Busch Stadium Teaches Subtleties of Game

Eric Tiefenthalar loved pitching on a mound that was void of holes or ditches.

After Tiefenthalar, a sophomore at STLCC took the mound at Busch Stadium to pitch against Lewis and Clark Community College during the scrimmage event Sept. 4, he noted how ideal the pitchers mound was and how it was perfect for pitching.

“It's immaculate to pitch on that mound; there is not a single hole on it,” Tiefenthalar said. “It's perfectly manicured; usually there are holes where the pitcher's landing foot is.”

The game brought about a lot of comparisons between the usual playing patterns that the Archer athletes are accustomed to versus the ones they experienced under the lights at Busch Stadium.

Scott Goodrich, assistant coach for the Archers, said that the players usually swing aluminum bats during the regular season but switched it up to wooden bats so that the athletes can gain an appreciation for how good big leaguers are when it comes to strength, bat speed, and power when they take swings with the heavy wooden bats.

The dimensions of the field were also part of a learning experience for the athletes.

Goodrich said that Even though the Archers play on fields that are similar in size to Busch Stadium, dimension wise, Busch Stadium is a pretty good size because the gaps are bigger. Therefore, it feels like the stadium is so much bigger.

“It kind of gives our guys the sense of 'wow this is what it takes to be a big leaguer and perform at that level',” Goodrich said.

The dimensions and structure of the stadium had other effects on some of the athletes.

Tiefenthlar said that the smooth surface of the field makes pitching at Busch easier than pitching in regular games.

Sophomore Larry Schimsa agreed.

Schmisa looked aound when asked about what it is like to play at Busch as if to let the sights of the perfectly groomed grass and level dirt lines do the talking.

“It feels perfect; It's a great atmosphere,” Schmisa said. “It's the one place where you know you are never going to get a bad hop on the ball because the level of the field is perfect.”

The ideal playing conditions paid off for Schimsa and the Archers as they walked away from the scrimmage game with a 7-2 win. The Archers regular season kicks off on February 28 against SWIC.