In-studio Interviews

St. Thomas Baseball

from High School Sports Live May 24 show
The St. Thomas Eagles are sending Baseball Coach Ken Schulte out on a high note. After four years of making it to the State Finals and winning back-to-back State Championships, Schulte is moving on, making way for former Houston Astros star Craig Biggio.

"When you're going to be replaced, it's nice to be replaced by the best," Schulte said. "He's a future Hall of Famer. The kids love him. He's very knowledgeable. He's genuine. He's going to do a great job."

And while the players will miss their coach, they are excited for the coming season in large part because of Biggio.

"I grew up in Texas," second baseman Tim Redden said. "I'm a huge Astros fan. (Craig) Biggio was my favorite player and now to be able to say that I'm going to be one of the first seniors to graduate under him, it's a great feeling. I'm real excited to learn under him."

But Biggio's hiring doesn’t take away from what the team has accomplished under Schulte. Four weeks ago the Eagles were 6-11 overall and 0-2 in district.

"The kids just came together and turned this thing around," Schulte said. "The kids persisted. They stayed at it. We found the right chemistry and started getting results on the field."

The Eagle outscored their opponents in the playoffs 36-5.

"We got better every game and played our best ball in the playoffs without a doubt," Schulte said.

But this particular Championship win was special for Schulte, who is leaving St. Thomas to be closer to his family.

"They (the Championships) stand on their own, but this one's the best," Schulte said.