LSUS Baseball Copes With Loss of Future Teammate
December 16, 2011
The LSU Shreveport athletics program would like to express their deepest sympathies to the families and friends of Tanner Craswell and Mitch MacLean of Charlottetown and Cornwall, PEI. Tanner and Mitch were tragically taken on Highway 2 near Claresholm, Alberta early Thursday morning. Tanner just turned 22 years old, while Mitch was 20. Both were former teammates of LSUS' Greg Friesen, Jared Mortensen and a friend of Kym Barthel.Mitch, was part of the PBA during 2010-2011 seasons. He represented PEI at the Baseball Canada Cup in 2006, where he was teammates with Tanner, and in 2007. Mitch also played in the 2009 Canada Summer Games. He had committed to join the LSUS baseball program, although paperwork was not compete for him to become a member and play this spring Mitch was set to join the Pilots for fall practices and attend LSUS.
Tanner, a short stop for the PBA in 2011, also represented PEI at the Baseball Canada Cup (2004, 2005, 2006).
LSUS head baseball coach Rocke Musgraves on the loss of the two players, "We are very saddened about the loss of Mitch and Tanner. Their friends and family are in our prayers. Mitch had committed to LSUS and we were looking forward to having him in the program. He was a young man of great character and work ethic. Our prayers also go out to Coach Hubka, Kevin Kavame, and the entire Prairie Baseball Academy."
Coach Musgraves was not the only one in the LSUS baseball program with ties to the two players whose lives were tragically taken, LSUS Graduate Assistant Coach Brandon Magierowski coached both of these young men last season at the Prairie Baseball Academy where he held the same title. "Aside from his skills on the baseball field, Mitch was an outstanding young man and a friend to many. My heart goes out to the Maclean family, and former teammates and friends. This is a tragic event that will leave a huge hole in a lot of people's hearts and lives."
To read more on the tragedy in the Calgary Herald click here.
