Spring training isn’t just for Major League Baseball players. High schools teams also travel to warm climates to prepare for the baseball season. Lake Forest is one area team that did just that.
From March 29 to April 1, the Scouts practiced and played at the Cal Ripken Experience fields in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
“It was warm, the fields were all turf, very good facilities,” coach Ray Del Fava said. “It allowed us to do everything we needed to do. It was the first time for us to see live pitching.”
Junior Cal Coughlin added: “It was pretty nice. The fields were really [cool].”
The results — four wins in four games — say it was a successful trip for the Scouts. Lake Forest outscored its opponents (two from Ohio, one from New York and one from South Carolina) 35-9 while committing only two errors.
“There really wasn’t anything I wasn’t happy with,” Del Fava said.
One thing Del Fava was especially happy to see was Coughlin in a Scouts uniform.
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The 6-foot, 205-pound Coughlin, a transfer from Carmel who committed to TCU over the winter, is a right-handed pitcher/infielder who can also switch hit. His versatility makes him an impact player for the Scouts. Coughlin started three games in South Carolina at shortstop. He was the starting pitcher in the other game, an 8-1 win over Pickerington (Ohio) in which he allowed one run on two hits in four innings.
At the plate, Coughlin went 5-for-14 with four RBI and four runs scored. Hitting third in the order, Coughlin has a high on-base percentage and has power to all fields.
The only downside to the addition of a player the stature of Coughlin is the urge to play him and pitch him often.
“We have to make sure we don’t overuse him,” Del Fava said.
Lake Forest has three other starting pitchers in Mark Turelli, Bryan Bund and Luke Gibson. Turelli, a 6-2 righty, threw six shutout innings and struck out nine in Lake Forest’s 8-0 win over Olentangy (Ohio) on March 29. Gibson, a 6-2 righty, allowed no earned runs and two hits over five innings in the Scouts’ 8-5 win over Chesterfield (South Carolina) on March 31. The 6-2 Bund is a left-hander.
According the scouting service Perfect Game, Coughlin throws a fastball that has been timed at 92 miles per hour. One scenario Del Fava said he’s considering is using Coughlin as a closer to avoid wearing out his arm.
“I don’t know if we’ll need [Coughlin] as a starter. It’s so early so maybe we will if games get backed up [due to weather],” Del Fava said.
Coughlin said he’s fine with whatever role he’s asked to play. Early in his Lake Forest career, he likes the roster chemistry.
“I’m having so much fun playing with these guys. It raises your game,” he said. “You hear about playing loose. These guys are guys who do that.”
Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter: @prepspioneer