Kritscher Runs Circles Around Doubters

A year ago, some observers said Thousand Oaks High’s Ryan Kritscher could not run. Steal a base? No way. They would have run a credit check before letting him purchase one.

But after he broke the school single-season record last week with his 19th stolen base in 11 games, those opinions are worth a wooden nickel.

Kritscher, a senior second baseman, stole 13 bases in 13 attempts as Thousand Oaks won all five of its games in the seventh Visalia Invitational last week. Kritscher stole five bases against Redwood, including third base twice.

Some people are in San Quentin for that many thefts.

“They told him he couldn’t steal and he wants to prove them wrong,” said Al Kritscher, Ryan’s father.

Kritscher long ago erased any doubts about his hitting ability. He entered the tournament having begun the season one for 13. But don’t dare mention the word slump to Kritscher; it’s as lethal as the word slow.

He began last season with two hits in 15 at-bats, yet finished with a 17-for-27 tear that left him with a .452 average and first-team All-Marmonte League honors.

“We weren’t panicking,” Thousand Oaks assistant coach Garth Marcus said of this year’s slow start. “He has too nice of a swing, and he was hitting the ball hard.”

Coach Jim Hansen even elevated Kritscher and his .077 batting average from No. 2 in the lineup to leadoff before the tournament. Kritscher, who says he feels most comfortable batting leadoff, proved worthy with eight hits in 11 at-bats, driving in six runs and scoring nine.

Coincidence, perhaps, but he began his hot streak during the spring break--as he did last season. Like the Easter Bunny, Kritscher is sure to come around this time of year.

“I was hitting the ball, but they just weren’t falling,” Kritscher said. “In fact, the first ball I hit in the tournament was the hardest one I’ve hit all year, a deep drive to dead center that was caught.”

But Kritscher’s determination--he spent extra time hitting in his former Senior League coach’s batting cage before the tournament--paid dividends.

He raised his average to .375--second highest on the team--and will remain in the leadoff slot, according to Marcus.

Despite the surge, Kritscher (5-foot-8, 170 pounds) is less than satisfied. He was back in the cage the day after the tournament, tinkering with his swing like a mechanic with a motor.

This serious approach to hitting has made Kritscher a difficult out, the type of batter who always seems to find a way to get on base.

As a youth, Kritscher was considered undisciplined.

“They all said he was a free swinger who couldn’t take a pitch,” Al Kritscher said. “First they said he couldn’t hit, then they said he couldn’t steal.

“But Ryan’s the type of kid who is dead set to prove them wrong.”

Kritscher has become the most patient of hitters, refusing to swing at a pitch outside his compact strike zone. He struck out only twice last season and has yet to strike out this season. Kritscher also leads the team with 13 walks and 15 runs.

His on-base percentage is .605 and he has stolen 19 bases in 20 attempts. The former school record of 18 stolen bases was set by Rick Baierski in 1970.

“I don’t have blazing speed, but I work on getting good jumps by knowing what the pitcher is going to throw,” Kritscher said.

Marcus has noticed an improved baserunning approach from Kritscher.

“He worked on it a lot during the off-season,” Marcus said. “He’s getting real good leads and even better jumps.”

Kritscher also has overcome a hip injury that forced him to discontinue playing football two years ago. At the time, one doctor indicated that Kritscher might have to end his athletic career because of Legg-Calve-Perthes, a disorder in which blood does not reach the hip.

But the doctor falls into the same category as Kritscher’s other doubters: He was wrong.

“My hip is fine. It is no factor in playing baseball,” Kritscher said.

All the diagnosis did, it appears, was to provide Kritscher with his primary form of motivation.

“Ryan is the type that whatever somebody says he can’t do, that’s what he’ll try to do,” Al Kritscher said. “It’s just his nature.” And it has proven to be one that has him off and running.