The future shines bright for the Preston Merchants
PRESTON, MINNESOTA - From adversity, opportunity grows. Just ask Ryan
Scheevel and Gabe Lipkie two up and coming young pitchers for the
Preston Merchants men's fastpitch softball team.
Scheevel has always wanted to pitch. But since the Merchants already
had an ace, he settled for catching and playing some third base. But
then opportunity struck. The team's number one pitcher decided to
take the 2009 season off. But who would step in the circle to replace
him?
The 25-year-old Scheevel basically raised his hand and said, I will.
"I had thrown a lot of batting practice in the past and I had
practiced pitching to my brother Brett," Scheevel said, "and if we
didn't find a pitcher our team would have folded. It's easy to find
players, but tough to find pitchers."
Had the Merchants folded, what a shame. For Preston is one of
Minnesota's up and coming teams. And it's a young one. In fact,
Scheevel is the "old guy" on the roster.
A look at the Merchant's roster finds the ages ranging from 17, 18
and 19, to 21. Scheevel, along with Richard Eickhoff are the lone
senior members at age 25.
This team has been together a long time since they were 8-year-olds
playing summer recreation baseball, and boy's fastpitch softball in
the Minnesota / Iowa Border League.
As Preston's Summer Recreation Director, Scheevel has coached most of
his teammates as youngsters. Although he's only 25, Scheevel has
played fastpitch softball for 19 years - since age 6. So he knows
talent when he sees it.
When the current crop of Merchants were mere adolescents they carved
out a 25-1 record in Preston's Little League program. And when they
turned ages 15 and 16 Scheevel told them that someday soon they would
be playing men's fastpitch softball with him.
“They kind of laughed about that," said Scheevel, who is also the
Fillmore Central High School head baseball coach.
But again opportunity arose to make Scheevel's prediction come true.
Four years ago a team dropped out of the Preston Men's Fastpitch
Tournament. A replacement team was needed. And the Preston age 18-
Under team stepped in and got introduced to the men's side of the sport.
“We needed one more team to make eight," Scheevel said. “We won our
first game over Frontier Lounge, 2-1, and they won the (ASA) state C
championship that year. The kids said, ‘hey, maybe we can do this.’”
20-year-old Gabe Lipkie is one of those believers now. He’s the
Merchants’ second baseman. But he, as with Scheevel, has other
fastpitch career goals in mind: Namely pitching.
He toils as the team's second pitcher. That's fine for now. But his
long-term goal is to occupy the circle. And he's working hard on
making his goal come true.
“He'll be at the high school throwing his 250 pitches against the
fence," Scheevel said. “He's a pretty serious ball player."
And one who puts in some serious practice time. In his home town of
Wykoff, two to three nights a week, Lipkie can be found at the tennis
courts firing pitch after pitch to his cousin. About 300 pitches each
practice. Sometimes in early spring he has to shovel away the snow to
make a pitching lane.
“I like being the back up pitcher and playing second base right now,"
Lipkie said, “but someday I want to be number one. I like being the
person in control of the game. And that's the pitcher."
Rick Schaber is the Park and Recreation Director for the City of St.
Charles. He also runs the St. Charles Men’s Fastpitch League. And he
plays for and manages the Jonny’s Saloon fastpitch team from Elba.
“I told Rick that his team reminds me of the Jonny’s team that also
started as a young team. They had to take their lumps like we did,
but they’ve improved dramatically this year.”
And that includes Scheevel. “Ryan threw throughout the winter and
he’s found the corners (of home plate),” Schaber said. “He’s improved
immensely and will one day be one of the top pitchers in our area.”
With Scheevel and Lipkie, the Merchants future does indeed looks
bright. The team - perhaps the youngest men's team in Minnesota - is
on target for a solid season.
Last weekend, the Merchants went 2-2 in the Preston Men's 14-team
Tournament (won by Odin, MN.) Their best showing yet. And in the
seven-team St. Charles League they're in first place with a 9-3
record with two games remaining.
And for the first time the Merchants have cracked the .500 mark with
an overall record of 21-16, Scheevel said.
But they’re gearing up for something even bigger and better, their
first North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA) World Series
national tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, August 6-9th.
“This is our first NAFA experience and we’re excited about that,”
Scheevel said.
Two young pitchers with promising futures. And a young and talented
team behind them.
How does Scheevel sum it all up? "It's a pretty awesome game," he said.
And as for Lipke? "We have bonded together as a team and our future
is bright," he said.
Indeed it is.
To see a photo of the Merchants, visit
www.ottoinfocus.com
