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By the time he left Reynoldsburg High School, Eric Fryer had built a baseball reputation that was nothing short of all-star with the stats to prove it.

During his career, the catcher hit .472 with 51 stolen bases and 162 hits. His play helped the Raiders win two OCC championships, two district championships and one regional title -- 9-2 over Cincinnati Sycamore in 2004.

As a senior last year, he was an all-state selection and Player of the Year in the Central District. He batted .544 with a .697 on-base percentage and 26 stolen bases and led his team to a 22-9 record.

Those days, however, are mere memories for the Ohio State player, who just completed his freshman season with the Buckeyes and learned he wasn't the only all-star on the team.

"It was definitely different with the pitching not only being tougher to hit, but tougher to catch," Fryer said. "As the season progressed, I think I found my groove and I could hit and catch like I normally do. It just took me a little bit to find my role on the team and go with that."

His role has become well-defined for the Columbus All-Americans in the Great Lakes collegiate wooden bat league this summer.

Through nine games, he was hitting a team-best .406 with a double, triple and home run and had reached base in nearly half of his plate appearances.

Columbus -- with a three-game sweep of rival Delaware (9-8 in 11 innings last Friday and 1-0 and 10-3 last Sunday) -- had won six in a row and was 7-4 before playing Southern Ohio last Monday.

Three of the six wins were in extra innings and Fryer played a role in all of them.

"He's got to be in our lineup every game because he is our most-consistent guy who's hitting the ball hard," coach Brian Mannino said. "He's really been our leader. Even on the field, he's not afraid to jump up and tell somebody to step it up a notch."

Getting a feel for the wooden bat takes some time after swinging aluminum in the spring. It can be even more troubling for a first-time player in the league, but coaches have taken note of Fryer's swing. His strength and bat speed allow for the perfect combination.

"It's a little heavier, so it stays in the zone a little longer," Fryer said. "With an aluminum bat, our hitting coach says sometimes it goes through a little too quick and acts more like a whip."

Fryer, who secured his starting spot behind the plate midway through the season for Ohio State, was no slouch with an aluminum bat. He batted .323 with six doubles, a triple, two home runs and 24 RBI and emerged as one of the Buckeyes' top hitters.

A highlight had to be his game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Virginia 2-1 in the NCAA regional at Corvallis, Ore.

Ohio State won a berth in the postseason after a surprising run in the Big Ten tournament.

The Buckeyes' season came to a close June 5 with a 7-1 loss to St. John's. They opened play in the regionals with a 4-3 loss to No. 2 seeded Oregon State.

As a freshman, Fryer put plenty of focus on his defense and controlling the game and his pitching staff. That alone can be enough for a young catcher entering Division I college baseball.

This summer mostly has been about offense and improving his power. He's getting in the lineup as a designated hitter and outfielder when not behind the plate.

"We were kidding him yesterday that he struck out," Mannino said. "It was probably the first time he hasn't hit the ball hard. He's probably had 10 outs that were line drives right to somebody."