Senior Spotlight: Fryling’s bulldog work ethic set example for Absegami baseball

By BILL LECONEY
Correspondent
Absegami baseball coach Brian Wastell calls Zach Fryling the team’s “bulldog.” Fryling says he doesn’t bark loudly, but he’s been known to chew out a teammate or two.
“I can call myself a leader,” Fryling said after a recent game. “I’m not the most outspoken guy. I don’t really raise my voice a lot, but when people mess up, I let them know.”
Fryling had some things to talk about after a 7-3 loss to Ocean City on May 9. The Braves rallied from a three-run deficit to tie the game, getting a big two-run double from Billy Wheatley, only to give the game back to the Red Raiders with an error-strewn seventh inning.
“We’ve been in a little slump, making errors in the field,” Fryling said. “The energy in the dugout is not there right now.”
Two days later, Fryling took matters into his own hands on Senior Day, when the Braves honored shortstop/pitcher Fryling along with left-handed pitcher Ryan Hillesheim and third baseman/team captain Jason Ferriero.

Fryling, who hadn’t pitched since Opening Day because of a minor arm problem, took the mound and led the Braves to a big 5-0 victory over intra-district rival Cedar Creek. Fryling pitched four innings, striking out five, and had two hits and scored two runs as the Braves improved to 12-6, clinching a home South Jersey Group 3 home playoff game. The victory came three days before his 18th birthday.
“That’s Zach,” Wastell said. “He is the old school, throwback player, one of the physically and mentally toughest players I’ve ever dealt with. He’s not a verbal guy by any stretch of the imagination. He’s quiet, but he has a ‘follow me’ mentality because of his work ethic. When he’s out on the field, you have no choice but to follow how hard he works. He’s been doing that from his sophomore year on. You never see him get too high or low. He’s a kid that would find a way to play for anybody in South Jersey.”
Fryling’s talent and determination were evident at an early age. He followed in the baseball footsteps of father Ed Fryling, a former Galloway Township police officer, and older brother Ed Jr., who starred at Buena Regional High School.
In 2014, Zach pitched and ran his team, Atlantic West, to a win over rival Atlantic Shore in the opener of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old Middle Atlantic Regional tournament at Sandcastle Stadium in Atlantic City. Fryling not only pitched a complete game for the win, but laid down a perfect bunt to open the seventh, stole both second and third, and scored the winning run on a single by future Absegami teammate Sam Daggers.
In its first year of existence, Atlantic West came up one win shy of the Babe Ruth World Series. “I liked that team. It was fun,” said Fryling, who also played on the Sand Sharks travel team with current Ocean City stars Dan Nunan and Brandon Lashley.
Fryling can hardly believe his senior year at Absegami is coming to an end. “I was telling people on my team, right when baseball starts, the year is going to fly by, and it’s just been flying. I’m about to graduate, it’s crazy. We’ve had a pretty good season. We got a lot better hitting this year than last year. Kids are more confident. They’re not looking at pitches, they’re swinging.”
Fryling said the highlight of his Absegami career was Senior Day last year, when the Braves beat Mainland Regional on a walk-off hit by Dylan Scaranda, who is now starring at Cumberland County College along with former Brave Nick Hillesheim.
“Overall, Absegami has been a lot of fun,” Fryling said. “Baseball has obviously been a big part of it, with great coaches that motivate me. After school I’m happy to come and play a game. I get hyped for our games.”
In the fall, Fryling plans to attend Rowan College at Burlington County, a two-year community college in Mount Laurel. Also planning to play baseball at Rowan-Burlington are Mainland’s Nick Atohi and Oakcrest’s Jalen Heard.
“Heard was on the team with me at Atlantic West,” Fryling said. “I’ve been playing with these guys all my life.”
Rowan-Burlington has a new coach this year, Mike Scanzano, who played at Cherokee High School and owns a baseball academy in Cherry Hill. “He’s brought in a lot of good players, so I’m excited about it,” Fryling said.
“Zach’s an all-conference caliber shortstop,” Wastell said. “He’s going to continue to play in college, and he’ll find a way to start for them. He just doesn’t let things get in his way. He deserves the recognition that he’s getting here, because he’s the guy that every team would want, and every team that’s good has to have a guy like Zach. We’re very proud of how he’s gotten better every year and how he’s carried himself.”
Fryling said his favorite off-the-field activity is hanging out at the beach with friends. He plans to spend a lot of days at the beach this summer — but maybe not as many as usual.
“I’m going to get a job for the first time this summer,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know where yet, but my parents are forcing me to get a job.”
Wherever he ends up working, that employer will soon find out they’re getting a determined, hard-working young man with a “bulldog” approach to getting things done right.