THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Scherr emerging as utility man for Lums

Primarily used as a catcher during his time at Lake City High and for the Coeur d’Alene Lumbermen American Legion baseball program in recent years, Jackson Scherr is taking advantage of each and every chance he gets this summer.

Whether that be behind the plate, on the mound or wherever first-year coach Darren Taylor sees fit.

SCHERR, a 2020 graduate of Lake City High, only appeared in one game for the Knights during the COVID-19-shortened 2021 spring season. Wenatchee Valley finished 7-19.

“As you progress, the game moves faster at each level,” Scherr said. “Coming back here, it’s more or less getting more reps and improving on things in my game as well and trying to help these guys figure out what it’s going to be like at the next level. Just growing as a player has been a lot of fun.”

The Lums entered play in the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Wood Bat Classic 16-6, with Scherr leading the team in hitting with a .465 batting average, with 13 runs batted in and 18 runs scored. Scherr has appeared in six games in relief for the Lumbermen, allowing seven hits and striking out nine.

At Wenatchee Valley, Scherr, who is 6-feet tall, is being converted into a pitcher.

“It was an interesting switch,” said Scherr, a right-hander. “I didn’t know it was going to happen, but I jumped right into it and it’s been a lot of fun. There’s a lot of mechanics to it. It’s not just throwing the ball. Every little change decreases the ball a mile an hour, or gains a mile an hour. There’s a lot of little changes with each pitch.”

Wenatchee Valley is looking for a new coach after Zach Clanton, a Lake City High standout who coached the Lums from 2013 to 2017, stepped down after four seasons as head coach in Wenatchee.

“I plan on going back there,” Scherr said. “I made a commitment to them, and plan on going back next year.”

Due to COVID, Scherr still has two years of eligibility remaining at Wenatchee Valley, and plans to use them before hopefully moving on to a four-year program.

“I want to keep my career going as far as I can,” Scherr said. “Hopefully, I can move on to a four-year school and see where it goes from there.”

SCHERR HAS embraced his role as a leader within the program.

“It’s been a lot different,” Scherr said. “A lot of my best friends are done with baseball and moved on to doing their own things. I’ve learned a lot of new names and faces. The team is great with a lot of improvements and some great guys.”

As far as leadership, it’s pretty simple.

“I’ve just told them to work hard and keep your mouth shut until you’re up,” Scherr said. “It’s an unwritten rule that if the other team is up and talking, quit talking until you’re up. I knew coming back I was going to have to perform at my best and play hard every time I stepped on the field. I had to improve my play and help win this team a state championship and get this team as far as we could go.”

Even if that means Scherr is at first, catching, in the outfield or even pitching.

“I haven’t played first in years,” Scherr said. “That was a big change, but it’s been a lot of fun. Coach (Darren) Taylor keeps telling me to keep working hard and it will pay off.”

Taylor agreed.

“He’s great to have around,” said Taylor, the Lums' first-year head coach. “He’s all business, funny and one of my all-time favorite guys around the clubhouse. I really like him as a player, and he’s great. He’s hard to get out, plays great defense and at four different positions, so how can you not like that kind of guy?

"He keeps the team relaxed. He's a great player and leader. I see him bouncing off Wenatchee and going to a four-year. He's just a class young man."

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress