College baseball: Marist hires former assistant Ratchford
Marist College has turned to a former assistant coach for its seventh baseball head coach in program history.
Lance Ratchford served three seasons (2016-18) under Chris Tracz, who recently left Marist to become head coach for Army. Ratchford had a hand in developing seven all-Metro Atlantic players during his Marist tenure and helped the Red Foxes to a 2017 MAAC title and berth in the NCAA tournament.
“We are very pleased to welcome Lance and his family back to the Marist community,’’ said athletic director Tim Murray.
Ratchford spent the last four seasons with SUNY Cobleskill, earning the school’s first consecutive North Atlantic Conference championships in 2021 and 2022 and posting a 60-56 overall record. In 2022, the Tigers were 21-20 (11-4 NAC) with his players earning player, pitcher and rookie of the year honors and Ratchford tabbed coach of the year.
“This is a dream come true for me and my family and I’m so grateful to be the next head baseball coach at Marist College,” Ratchford said. “This is an incredible opportunity. … I’m excited to get to work and continue the long tradition of success this program is known for. During my time here at Marist we were able to build and do some special things, and I’m so grateful to be back. This is a special campus and we are so happy to be part of this family.”
Ratchford is a native of Oneonta. He played three seasons for Mansfield University and one at Keystone, hitting .339 for a team that advanced to the NCAA Div. III World Series.
Ratchford also has valuable coaching experience in summer collegiate leagues. He was an assistant for the Oneonta Outlaws of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League from 2012-14. He spent the last two seasons with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Marist had 37 players earn MAAC all-academic honors during Ratchford’s three years.
In Tracz’s final season. the Red Foxes finished second in the MAAC in 2022 at 17-5 and 29-17 overall.
Marist joined the NCAA Division I baseball ranks in 1992. Past head coaches include the late Art Smith (1992-95), John Szefc (1996-2002), Jim Tyrrell (2003), Joe Raccuia (2004-05), Dennis Healy (2006-09) and Tracz (2010-22).
Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Oneonta native Lance Ratchford new Marist baseball head coach
