Photos: Football Halftime Recognition l
Innovation Center
Related: Assistant coach Bob Shebelsky recognized (announced retirement in July)
EAST STROUDSBURG - The East Stroudsburg University baseball program will induct the fourth class of its "Bat Club" on Saturday, October 1 as part of Family Weekend on campus.
Three Warriors - pitcher Don Rentschler (1969-71), second baseman Tadgh LaBar (1999-01) and outfielder Kevin Thompson (2005-09) - join 12 previous inductees.
ESU will also recognize its 1957, 1963, 1969 and 1971 PSAC championship teams.
The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at ESU's Innovation Center (562 Independence Road, East Stroudsburg, Pa.). The championship teams and Bat Club inductees will be recognized at halftime of ESU's home football game vs. Cheyney, which kicks off at 6:05 p.m.
The ceremonies will be preceded by the Warriors' fall intrasquad scrimmage at Mitterling Field (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.).
Previous inductees to the Bat Club are - pitcher/shortstop Joel Bennett, outfielder J.D. Stern, second baseman
Jacob De Boer and pitcher Jeremy Gigliotti (2013), pitcher/infielder/outfielder Tim Bishop, shortstop Brett Reynolds, outfielder Josh Butler and third baseman
Mark Angelo (2014) and pitcher Mike Balent, outfielder Kyle Sheaffer, pitcher Christian Saveri and pitcher/first baseman
Brian Ernst (2015).
To RSVP for Saturday's events, please contact ESU baseball head coach
John Kochmansky at jkochmansky@esu.edu or (570) 422-3263. All Warriors baseball alumni and friends are invited to attend.
Information on the Bat Club honorees is below:
Don Rentschler - All-PSAC East 1st team in 1970 and All-PSAC 2nd team in 1971 … threw 7-hit shutout in 2-0 win vs. Edinboro in 1971 PSAC championship game … finished career with 12-5 record (.706) and 2.91 ERA … completed 10 of his 16 career starts … in 1971, had 5-3 record with 2.68 ERA in 9 games (7 starts), 5 complete games, 32 strikeouts and 16 walks in 57.0 innings … in 1970, had 6-1 record with 2.29 ERA in 8 games (7 starts), 4 complete games, 36 strikeouts and 17 walks in 55.0 innings … in 1969, had 1-1 record with 4.88 ERA in 5 games (2 starts), 1 complete game, 11 strikeouts and 8 walks in 24.0 innings … led Warriors in innings pitched in 1970 and 1971.
Tadgh LaBar - All-PSAC East 1st team and NCAA North Atlantic Region 1st team at second base in 2000 … All-PSAC East 2nd team in 2001 … had .336 career batting average and 153 hits, including 40 for extra bases … collected 220 total bases … 79 career RBI and 110 runs … in 2000, hit .365 with .435 on-base percentage and .578 slugging percentage … had 70 hits, including 10 doubles, 8 triples and 5 home runs … 32 RBI and 59 runs (school record) … in 2001, hit .365 with .415 on-base percentage and .519 slugging percentage … 57 hits (9 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs) … 30 RBI and 38 runs.
Kevin Thompson - All-PSAC East 1st team and NCBWA All-Region 2nd team selection as a senior in 2009 … helped Warriors to then-school record 32 wins … set or tied five ESU career records for home runs (17), RBI (124), doubles (44), extra-base hits (66) and hit by pitch (33) … had .331 career batting average, .429 on-base percentage and .523 slugging percentage … 181 career hits and 286 total bases … scored 118 runs and drew 65 walks … in 2009, hit .401 with 67 hits, including 34 for extra-bases (19 doubles, 3 triples, 12 home runs) … 51 RBI and 56 runs … had .500 on-base percentage and .766 slugging percentage … in 2008, hit .301/.424/.455 with 37 hits, 20 RBI and 22 runs … missed 2007 season due to injury after hitting .311/.387/.427 with 51 hits, 38 RBI and 30 runs as a sophomore … compiled .280 batting average as a freshman in 2005.
