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By Ron P. Coderre
Passenger rail service was terminated in northeastern Connecticut decades ago but if you’ve followed David Austin’s baseball coaching career, he’s made more dugout stops than the Metro North makes on its way to New York.
In an announcement last week word was that Austin was hired to assume the leadership of the Killingly Redmen baseball fortunes. The somewhat surprising news came following a successful stop for Austin at Marianapolis Prep School in Thompson, where he produced a winning program in his two seasons with the Golden Knights. He succeeds Mike Scrapchansky who lasted only one season in Killingly.
Regarded as one of the best baseball minds for miles around, Austin’s diamond sojourn can’t seem to find roots in any of the programs that he’s led in his career. His first opportunity as a varsity coach was at Putnam where he lasted for three seasons. Following a brief hiatus he emerged at Woodstock Academy, where his tenure once again lasted only three springs.
In Woodstock he took over a program that was in shambles. Despite always having talent the Centaurs were never able to produce a winning program. After going 4-76 in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Large Division for the three previous seasons, Austin immediately produced a winner.
In his initial season at the helm on Woodstock Hill he took the previously hapless Centaurs to a share of first place in the ECC Large and to three consecutive CIAC State Tournament appearances.
After taking another breather Austin ended up at Marianapolis where he took another program desperate for wins to new heights. In his brief stint with the Golden Knights his teams won back-to-back SENE titles.
It should also be noted that Austin has also had two stints as the manager of the TriTown American Legion Baseball program.
In moving to Killingly, Austin cited his reason as wanting to get back to the more competitive ranks of Eastern Connecticut Conference baseball.
As a player Austin enjoyed success as a lefthanded pitcher. In 1985 he formed a potent one-two mound combination with Rusty Greene, leading his alma mater Putnam High School to the only State championship in the history of Clipper baseball. Following his graduation from Putnam he moved on to Manchester Community College where he enjoyed baseball success but by his own admission never followed through in the classroom. He’s also one of the top pitchers to hurl for legendary coach Tom Auclair in the TriTown program.
Taking over a Killingly program that won only two games last season, there’s only one way for the Redmen under Austin to go and that is up. If his train can stay parked at the Killingly station for a while the odds are that the Redmen will soon enjoy a revamped, winning program under Austin.