He played three seasons at Auburn, earning third-team All America honors as a junior in 1999. He went 29-9 and remains among the school's top 10 in strikeouts, wins, games started and innings pitched.
``It is truly a sad day for me personally and for the Auburn baseball family with the loss of Brent,” former Auburn baseball coach Hal Baird said. “While we were well aware of his recent struggles, never the less, it’s a stunner to lose someone like Brent. The courage he demonstrated as player at Auburn was also relative the way he fought this battle. It’s no coincidence that his three years at Auburn was arguably the best three-year period in the history of the program. Brent will be missed those that he touched and I’m very honored to have coached a person of his character.”
Jay G note: People sometimes ask me about the best game I ever covered. I always say it was Game Two of the 1999 Super Regional at Florida State. Schoening started that game and was better than an outstanding Seminoles team. That lineup included future major leaguers Matt Diaz, John-Ford Griffin and Marshall McDougall.
Schoening finally ran out of gas in the ninth inning after 137 pitches. It was the grittiest pitching performance I've ever seen with these eyes. Auburn later lost the game because of an error and bullpen troubles, but I'll never forget how valiantly Schoening performed that day.
I get awkward looks with that answer. People expect an Iron Bowl or something. I can't really say why I was so engrossed that June evening in Tallahassee. FSU was so much better and Schoening kept making the right pitch. It was a confluence of stuff, location, Baird's permissiveness (that's a lot of pitches for a 21-year-old kid) and Schoening's intense desire to somehow get Auburn into the final.
Photo credit: Auburn University
No good substance for this note.
ReplyDeleteSubstance, but tragic...RIP
ReplyDeletePrayers to the Schoening family.
ReplyDeleteLife is but a vapor.
Jay G thanks for the insite on how good he was I am sorry for the family and will pray for them
ReplyDeleteThanks for this information. MrsTHT and I will be praying for his family.
ReplyDeleteHe loved LSU, too, and often wore a real tall LSU hat around the baseball facility.
ReplyDeletePeople would kid him about it but he didn't care. He loved LSU until he had to pitch against them. Then his allegiance turned.
Schoening had LSU beat that year, but Colter Bean blew it ... just as he did in Tallahasse a few months later.
ReplyDeletePrayers for his family..
ReplyDeleteSuch a terrible disease.
My hope is that in our lifetime we find a cure for all forms of this disease.
I was at Auburn during his time, frequented baseball games and remember him well. My prayers go out to his family.
ReplyDeleterespect.
ReplyDeleteSo sad....so young.
ReplyDeleteI hate to hear this, sad day.
ReplyDeleteSad day for his family and the Auburn family... may he RIP.
ReplyDeletesad.
ReplyDeleteDeath is tragic, but never more so when it is the death of someone so young. While I am not a baseball fan, I am a fan of outstanding character so it seems I can count myself a fan of Brent's. May his family and friends find peace during this difficult time.
ReplyDeleteI did not know him, but he was an Auburn man so I knew him. Such a tragic loss at such an early age. I can't imagine how his family feels at this moment. My thoughts, my prayers go out to them. I have 2 sons older than Brent. I know that if something of this nature were to attack their health and happiness, I would be devastated. I have always been told that if you are good in life, that when you die, you will go to Auburn. Brent is home.
ReplyDeleteGood night all, I will say a prayer for all of us tonight, especially the Schoening family.
ReplyDeleteSo sad to lose one so young.
ReplyDeleteFootball news: Aubrey Phillips is still undergoing medical testing and has not been cleared to practice yet. He was at Fan Day today signing autographs. He is expected to be cleared but it is unknown how long it will be.
ReplyDeletei was at that '99 Super Regional. Brent was a cool guy. i had forgotten he had gotten sick. RIP.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great story about Brent, Jay G. I am too young to know about him, but I love baseball and he sounded like fighter. We definitely need more Brent's in the world.
ReplyDeleteRIP
ReplyDeleteGood morning Hotties.
ReplyDeleteToday is DAVE BECK DAY. I'll leave the details with JayGT. I'm off to prison. Y'all have a blessed day.
A little more perspective ,,,it is easy to get wrapped up in the x’s and o’s while others fight bigger battles…
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV2r42l6sQo
keep it in perspective.
DL,
ReplyDeleteWow. Thanks for the reminder that while we love Auburn football and can get so caught up in it, it is, after all, a game. There are people facing life and death struggles. What an awesome reminder in this young man's story.
Respect.
ReplyDeleteVery poignant story. Jay, thank you for sharing your personal feelings and filling in the story behind the story.
ReplyDeleteMy heartfelt prayers go out to the Brent Schoening family.
ReplyDeleteMay God surround them with his love and carries them through this trying time.