St. Clair Shores

Like coach, like team

By Brad D. Bates
C & G Sports Writer

St. Clair Shores Lakeview baseball epitomizes skippers’ teachings

ST. CLAIR SHORES — As the St. Clair Shores Lakeview baseball team worked its way to a 5-4 win April 16 against Pontiac Notre Dame Prep  at Kyte Monroe Park, coach Frank DiCristofaro never stopped teaching.

Whether from the dugout or the third base coach’s box, DiCristofaro was always encouraging and guiding his players through at-bats, pitches and base running, and the result was inning after inning of execution.

“You can make adjustments as soon as the next pitch,” senior pitcher/first baseman John Chuhran said of the benefits of DiCristofaro’s coaching style.

“I’ve found it very helpful. Not a lot of coaches talk, but he’s giving you a new way to do things — a better way.”

The Huskies were down 3-2 after two innings, but battled back with two runs in the bottom of the third and one more an inning later for the win.

“That was a very good come-from-behind victory,” DiCristofaro said. “We’re very happy with the performance, but we want to keep it going.

“We’ve been working hard on going back to basics and playing fundamental baseball, and if you execute the basics, you’re going to be successful.”   

Seniors like Chuhran and Steve Eatherly lead the charge in accepting DiCristofaro’s challenge to work non-stop, as well as his request that they instill a new level of pride in playing baseball at Lakeview.

“John, I can’t say enough about him,” DiCristofaro said. “He comes every day locked in and works hard. He and Steve Eatherly are the two guys who come in, work and do everything we ask.”

Eatherly has a unique view of where DiCristofaro’s energy and coaching style comes from, as he also plays for Frank DiCristofaro Sr. and the St. Clair Shores Unified hockey team.

“They both get the best out of their players,” Eatherly said of the similarities between father and son. “They both work hard all the time. They tell us to battle, and that’s all we do.”

Eatherly and Chuhran also lead the Huskies’ offense, which DiCristofaro views as the squad’s strength.

“We’re executing with the bats, and we’re battling with two strikes,” DiCristofaro said. “If our pitching is down or our defense isn’t there, our bats will save us because we can do everything.

“We can manufacture runs, move guys with bunts and hit to all fields. That’s something we’ve really worked on as a team, even before we could get outside.”

Lakeview’s work ethic and offense could pay championship dividends in the Macomb Area Conference Silver Division.

Defending Silver Division champion Madison Heights Madison graduated seven seniors, including four of its five All-Conference honorees, from its 2008 squad.

The Huskies are one of five new teams in the league, with former Gold rivals Roseville High, Sterling Heights High, Center Line High and MAC newcomer Clawson High moving into the Silver.

“Roseville always has a solid team, and so does Sterling Heights,” DiCristofaro said. “I don’t know much about Clawson, but at this point, (the Silver is) up for grabs and will be real competitive.”

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Brad D. Bates at bbates@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1029.