Pasquale ready for first Penguin baseball season

The new head coach told the Curbstone Coaches about his team Monday.

By GREG GULAS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

BOARDMAN — Content in his role as the top assistant for Slippery Rock University’s baseball team last season, newly-hired YSU head baseball coach Rich Pasquale thought for sure that he would stick with the Rockets for quite some time while coaching with his good friend, Jeff Messer.

That is until another good friend, former YSU baseball coach Mike Florak, made a phone call to him this past fall to inform him that he would soon be stepping down as head coach while gauging his interest in the Penguins’ open coaching position.

“I was very good friends with Jeff [Messer] so to be able to work with him at The Rock last season was very special,” Pasquale said. “I honestly felt that I would be there for quite some time as our facilities are first class, the offices were beautiful and located right in the stadium and we had a hard-working group of players.

“When I heard from Mike [Florak] about the opening, however, it was an opportunity that I simply could not pass up,” Pasquale said. “I anxiously look forward to the challenge that awaits me for one very special reason; I inherited quite a bit to work with from last year’s team.”

The Penguins were 19-37 last season and 9-21 in Horizon League play, never really getting untracked after their spring trip while suffering a variety of injuries that kept more than a few players on the shelf.

Pasquale, a native of Beaver Falls, Pa., and a 1991 graduate of Francis Marion University, is not deterred by last year’s record.

“I embrace the rich tradition of all YSU sports, but most especially the baseball program,” Pasquale said. “You see the passion on everyone’s face that is connected with the program and it is like my passion for the game. It’s just a perfect fit in my estimation.

The first-year head coach will inherit what he calls an excellent mixture of talent; a group led by nine seniors and a bevy of underclassmen who in his assessment can play the game.

“We’ll work hard whether we are studying, lifting, practicing or just working out. We’ll pay attention to detail for the little things help you win games. Our prize in the end is the Horizon League championship but our prize on Feb. 22 when we open our season is Georgia Tech,” Pasquale said.

Three Penguins expected to have breakout seasons are senior pitcher Lucas Engle, senior catcher/first baseman Erich Diedrich and junior outfielder John Koehnlein.

“Lucas [Engle] has great command of his fastball and is scheduled to be the starting pitcher in our season opener at Georgia Tech later this month,” Pasquale said.

“Erich [Diedrich] has an excellent work ethic and is a player who really swings the bat. John [Koehnlein] played third base last year but we will move him to the outfield this season in order to utilize his speed. He was fourth in the nation a season ago with a .434 batting average and has an excellent shot at getting drafted,” Pasquale said.

Pasquale’s team rules are very simple yet very demanding.

“Don’t be late, respect this game, play it right and respect your opponents. However, never back down from anyone or anything,” Pasquale said.