PQIUA — Edison State Community College’s baseball and softball teams returned to the field at the end of February. The baseball team is currently 0-2 overall, and the softball team is currently 1-3 overall.

Head Coach Tyler Koch leads the baseball team. Koch began his coaching career at Edison State in 2017 as an assistant coach, third-base coach, and infielders’ coach before being promoted to his current role. With a wealth of experience both as a player and coach, Koch hopes to pass his love and knowledge of the game to Edison State’s student-athletes.

Koch helped Vandalia-Butler secure the 2008 JV State ACME Baseball Championship. He then advanced to coaching Vandalia-Butler’s Varsity ACME Baseball team from 2010–2012, helping the team make back-to-back state championship appearances in 2011 and 2012.

“We have a seasoned team this year,” said Koch. “The expectations are high and high for good reason. This team wants to produce and has been chomping at the bit to show the OCCAC and NJCAA that Edison State is a program to worry about if we’re on your schedule.”

The Chargers returned to the field with three sophomores and 25 freshmen. Returning players include Mason Mocahbee, Zayne Centi, Jeron Slusher, Zach Grau, Jordan Long, Mannee Wells, Garrett Kelly, Clay Jacobs, Preston Heintzman, and Kevin Bellamy. Transfer Logan Keating comes from Three Rivers Community College in Missouri. New players to the team include Jonathan Piaggio, Dylan Hoerner, Troy Taylor, Jared Billington, and Andrew Yeary.

“We have a lot of students returning who used their COVID year to perform at the JUCO level and get noticed by four-year universities.”

The Chargers kicked their season off on Saturday, February 26, at Cleveland State Community College. They dropped both games 10-0 and 8-3. The team will host their first home game on Saturday, March 5, when they face St. Clair Community College.

Greg Cox, Scott Jones, and Connor Pohl join Koch in leading the baseball team this season.

Cox is returning to Edison State’s baseball program for the fourth year and has coached for the New Bremen ACME team, New Bremen High School, Wright State University–Lake Campus, and Indiana University South Bend. He also competed nationally and internationally in men’s fastpitch softball as part of the International Softball Conference for 15 years.

Jones brings many years of coaching and playing experience to the Charger baseball team. He previously coached at Vandalia-Butler High School under Miami Valley Hall of Fame coach Trent Dues. Jones began his baseball career at Northmont High School under Ohio Hall of Fame coach Chuck Harlow and went on to play for Miami University, the Lima Locos Collegiate Baseball summer league. In 1994, he was drafted by the New York Yankees minor league team but chose to return to Miami University; he was drafted in 1995 by the Boston Red Sox, where he played from 1995–1997.

Pohl is a recent graduate from Ohio State. He was captain of the 2020­–2021 Ohio State Buckeyes baseball team and brings a lot of knowledge with him to help Edison State’s infielders and hitters.

Head Coach Brent New is beginning his fourth year with Edison State’s softball program. He previously coached for 22 years as head softball coach at Houston High School. New won 359 games, picked up 10 Shelby County Athletic League Championships, won two district titles, and made an appearance in regional finals in 2016. He also coached the All-District Senior All-Star Game twice.

“The coaches and I are very excited to get back on the field this spring,” said New. “We believe this team is very talented and will have a lot of success. Our pitching staff is very deep with between five and seven girls seeing significant innings. The hardest thing for us will be trying to find the best lineup because of the number of players we have who will all contribute, whether offensively, defensively, or both.”

The Lady Chargers returned to the field with 20 freshmen, as the players did not lose any eligibility during the past two seasons, which were canceled due to COVID.

“Kamryn Trissell and MacKenleigh Greene have been with our team throughout this time, and I’m especially anxious for them to be on the field,” New added. “Kayla Runyon, Olivia Place, Jen Bole, Layne Claudy, and Madalyn Kirtley are in their second year with us and are also looking forward to getting to play collegiately for the first time. All of these girls have been great to coach, and I appreciate them staying with the program. They will all be a big part of our success this season.”

“As far as newcomers to our program, we have Makenna Radford, Hanna DeLong, Allie Dodge, Kyli Gainer, Morgan Pine, Savannah Wead, Taylor Collins, Grace Shaffer, Nyesha Wright, Abby Oaks, Sidney Unger, Breana Wiget, and Tianna Thompson. This is a great class of players that we know will exceed this year as well.”

The softball team began the 2022 season by traveling to compete in Georgia and South Carolina. On Sunday, February 20, they faced Georgia Military College and dropped both games, 19-0 and 9-0. GMC is a Division I school that qualified for the national tournament last year and has played 15 games already this season. On Monday, February 21, the day started well against another Division I team, USC Salkehatchie. After two runs in the second, Edison State added eight more in the top of the fourth on their way to their 10-2 victory. Game two went to Salkehatchie 13-0.

The Lady Chargers will host Ohio Christian on their home field on Saturday, March 5. They’ll face Jamestown Community College from New York at home on Friday, March 11, in their next regular season game.

Assistant coaches Jeff Replogle, Phil Smith, and Bob Claudy join New in leading the softball team.

Replogle is in his fourth year with Edison State’s softball program as an assistant coach, bringing numerous years of high school coaching experience to the program. He previously coached at Houston High School and spent 11 years with the Hardin-Houston Ball Association. Replogle also served as an Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) baseball and softball umpire for six years.

Smith has many years of experience coaching softball, including over 10 years in the travel ball community, five years coaching at Troy Jr. High, and two years as head coach at Covington High School. Many of his travel ball players are playing at the collegiate level, and some are even coaches themselves.

Claudy is in his first year with the Edison State Lady Charger softball program as an assistant coach, bringing numerous years of coaching experience to the program. Claudy spent five years with the Lady Wave Softball Association, one year with the Parkway Panthers, and over 10 years in the travel ball community.