Schoenly gunning for baseball career

By Mark Wogenrich
Of The Morning Call


Scott Schoenly went to Colorado two years ago to learn the art of gunsmithing. Along the way, he worked on the craft of pitching as well.

A 1989 Upper Perkiomen High graduate, Schoenly became one of the top pitchers at Trinidad State Junior College, helping lead the team into this year's Junior College World Series. And though the team lost its first two games, Schoenly just appreciated the opportunity.

"It was a great experience, especially for a pitcher," the 19- year-old said. "There were a lot of good hitters there."

Trinidad State, located about 200 miles south of Denver, opened the season slowly but stormed back to win the Northwest District title. Schoenly recorded a 9-3 record and a team-high 3.98 ERA to lead the squad.

In the World Series, held in Grand Junction, Colo., Schoenly pitched the opener and lost 9-1 to Glendale, Ariz. But he gave up just one earned run in that game, and his defense committed five errors. Iowa Western then eliminated Trinidad State in the second game.

The team finished the season 47-22 and was ranked eighth among junior colleges. Trinidad opened the year ranked 15th in the country.

"We came together midway through the season," Schoenly said. "We started hitting and playing good defense, which we didn't do in the Series."

But Schoenly didn't choose the Colorado school specifically for baseball. He went there because it was one of just two colleges in the country to offer a two-year program in gunsmithing. He had planned to go into the family business; his father operates a hunting and shooting supplies shop in Palm.

But Schoenly, winner of Upper Perk's 1989 outstanding male athlete award, always has dreamed of a career in professional baseball. At Trinidad State, however, the course work in gunsmithing wasn't conducive to the pursuit of outside interests.

"We were making a gun from blank stock, but I was falling behind because I was missing too much time," he said. "I couldn't play baseball and take the gunsmithing courses at the same time."

So he transferred to liberal arts this past year and is taking courses this summer at Reading Community College. He hopes to transfer in the fall to a four-year school where he can play baseball. His first choice is Point Park College, an NAIA school in Pittsburgh.

"I want to make a go of baseball," he said. "When I get out of baseball, then I can go back to (gunsmithing)."

Nino Giarratano, baseball coach at Trinidad State, said Schoenly is capable of giving baseball a shot.

"I saw some great development in him in his two years here," the coach said. "He works hard, learned how to pitch at the junior college level and learned how to change speeds. Those were the keys to his success this season."

At Trinidad, Schoenly worked in an off-season training program to stay in shape. The team also played a 30-game fall exhibition schedule to stay conditioned. All that work seemed to convince Schoenly to take a shot at the game as a career.

"I think his intent was to come in here, play and then go to work," Giarratano said. "But he had such success that he is going to try to make a go of it."

Schoenly pitched an exhibition game earlier this season for the Quakertown Blazers of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League. After beating the Broome Rangers 7-4, he was hoping to gain a spot with the Blazers, especially since pitcher Pete Tarutis was drafted by the Montreal Expos.

But he hasn't heard from the team and now doesn't expect to. Instead, he is pitching for the Upper Perkiomen Chiefs of the Tri-County League.

"I'm just trying to stay in shape so I don't lose everything I gained," he said.

Schoenly hasn't given himself a specific timetable, but he said that if he doesn't get any recognition in three to four years he may begin to look elsewhere. Giarratano said he thinks Schoenly has a decent shot.

"He'd love to play pro ball," the coach said. "I think he can give two good years to any school. If he keeps improving, he has a good opportunity to do something beyond that."

"I think it would just be a great experience, traveling to the different stadiums and playing baseball," Schoenly said. "I don't really want to do it just for the money. I just want to be able to play."



  

From The Morning Call -- July 18, 1991

Copyright © 1991, The Morning Call