In The News: 2014-15 NHS Grad - Schrieber finding success at the next level

Written by: Seth Gordon, Newberg Graphic 

After developing into a solid contributor as a freshman at Dordt College, NHS grad excels in collegiate league this summer

Pitching and catching for Dordt College in the spring, Newberg High School graduate Chris Schrieber realized a longtime dream, but he’s far from satisfied.

His play earned him a spot on the North Myrtle Beach Marauders of the Carolina Shores Collegiate League this summer and the progress he made has him in position to take a big step forward next year as a sophomore.

Taylor Morris had a front row seat to watch Schrieber grow, as he is not only an assistant at Dordt, located in Sioux Center, Iowa, but managed the Marauders to a second-place finish and a championship run in the playoffs.

“He’s one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever seen and coached and that speaks to the way he was raised, so to speak, how he could come in and contribute as a freshman at the college level,” Morris said. “Baseball is one of those sports where it’s hard to come in right away as a freshman because you’re not as mature as those guys you’re going against, the juniors and seniors. He has a high ceiling with his talent and with his work ethic he has a bright future ahead of him here at Dordt.”

Schrieber played in 25 of the Defenders’ 44 games as a freshman, starting 15 games at catcher and three on the mound. He posted a modest .244 batting average and was deployed mostly as a reliever, going 1-1 in eight appearances overall with an ERA of 5.66.

Schrieber said the level of play was a step above what he experienced at NAIA Division 2 with Dordt, as his team featured several Division I players from schools like Pittsburgh, Dartmouth and Wake Forest.

His biggest goal in summer ball was to improve his batting, which he certainly did, especially toward the end of the wooden-bat season. He saved his biggest performances for last, coming up clutch in the first-game of the championship doubleheader. Schrieber not only opened the scoring with a solo home run, but added a two-run double to pad the Marauders’ lead, which they held and turned into a win.

“It gave the guys a whole bunch of confidence against a very good junior college pitcher who was throwing in the upper 80s and touched 90 once and a while,” Morris said. “Chris hit a home run off him and after that our at-bats against him were really good. Then he hit a two-run double and that sort of put the nail in the coffin and I think that carried over to the second championship game as well.”

After catching the first game, Schrieber was the team’s designated hitter in the nightcap and went 2-for-3 to complete the team’s sweep through the playoffs.

“He did a good job of that down there as far as situational hitting, moving runners up and that kind of stuff,” Morris said. “His situational hitting was very good and that’s one thing I preach a lot to the guys here at Dordt. You have to do what the team needs you to do.”

Schrieber also made strides as a pitcher, winning three games as a starter, and threw in the opening game of the playoffs.

Morris was specifically looking to get Schrieber more experience as a starter and said he is pleased with how he responded.

“This upcoming season at Dordt I think he could be a big part of our rotation,” Morris said. “For him to go down there and have the success he did, it gives him a lot more confidence, as well, as we prepare for fall workouts and then into the spring season. He knows he can pitch well against teams that have really solid players.”

Since the summer league ended in mid-July, Schrieber has been helping Newberg head coach Jeff Holly as a volunteer at summer batting practice and will serve as a counselor at an upcoming youth camp in Wilsonville next week.

“He’s been a huge help in moving me on the college level and getting me ready for college ball,” Schrieber said of Holly. “He’s really pushed me and gotten me to the point where I am. He’s still helping me progress.”

Schrieber said he especially enjoyed the opportunity to focus solely on baseball without all the responsibilities of being a student. He’s hoping to replicate the level of relaxation he was able to play with in South Carolina next spring at Dordt and believes having a year under his belt will help him do that.

“He put in the work down there,” Morris said. “He’s one of those guys you can trust in a situation, whether as a pitcher or a hitter, and that’s always good to have in a player.”