Division IV Team Of The Week: Week 4 - Lima Central Catholic
May 4, 2021
Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballOH
Follow on Twitter- @PBROhioScout
Follow on Instagram- @pbrohio
To view the Weekly Team Rankings, click below:
To view the Preseason All-State Teams, click below:
Division IV Team Of The Week: Week 4 - Lima Central Catholic
LIMA - Victories over teams from four different conferences earned Lima Central Catholic the honor of Prep Baseball Report Division IV Team of the Week.
“We challenged our guys at the beginning of the week that the opportunity to play some really good teams was a measuring stick for us and really will have an impact on where we end up with tournament seeding,” explained LCC head coach John Schnieders. “It came down to excellent pitching and solid defensive play throughout the week. We didn't beat ourselves and were a bit better than we had been at the plate with guys on base. We did what good teams do and took advantage of opponent’s miscues.”
The end result was a 9-0 win over Columbus Grove, a 4-3 triumph over D-IV state power Lincolnview and a 5-2 victory over Division II Lima Shawnee from the Western Buckeye League before capping off the week by getting past Minster, of the Midwest Athletic Conference, 6-3.
“The connectedness and comradery of this group has stood out, and also their resiliency,” Schnieders said. “We’ve had some adversity with injuries, some growing pains for our young players, and have struggled offensively, but they’ve stayed positive and continued to work. It’s a very refreshing and coachable group that has been motivated to do the work and learn what it will take to win. Up and down the roster I can point to guys that have made great progress and key contributions.”
Admittedly, there were a lot of uncertainties heading into the campaign.
“This year is different for everybody coming off the lost season due to COVID-19.” Schnieders noted. “I had a feeling we had some guys that were ready to take a step forward at the varsity level, but I wasn't sure how quickly the young talent we have would adjust to the level of competition we play. We’ve had our share of frustration and had some injuries early, but have made steady progress. We still have a long way to go to get where we need to be to contend in our district, but I like our kids’ mindset.”
Schnieders, whose T-Birds are now 12-7 on the year, points to a pair of players as instrumental in the team’s success to date, Connor Gephart and Billy Bourk. A junior catcher/pitcher/infielder, Gephart “has been our leader and most consistent player” according to Schnieders while Bourk, the sixth-rated freshman right-handed pitcher in Ohio, is described by his coach as a player with “outstanding talent that has made an immediate impact as a key part of our varsity roster.”
Primarily a catcher who is hitting .357 with a .671 on base percentage, Gephart had saves this past week against Shawnee and Minster. Bourk - who also pitches, catches and plays infield - is 3-1 with a 1.53 ERA throwing in key games this year while also leading the team in RBIs with 17 batting in the middle of the lineup.
“We just need to continue to improve,” said Schnieders, whose team has three games this week highlighted by a matchup with state-ranked Wayne Trace on Friday. “We have proved all year that we are capable of playing with the best teams, now we have to develop consistency in playing to that standard. Our guys know we can still get a lot better.
A Look Back At What Would've Been The 2020 Season:
To view each of the parts to the No 'Last Dance' Series, click below:To view the 2020 Team Previews, click here.
To view the 2020 Preseason All-State Teams, click here.
To view the 2020 Virtual Ohio High School State Tournament/Preseason Team Rankings, click here.
A Look Back At The Last Decade:
To view the Ohio High School All-Decade Team 2010-2019, click here.
A Look Back At The 2019 Season:
To view the 2019 Team Previews, click here.
To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.
To view the 2019 All-State Teams, click below.
To view the 2019 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.
A Look Back At The 2018 Season:
To view the 2018 Team Previews, click here.
To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.
To view the 2018 All-State Teams, click below.
To view the 2018 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.
A Look Back At The 2017 Season:
To view the 2017 Team Previews, click here.
To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.
- State Final Four Roundup
- State Final Four Scouting Notebook
- News, notes and numbers from each of the top prospects at state
- ABC's of the OHSAA State Tournament
- 6th Annual Top 22 All-Tournament Team
To view the 2017 All-State Teams, click below.
To view the 2017 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.
Recent Articles
- OH Nielsen Staying Close To Home To Pitch At Akron 8/19/24
- OH 2024 Summer Showcase Leaderboard: Trackman Analytics - Pitching Leaderboard 8/16/24
- OH 2024 Summer Showcase Leaderboard: Hitting Leaderboard 8/16/24
- OH 2024 Summer Showcase Leaderboard: Defense Analytics Leaderboard 8/16/24
- OH Householder Likes The Brotherhood At Marshall 8/14/24
- OH Rufenacht Loves The Coaching Staff At Toledo 8/14/24
- OH Roberson Ready To Bring Winning Attitude To EMU 8/14/24
- OH Fisher Excited About The New Environment At Ohio State 8/14/24
- OH Stuckey Taking Passion For Baseball To Ohio University 8/14/24
- OH 2024 Midwest Super Sophomore Games: Hitting Leaderboard 8/07/24