Oakland University Alum Ready To Lead Lahser Baseball

John Toth can hardly wait for the start of the 2012 high school baseball season.

The new varsity boys baseball coach has eagerly anticipated the opener since accepting the position in November right before Thanksgiving.

“We open Friday with a doubleheader (against Romeo),” Toth said. “It’s exciting, things have been great so far. Everyone has been real supportive.”

It will be Toth’s first head coaching job, but he certainly isn’t lacking in experience.

Toth is a former Division 1 pitcher, who played for Oakland University for three seasons. He earned Summit League All-Academic honors for the Golden Grizzlies back in 2008.

For the last two seasons, Toth has pulled double-duty as the head coach of the junior varsity team at Seaholm High School and assistant pitching coach at his alma mater.

As a former Division 1 pitcher, and someone who’s not far removed from his playing days, the transition for Toth from across town has been pretty seamless.

“I just played, so it’s been a lot easier,” Toth said. “I know what kids today go through today. That college experience taught me a lot - how hard to push kids, what kind of practices to have.”

Last year, the Knights were 6-9 and finished towards the bottom of the Oakland Activities Association Blue division. Coaches voted to realign the OAA into four divisions and group the teams based on geographic location. 

Lahser, along with cross-town rival and Royal Oak, are staying put in the Blue. Both Troy schools and Avondale round out the division, and Birmingham high schools and all three Farmington high schools moved to the White.

Toth is confident the Knights have enough talent to compete in the realigned Blue division. 

The anchor of the pitching staff this season will be senior Neil Krentz. He had a 3.65 ERA in 55 innings last season. The right hander struck out 56 batters.

“He hustles and he’s a great leader,” Toth said. “He’s going to be our centerpiece.”

Krentz will also see time at first base.

Another key piece will be junior Kyle Riley. Fresh off his solid season for the Knights basketball team, Riley will play shortstop and pitch for Toth.

“He’s a great athlete,” Toth said. “Kyle is going to bat in the middle of the lineup. He really has Division 1 potential.”

One player the Knights will definitely miss is outfielder . Dauch graduated last spring after setting records all over the field for Lahser. He left Bloomfield Hills with records in home runs, stolen bases, RBI, batting average and maybe a half dozen other statistical categories.

He signed a baseball scholarship to play at Northwestern University and left pretty big shoes to fill.

Toth is hopeful Luke’s younger brother, Charlie, can step in and replace some of that production. While Luke played in the outfield, Charlie is starting at second base for the Knights.

“He’s going to bat at the top of the lineup,” Toth said of the sophomore. “The sky’s the limit with this kid.”

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