Jay Lewis
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — There was no pomp, little circumstance and even less ceremony — just a quiet round of applause to open the Wittenberg baseball team's traditional postgame meeting along the rightfield line following the Tigers' 7-6 win over Muskingum on Thursday, April 13, at Carleton Davidson Stadium.
Head Coach Jay Lewis removed his cap in a gesture of respect and nodded to his players. Then he spoke briefly about the players' performance against Muskingum and discussed the upcoming doubleheader with Oberlin — showing emotion only when contemplating the stretch run to the 2006 season and what he considers a team bursting with potential to enjoy greater success than its 15-13 midseason record would indicate.
Lewis had just won his school record-breaking 204th career game as the Tigers head coach, and while there was some personal satisfaction, the 1994 Wittenberg graduate was more concerned with the fact that his team had just broken a frustrating three-game losing streak. Sitting in a cramped office with his three assistant coaches after the game, Lewis was at a loss for words when asked to comment on the record.
"It feels good to be in such good company," said Lewis, referring to the legendary Howard "Red" Maurer, who posted a career record of 203-126 from 1951-75 as the Tigers skipper. "There have been so many great coaches in Wittenberg history, regardless of the sport, and I'm just proud to be among them."
Lewis, a native and resident of St. Paris, Ohio, has a career record of 204-165-4 in 10 seasons as the Tigers' head coach. A three-year starter at catcher for the Tigers from 1991-93, Lewis has led Wittenberg to winning records in seven of his first nine seasons at the helm. The Tigers have reached the four-team North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament four times.
Wittenberg stands 6-6 in the NCAC West Division so far this season, with four games remaining with winless Earlham next weekend. The Tigers likely need to sweep that four-game series to position themselves for a berth in the 2006 NCAC Baseball Tournament.
016-06