When Columbus East won its first sectional baseball title in 19 years last season, the Olympians did it without arguably their best all-around player.
Julian Greenwell, who was one of East’s top pitchers and hitters as a junior, missed the end of the regular season and all of the sectional because of a back injury. But he was able to take solace in the team being able to end its postseason drought.
“It’s been kind of an inconvenience for me,” Greenwell said. “I got kind of down, but I just tried to be there for my teammates. I have trust in my teammates that they’re going to pick me up, and if it takes me being a cheerleader for my teammates, then that’s what I’m willing to do.”
Greenwell has returned to become one of the top pitchers and hitters again as a senior this season for the Olympians (13-2), who are ranked No. 3 in Class 4A headed into games today at Jennings County and Friday at home against 4A No. 4 Columbus North.
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On April 2, Greenwell struck out 15 batters in a four-hit shutout of perennial power Cathedral. But he hasn’t pitched since an April 10 loss at Brownsburg because of elbow trouble.
“My elbow has been bothering me a little bit,” Greenwell said. “I’m doing rehab for that. It’s getting better. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I’m definitely hoping to get at least two more appearances for the team for the year.”
But while last year’s back injury kept Greenwell from pitching or hitting, he at least has been able to bat through this year’s injury. He ranks second on the team with a .392 average and 17 runs scored and third with three doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs.
“In the offseason, I definitely put in a little bit more work, working on driving the ball to different parts of the field and just getting as many reps as I can,” Greenwell said. “Then, we’ve done a lot more with situational hitting, doing more for the team for those guys in scoring position, getting the ball on the ground or getting a sac fly or just putting the ball in play. I think the entire team is doing a good job of that. We’ve been putting up quite a few runs in all our games, so that’s good.”
The Olympians are averaging 7.9 runs a game and allowing only 2.1. They have a team ERA of 1.92.
Greenwell is 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA. He has 25 strikeouts and only two walks in 12 innings pitched.
“Obviously, the team did well last year in sectional, and then in regional (in a loss to Castle), we did good. We just got off to a slow start. But it does suck that at least pitching, I’ll have missed at least two of the North-East games. But I believe in my team that we definitely have enough pitching to do well in these games.”
The past couple years, Greenwell has played right field when he wasn’t pitching. But since developing the elbow problems, he has been used as the designated hitter.
“I guess that is the plus side of the injury — I can at least contribute at the plate,” Greenwell said. “But our pitching is pretty good. We have quite a bit of depth, so I’m not too worried about it.”
Greenwell, a three-year starter in football, originally committed to Indiana University for baseball in August of his junior year. But when former Hoosiers coach Chris Lemonis left for Mississippi State after last season, Greenwell switched to Wright State.
At Wright State, Greenwell isn’t sure if he’ll be a hitter or a pitcher, or both.
“They’re looking at me both ways,” Greenwell said. “Once I get there, they’ll see how I do at both, and if I prove myself at both spots, then that’s what they’ll let me do. But if I excel at one or the other, then that’s what they’ll have me do. I’m just trusting that my rehab and everything like that will take care of itself.”
East coach Jon Gratz praised Greenwell, along with fellow seniors Jonah Wichman and Nash Murphy, for the leadership they’ve provided this year’s team.
“All three of our seniors have done a great job with leadership this year,” Gratz said. “I’ve been really proud of how they’ve stepped up in that leadership role and embraced it and leading by example and holding everybody, including themselves, accountable.”
Greenwell is hoping he can help his team make an even deeper tournament run than they one it did last season.
“We got off to a really good start, and I think we’ve really shown what kind of team we can be and what kind of team we can have,” Greenwell said. “I think this kind of start and this kind of streak will definitely help us going into the tournament. The morale of our team is really good. We’re all getting along good. I think we’re playing hard. We understand what it takes to win. I definitely think if there’s a team that can do it, it’s this team. All our guys trust each other, so hopefully, we can make it past regional on to a state championship.”
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Columbus North at Columbus East baseball
When: 5 p.m. Friday
Where: Columbus East High School
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