with Gary Laubach

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Column Archive   April 29, 2008 January 4, 2008 October 25, 2007 September 18, 2007 August 2, 2007 May 14, 2007 April 21, 2007 February 16, 2007 August 21, 2006 August 4, 2006

Emmy-nominated local sports broadcaster Gary Laubach has served as the voice of the Leopards on television since 1996, handling play-by-play duties for theLafayette Sports Network. The Sports Director at RCN-TV 4, Laubach has been a television sports broadcaster for more than 35 years and has called over 4,000 contests. The Behind the Mic column offers a broadcaster's perspective on Lafayette Athletics.

May 14, 2007

LAFAYETTE BASEBALL - OH, MY!!!

I spent Mother's Day weekend at Hilton Rahn Field at the Class of 1978 Stadium (is there any way to shorten the name - it takes up half of the pregame). As you know, Lafayette was hosting the Patriot League Baseball Championship Tournament for the very first time, had already set a season record for wins, and had tied the record for Patriot League wins in a 20-game season. They sure sounded like the favorite, right?

I don't know - Army and Navy were, also, in and they had plenty of history and tradition on their side. Army had won four Patriot League titles and Navy had won five - there had only been 17! These teams are composed of kids who are at the Academies to mold their characters, train them to be leaders, overcome any challenge, and defend their country, if necessary. These are the kids you want as your son or daughter. And remember, Army WAS picked to win the Patriot League! How do you beat kids like that?

The answer is rather simple, actually. You recruit kids with similar character, who are born leaders, and competitive beyond belief. Coach Joe Kinney and his staff must have done just that! It showed on Mother's Day weekend.

After Army eliminated Navy in game one on Saturday, it was Lafayette's turn to go into the trenches armed only with leather, aluminum, and talent. It was ugly early. The Leopards looked like they not only feared the opponent, they feared the baseball - three errors in the first inning - six errors in the game! Yet, amazingly, none of those errors led to even one run. Behind the solid pitching of Matt Kamine and John Fugett, Army was really never in this game. Mike Raible got hits (a triple and a home run) he had not gotten all year, while adding four RBIs to his season total. It was all Lafayette!

Then again, we, as fans, should have seen this coming. Lafayette had now won eight of the last nine games over the Black Knights. Army had led only twice during the five games played this season and both times the lead was 1-0 in the top of the first inning. Lafayette had beaten All-American and Patriot League Pitcher of the Year Nick Hill this season by a 3-2 score and, now, had beaten Patriot League Player of the Year, Cole White twice, 5-4, and 8-3.

Mother's Day arrived with the Leopards one game away from their first Patriot League Championship. Army used seven pitchers the day before, five against Lafayette. Lafayette was armed with 6-1, right-hander, Kevin Reese. Lafayette was the visiting team this day, so James Conrad came to the plate to start the game. As a former pitcher (with a victory over Lafayette in the Charlie Gelbert days, by the way), I would have really disliked James Conrad - I mean, REALLY DISLIKED James Conrad. He is a real irritant, a welt, a skin rash, a pain, a bother (get the picture). Well, he singled to lead off the game - game over! He steals second (new record!), steals third (add to the record!) and scores on Mike Raible's base hit. Get him in the dugout and tie him down! Raible scores on Dave Drechsel's hit!

James Conrad stole another base later in the game to bring his total to 45 for the season and 81 in his career, both Lafayette records. In all honesty, he did not exactly steal the base in the eighth. The pitcher and the third basemen turned their back for a split second and Conrad was standing on third base - almost David Copperfield-like!

Conrad has a CD out, by the way, called "Right Center." I would suggest the studio take an inventory when James leaves their premises, except I know he would only steal bases. He IS a Marquis Scholar, a marvelous student, and a terrific young man. He is part of a group called Placement over Power. He claims he will give you the CD for free, if you would like. Take it - it's a STEAL!!!

Reese pitched great. Lafayette scored four unearned runs in the sixth. Mike Raible was named the Tournament MVP, and Lafayette won its first Patriot League Championship! The fake champagne flowed, coaches got drenched, and Joe Kinney almost smiled! Yes, almost smiled. It takes a great deal of work to put together a championship team. Coach Kinney and his staff did that with intense effort. It is hard to turn off the intensity - it is, indeed, what got you there.

It has been 17 years since Lafayette baseball played in the NCAA Tournament. This team deserves to be there. As the clichÃÆ' © states, "They play the game the way it is supposed to be played."

Lafayette Baseball - Oh, my!! Go Leopards!!