Baseball: Kurt Schwengel is replaced at Santa Monica
Kurt Schwengel, who guided Santa Monica to a 48-15 record the past two baseball seasons as head coach, has been replaced by Loren Drake, a science instructor at the school.
In a message sent out to baseball families, House Principal Elias Miles said, “In order to provide even better support for our baseball players and create a more efficient and effective coordination of services for our baseball program, we are moving to having school-based head and assistant coaches.
“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Coach Kurt Schwengel for his tireless service and, as an alumnus of our school, his deep love for Samohi and its baseball team.”
Schwengel and the program were part of a controversial playoff decision in which Peninsula was forced to forfeit a win over Santa Monica after Schwengel protested that Peninsula held illegal batting practice with Wiffle balls.
Schwengel teaches at an elementary school.
“The new coach is inheriting an incredible group of players, and I wish the team continued success,” Schwengel wrote in an email.
Schwengel is coaching in the City-Southern Section all-star game on Saturday at West L.A. College.
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