Former Auburn Baseball player passed away

[AUSportTalk 4]

Former Auburn pitcher Brent Schoening passed away Sunday morning

after a lengthy battle with leukemia.  Schoening, 31, was a three-year

letterwinner at Auburn, earning All-Southeastern Conference and

third-team All-America honors as a junior while helping lead the program

to an NCAA Super Regional appearance that season.

In his three-year career, Schoening posted a 29-9 record with a 4.02

earned run average. The Columbus, Ga., native is third all-time in

school-history in strikeouts (327), fifth in victories (29), sixth in

games started (52), and eighth in innings pitched (325).

“It is truly a sad day for me personally and for the Auburn baseball

family with the loss of Brent,” said former Auburn baseball coach Hal

Baird. “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.”

As a junior in 1999, Schoening was named a Collegiate Baseball

third-team All-American, after posting of the best single seasons by a

pitcher in Auburn history. He was among the tops of the Southeastern

Conference in nearly every statistical category, finishing tied for

first league in wins (13), second in innings pitched (138.1), third in

strikeouts (151) and fourth in earned run average (3.32).

Schoening’s Auburn career resulted in the most successful three-year

span in terms of wins in the program’s history. From 1997-99, Auburn

won 142 games, reaching the College World Series in 1997, winning an SEC

Tournament title in 1998 and advancing to NCAA Super Regionals in 1999.

Schoening was a fifth-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins in 1999

and spent seven seasons in the minor leagues, concluding his career in

2005 with the Rochester Red Wings, the AAA affiliate of the Twins.

Born on April 7, 1978, in Baton Rouge, La., Schoening was a two-time

Georgia 3A Player of the Year at Columbus High School, leading the

school to a state title in 1996.  He is survived by his wife Lauren,

parents Ed and Elizabeth Schoening and sisters, Julia and Jennifer.

A friend of his wrote a piece in his blog about him today. It is very good and I encourage everyone to read it.

THE ROCKET

[DJ_Hatch 0]

R.I.P. Brent! One the greats to ever put on the Orange and Blue uniform! God Bless his family!

[Jackson-Sullivan 0]

May the Lord be with Brent's family, friends, and loved ones.  I grew up with a girl that is very good friends with him and have heard so much great stuff about him.  He will be missed.

[AUfocker13 0]

I had the privilege of knowing Brent while at Auburn.  He was a first class competitor on the field and an even better person off.  He will be missed for sure!  Our prayers are with his family in this tough time.  God took a good one from us this week!