Athletics - Lewis-Clark State

Warrior Baseball Outlook

2011

Gary Picone knows there will be a lot of people watching, ready to make comparisons. He also knows that kind of pressure comes with the territory when you are the one replacing a legendary coach who built the most powerful baseball program in the history of the NAIA.

For the first time in 35 years, Ed Cheff will not be the one standing in the third-base coaching box or in the dugout for the Warriors. The Hall of Fame coach, who won 16 national titles, retired after 34 years at the Warrior helm. Cheff posted a 1,705-430-2 record for a .799 winning percentage and his win total is second all-time with one baseball program at any collegiate level and the fourth most victories among all college baseball coaches.

So how do you follow those numbers?

“You don’t,” Picone said, laughing. “I see this position as a great opportunity to lead the program that Ed Cheff built.”

Despite the coaching change, little else is expected to change with the program, which posted a 48-5 record a year ago but went a disappointing 1-2 at the Avista NAIA World Series.

For a number of years, Picone was Cheff’s top assistant and pitching coach. Even when Picone left his assistant’s job to take over as athletic director at LCSC, he stayed close to the baseball program, which made him a natural to take over when Cheff decided to retire.

“Ed and I have different personalities, but not much has changed,” Picone said. “A lot of what I know I learned from Ed so our coaching philosophies are the same. We haven’t changed anything significantly. This should look like the team we always have.”

Pitching depth and defense, two usual staples of the program, appear to be the strengths again this season.

“I think we have a solid and deep pitching staff,” Picone said. “And we can put a really good defensive team on the field. We also have a chance to be balanced offensively from top to bottom.”

The schedule will have a new look this season as the Warriors attempt to win 40 or more games for the 32^nd straight year. The Warriors open with their usual two tournaments in February and also will play home and away games against fellow Region I teams. In May, however, when the rest of the NAIA teams are involved in playoffs, LCSC will play host to a three-day three-team round-robin tournament against NCAA Division III schools. The Warriors end the regular season with a game at Seattle University on May 17 and that is the only Division I school on LCSC’s schedule for the second straight year.

[to read the complete 2011 Outlook, which includes an in depth look at the Warriors by position, check out the Warriors' 2011 printed program.]