue doing in high school and beyond.

“I’ve always been a two-way player since Little League,” Frishmuth said. “The pitching has definitely come forth the past few years. Being a two-way, it’s shown me how to work harder, to keep myself in shape. I want it to be done [at College of Charleston]. I’m gonna try to get it done. But if it doesn’t and I’m stuck being a pitcher or outfielder, I’m going to be happy.”

Jolly said he had only one other player during his 19 years at Carolina Forest who provided himself that type of opportunity at the next level. It’s also why Jolly leaned on Frishmuth in so many big games over the course of two seasons that didn’t end until the Panthers reached the Lower State finals.

“His junior year, we had him throw an extreme amount of innings early on. Late in the season, he really stepped it up,” Jolly said. “If he doesn’t do what he did in the playoffs last year, we don’t go near as far. He stepped it up on the mound. He was a difference maker for us. Going into this year, we expected it out of him.”

Frishmuth continued to excel for the most part, even after he suffered a minor knee injury early in the playoffs that required a postseason surgery.

In a matter of weeks, he’ll be in Charleston starting classes and summer workouts. It will be the next step in a baseball career that to this point has been a dynamic combination, regardless of which position was next to his name on the lineup card.

“That’s really important to me,” he said. “Building that leeway and trying to be my best, it’s helped me to be the player I am today.”

This story was originally published June 25, 2016 at 6:47 PM with the headline "Frishmuth stars all over the field in Carolina Forest’s big year."