Frankenfield Striving to Hit .400 at Messiah College

Drew Frankenfield always strives to do better, but the baseball coaches at Messiah College aren’t complaining about his progress.

The former Wissahickon High School standout has become one of the key contributors at Messiah.  Frankenfield has emerged as a starter in the outfield and his batting average is among the best on the team.  However, Frankenfield believes he has more work to do.

“I’m glad I’m doing well as a sophomore,” said Frankenfield.  “But there is always room for improvement.  There are definitely guys out there hitting close to .400.  I would really like to see myself by the time I’m a senior hitting the ball like that.”

While Frankenfield isn’t batting .400, he is creeping closer every day.  His average is up to .313, the second-best average on the Falcons.  Frankenfield has started in 20 of the 23 games he has played in this season.  He received a head start last spring when he played in 17 games as a freshman.

“I liked being able to come in and play right away,” Frankenfield said.  “That was the coach showing the confidence in me.  I have an older brother playing college baseball, so I kind of knew what to expect.  Going from high school to college is a big jump.  Getting the opportunity to play right away was nice.”

In addition to playing in the outfield, Frankenfield also pitches for the Falcons.  However, Frankenfield has made only four relief appearances this season after being pressed into action in the outfield.

“It looked like I would be doing a lot more pitching,” said Frankenfield.  “But we had a few injuries and were low in depth in the outfield.  Unfortunately, our leftfielder got injured, and I’ve been playing the outfield ever since.”

Frankenfield was a three-year letter winner at Wissahickon.  He was first team outfielder during his senior season and also played basketball for four years.  Frankenfield credits Wissahickon Baseball Coach Shannon Gunby for helping his development both on and off the field.

“Coach Gunby was great for me,” Frankenfield said.  “He taught a lot more than just baseball.  He taught a lot about character and that’s something my parents always talked to me about growing up.  It’s more than just a game.  It wasn’t just about winning baseball games.  It was about being a good person.”

Frankenfield’s success on the baseball diamond didn’t begin in high school.  His love for the game began at a much younger age.

“My mom still has a picture of me in diapers hitting the ball,” said Frankenfield.  “It’s always been part of my life.  I just wanted to be out there playing.  Middle school was when I definitely realized I had the ability to play in college.”

The adjustment from hitting pitches in high school and college can be difficult for some players.  It didn’t turn out to be difficult for Frankenfield.

“I don’t think it was too much of a culture shock,” Frankenfield said.  “I played against top guys all summer.  It’s more consistent in college, but ever since I was little, I was always able to hit a fastball.  The biggest different is the third pitch.  Mixing in the change up is the most difficult part.”

The Falcons are 21-17 and have made a remarkable turnaround after losing nine of their first 11 games.  With many of its players set to return next season, Frankenfield believes his future is bright at Messiah.

“I’m really excited,” Frankenfield said.  “Next year, we’ll basically have our entire lineup back.  Personally, I can always look to get stronger and better.  Things can only go up, so I’m really excited.”