Posted 3:04 pm Sunday, May 10, 2009
UT Tyler Senior Brock Lemire Leaving Legacy In Rose City
By CLINT BUCKLEY
Staff Writer
Brock Lemire led his team to a junior college national championship in 2007.
Staff Writer
Brock Lemire led his team to a junior college national championship in 2007.
A lot has changed since then.
Lemire, who transferred from NAIA Lubbock Christian for his senior year, no longer plays third base and no longer carries the prototypical slugging corner infielder's physical stature.
Lemire, who transferred from NAIA Lubbock Christian for his senior year, no longer plays third base and no longer carries the prototypical slugging corner infielder's physical stature.
Instead, he's 20 pounds lighter and turning double plays as a second baseman.
Not everything's changed, though.
Lemire still packs a punch in the middle of his new lineup. And instead of leading Tyler Junior College, he's making a name for himself at UT Tyler, where he and 13 other seniors are preparing to enter the program's first national tournament at the NCAA level.
Lemire still packs a punch in the middle of his new lineup. And instead of leading Tyler Junior College, he's making a name for himself at UT Tyler, where he and 13 other seniors are preparing to enter the program's first national tournament at the NCAA level.
"Getting as old as I am, I just figured I'd come back to Tyler," said Lemire.
"I love the city and I love the program and the school here. I figured I'd give them a call ... I'm glad they accepted me."
What's not to accept? Lemire enters this week's play batting .335 with 11 homers and 49 RBIs and is one of just two Patriots to start in all 48 games this season -- something that's become foreign to coach James Vilade this year.
"We've played 48 games, and we've probably had 40 different lineups," Vilade said. "This has been a year of challenge with injuries, and guys getting hot and guys cooling off.
"He works hard every day and he doesn't ever let up, and that's the most impressive part about him. There's no day off for him."
Lemire's arrival came just in time to replace former second baseman Clay Baker, who grabbed American Southwest Conference East Division Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2008.
However, Lemire's road back to the Rose City was not without detours.
As a sophomore at TJC, Lemire not only led the Apaches to their first national title; he was named NJCAA Division III Player of the Year.
He originally signed to play at McNeese State as a junior, but the plan was foiled by paperwork.
"I guess with state-to-state rules, I didn't have enough transfer hours," Lemire said. "(The coaches at McNeese) didn't know or didn't tell me ... they pretty much put me in a bad situation."
Lemire then scrambled to find other schools that would offer him a full scholarship, eventually settling on either Abilene Christian -- an NCAA Division II participant -- or Lubbock Christian."
"I should've researched a little more," he said. "I guess I chose the wrong one, but I'm glad I'm here now."
With all of Lemire's success at TJC, UT Tyler seemed like a perfect fit.
"Being a neighboring school had a lot to do with it," Vilade said. "When they had won the national championship, we had come off a year where we were 37-1. The college baseball vibe in Tyler, Texas was real strong."
Once he decided to switch schools for his senior year, he also found out he'd have to switch positions.
"I've never played second," he said. "But they had a blank spot for second base. I've caught on pretty quick. It's fun over there, turning double plays."
While Lemire was getting used to the change in perspective, hitting -- something that had always come natural to him -- became more of a challenge.
"At TJC, I would just grip it and rip it," he said. "But now, you've got to think -- if a runner is at second, you've got to move them and do whatever it takes to be a team player.
"Here, you've got Division I Juco guys coming in, maybe a third starter throwing (low 90s). I figured it wouldn't be that hard, but it's been an adventure for me."
An adventure that began at Mike Carter Field during the 2007 Juco World Series.
"The junior college World Series being in Tyler is a huge (recruiting) advantage for us," Vilade said. "We've been able to get players like Brock out of that situation."
Now, Vilade hopes the city of Tyler can once again experience what Lemire helped produce back then.
"I've always been interested in (UT Tyler) because they're so successful," Lemire said. "The reason I did come back was to win another championship ring. I just want to do whatever it takes to get us to the national championship and win it."
Notes
UT Tyler (38-10) will compete in one of eight regionals later this week. The NCAA will release the entire 54-team field late tonight or early Monday morning when the Patriots will learn where they'll begin play. The winners of the eight regionals advance to the NCAA Division III World Series May 22-26 in Appleton, Wis.
