Crabtree Resigns as SE Baseball Coach

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern baseball coach Zach Crabtree has resigned his position with the Savage Storm in order to pursue other opportunities.
 
"I appreciate Coach Crabtree and his family," said Director of Athletics Keith Baxter, "And their contributions to SE and SE Baseball.  He has made a positive impact on the program and we wish him the very best."
 
"Today is definitely bitter-sweet," said Crabtree. "When I accepted this job seven years ago, I honestly believed this would be my last coaching job. But in life, season's change, and as my children have gotten older I started to realize how many activities and time I was missing out on with them. I have been presented an opportunity to go back at coach at my alma mater. Which will allow me to coach and watch all of my son's games as well as free up time for me to spend more time with my daughters as they enter college."
 
"I would like to thank Coach Keith Baxter, for the opportunity that he gave me and the trust he instilled in me to lead such a tradition rich program seven years ago. I want to thank the entire athletic department for all that they do on a daily basis for all our student-athletes. From all the athletic administration to the head coaches, assistant coaches, athletic trainers, sports media department to the maintenance department and custodians, Southeastern is blessed to have such wonderful people that make this place so special."
 
"I would like to personally thank Alan Trayler," he continued, "For is loyalty, dedication and hard work the past seven years. He and his wife Theresa have been all in, with not only Savage Storm baseball, but everything Southeastern. I would also like to thank my other assistant coaches over the past seven years, Pete Romero, Brandan McMillian, Scott Stanley, JJ Navarro, Travis Spruiell, Keach Ballard, Keach Ballard II, Andrew Jenkins, and Brian Solemsaas for all they gave to Savage Storm Baseball. But most importantly I want to thank each and every player that came through our program the past seven years. Every single one them are special individuals and will always have a special place in my heart. Valerie, Gracie, Ava, Brewer, and myself will forever cherish our time as a part of the Savage Storm family. We wish nothing but the best for Southeastern baseball, we look forward to supporting the new head coach and are confident the brightest days are in the near future. Go Storm!"
 
Crabtree became the third head coach in the modern era of SE baseball in July of 2017 following the retirement of Mike Metheny.
 
Over seven seasons at the helm, the Savage Storm have collected 150 wins overall and 94 in Great American Conference plays, and despite missing the postseason in 2024, the team had made back-to-back GAC Tournament appearances in 2022 and 2023.
 
Crabtree's best season at SE came in 2022 when the team posted a 32-20 record overall and a 20-13 mark in league play, earning the fourth-seed in the GAC tournament that season.
 
He has coached 13 All-Great American Conference selections, three of them earning first team honors, including 2021 Freshman of the Year award winner Seth Morrow.
 
Prior to Southeastern Crabtree served as head baseball coach and athletic director at Murray State College for seven years where his teams amassed a 281-134 record for a .677 winning percentage.
 
He guided his 2013 squad to a National Championship and led his teams to a pair of conference championships in 2012 and 2014 as well as another NJCAA World Series appearance in 2017.
 
The search for Southeastern's next head baseball coach will commence immediately.