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Although it is the 24th season for Lima Locos baseball, it is just the third campaign played at Lima's Simmons Field. After many years at Lima Shawnee High School, the Locos made the move to play at the park occupied by Lima Senior High School and Lima Legion baseball teams for many years. Those teams have now moved to the new Joe Bowers Field, which was built right beside the new Lima Senior High School. Thus, the Locos now call Simmons Field home and have had two successful seasons at the park, including a 29-10 overall mark in 2009. On June 14, the Locos will open regular season play for their third season at Simmons Field, hosting the Delaware Cows.
Looking back on 2009, the Locos provided one of their best seasons in history for their fans, despite not capturing the GLSCL Championship. The Locos compiled a 28-8 regular season mark, along with a number one (1) seed in the revised 2009 GLSCL Playoffs (due to weather). However, after defeating the Xenia Scouts in their first contest, the Locos would lose their next two games in the tournament and not qualify for the championship game, which was won by the Cincinnati Steam 4-2 over the Southern Ohio Copperheads.
Many players from the 2009 squad had successful summers. Infielder Tristan Moore (Wright State University) (.375) and catcher Danny Jones (Marietta College) (.355) were among the league leaders in hitting - tied for third and seventh, respectively, based on batting average. Pitchers Tyler Newhart (Wright State University) (3-0, 1.09 ERA) and A.J. Meyer (Ashland University) (6-0, 1.96 ERA) were second and seventh in the league, respectively, on the hill last season. Meyer is one of only two returnees for the Locos in 2010. More on the roster is coming in part two of this series.
The 2009 season marked the completion of long-time head coach, Rob Livchak's, tenure with the orange and blue. Coach Livchak coached the Locos from 1991 through 1994, from the second half of 1995 through 1996 and from 2000 through 2009. Stepping into the skipper's role in 2010 is Lima, Ohio native, Gene Stechschulte. Coach Stechschulte graduated from Kalida High School in Kalida, Ohio, before an All-American career at Ashland University. In 1996, Coach Stechschulte was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent. His debut in Major League Baseball (MLB) was April 20, 2000. He had a three year career in the big leagues, concluding with his last game on June 30, 2002. His 2002 season was the best of his major league career, as he was 6-2 with a 4.78 ERA in 29 games. However, he was 6 for 8 in save opportunities during the 2001 season with the Wild Card Champion Cards and pitched in two of the 2001 National League Divisional Series games against the Arizona Diamondbacks (Arizona won the series, 3-2). Coach Stechschulte solo homered as a pinch hitter on the first pitch and at-bat he ever experienced in the major leagues, ironically against Arizona as well, in a game on April 17, 2001. He did not pitch in that game.
Coach Stechschulte has an impressive resume as a coach, as well. His experience includes his current stint as the skipper of Ottawa Legion Post 63 (The Fighting 63rd) baseball. His career record as manager is 71-37 (.657) in 3 seasons. Joining Coach Stechschulte in the Locos' dugout this season as assistant coaches are Daniel Furuto and Tristan McIntyre. Their bios will be on the Web site soon, but more information on them will be provided in the next part of this series, where disection of the roster will occur, as well.
(The author collected some of the information provided within this article from various, outside, online sources - contact him for details. Thank you.)
Edited by Lima Locos, 15 June 2010 - 04:46 PM.
