Podcast: Lawrence Academy coach Chris Margraf on his team’s ISL title

Lawrence Academy coach Chris Margraf led his team to its first ISL championship since 2011. (LA Athletics)

The latest edition of The Base Path Podcast is a good one for fans of the ISL.

Lawrence Academy coach Chris Margraf joins host Dan Guttenplan to discuss his team’s run to its first ISL title since 2011. It was a much different team than the 2011 version, led by eventual big-leaguer Tyler Beede. This year’s team relied on its collective speed on the base paths. Lawrence Academy players combined for 107 stolen bases in 22 games.

“We knew we were going to play the game fast and loose,” Margraf said. “We’ve not even close to this, but it’s the Tim Corbin style at Vanderbilt where we just run, run, run. I think we knew we were going to be good defensively, and we had enough pitching, but we worried a little bit about the bats.”

Lawrence Academy coach Chris Margraf led his team to an ISL championship after two draining years of dealing with the pandemic. Lawrence went 17-4-1 overall and clinched its first ISL title since 2011 with a no-hitter against Tabor Academy.

Lawrence Academy posted a record of 17-4-1, and sealed the ISL championship with a no-hitter against Tabor. Margraf is in favor of adding an ISL Tournament next season.

“I think we’re going to be able to get one through just because lacrosse has been able to do it,” Margraf said. “I think if we work with our ideas on a good plan, it’ll be nice. It’ll be good to have that. It’s that added layer. I think for us this year it was fortunate that the Tabor game was kind of like that for us, but with more and more of these other leagues doing it, I think it makes sense that the ISL to move in that direction too.”

Listen to the entire podcast.

The New England Baseball Journal podcast is brought to you by the University of Nebraska High School.

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