Apr 28, 2018 By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 6 min read

For years, David Lemley pretended to be Manny Ramirez when he stepped into the batter’s box. When the Bethel Park native started to replicate Josh Donaldson at the plate, however, his fortunes changed.

“What he does is beautiful,” said Lemley of the Toronto Blue Jays infielder. “Josh is a model of hitting for me. What he does is what I try to do and implement in my swing. So far, it’s worked out for me.”

Indeed, Lemley has embarked on a professional career. After signing a contract with the Beach Bums, he has reported to Traverse City for training camp. He will play for the Michigan-based club this summer in the independent Frontier Baseball League.

“I’m super excited,” Lemely said. “I really want to get up there and prove to myself that I belong in that league. I want to make an impact and make a name for myself.”

Once he refined his batting style, Lemley certainly etched his name in the annals of NCAA Division II. When he played for La Roche College, he led the Redhawks to a NCAA Mideast Regional Championship and to College World Series. Named Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference all-league two years in a row, he also smashed 21 homers to become the school’s all-time home run leader.

Lemley said he owes his successful college career to several things.

First, he transferred to La Roche after spending one year at Otterbein College in Columbus, Ohio.

“It’s a great school. Good competition, too,” Lemley said. “But for a first-time experience away from home, it was too far away for me. In the long run, the change helped me out.”

Indeed, at LaRoche College, Lemley met Chase Rowe and he changed everything about the 6-foot-6, 200-pound infielder’s approach to batting.

“I’ve always been a good hitter,” Lemley said. “I have good hand-eye coordination and a natural turn on the ball and I could put it out of the park. But, coach challenged me to be a better hitter. He told me this could be your key and I answered the call.”

Change did not come easy. Although Lemley answered the call to make adjustments to his swing, he struggled as a sophomore.

“I was pretty set in my own ways and thinking this guy can’t change my swing but I’ve always had a good attitude and worked hard. Then something clicked. Things took off.”

As a junior, Lemley shattered the single-season record for home runs with 12. He batted .341 with 55 RBI. By the end of his senior season, he owned the all-time career home run record at La Roche. He batted .408 with nine long balls, 20 doubles and 51 RBI as a senior.

“I always had a good eye for the strike zone but the big message (from my coach) was to not waste swings. Hit the one that you want to hit.”

So every time he got up to bat, Lemley went to the plate with a plan and he executed. A pure fastball hitter, he learned to hit a curve ball and he’s shown marked improvement against the change-up.

Since his father, Dave, introduced him to the game at an early age, Lemley has seldom missed an opportunity to play baseball.

“I fell in love with the game and couldn’t put it down,” explained the 23-year-old son of Cheryl Primonato.

In high school, Lemley was a two-year starter, leading Bethel Park to a section title and a 35-8 record. His senior season, he actually led Quad-A in the WPIAL in RBIs.

“David was one of the best hitters to come through our program in recent years,” said Hawks’ skipper Tony Fisher. “He also put together a Hall-of-Fame career at La Roche.

Before he left for the training camp, Lemley served as an assistant to Fisher, coaching hitters and infielders.

“The players on the team absolutely love him,” Fisher said. “He has such an incredible personality, and he is extremely knowledgeable on the finer points of hitting. I can’t wait for him to share with us all the things he learned after playing a season of pro ball.”

Lemley, who is 15 credits away from finishing up his degree in communications at La Roche, promises to return to Bethel Park as he says he owes a debt of gratitude to Fisher and the high school baseball program.

“Coach (Fisher) brought the best out of me for sure,” he said. “He’s really supported my career. He taught me the ins and outs of the game, the mental parts and understanding game situations. I am the player I am today because of him.”

Lemley is on the Traverse City roster because of Will Kengor. The Central Catholic product is a two-time Frontier League All-Star shortstop for the Beach Bums. Kengor recommended Lemley to manager Dan Rohn after watching him take batting practice at Bianco’s School of Baseball in Cecil Township.

“I happened to be at the right place at the right time,” explained Lemley of the chance encounter with Kengor. “Will asked me for my information and stats and he’d said ‘we’ll see if we can find a spot for you.’ The manager must have liked what he saw because I was drafted.”

Next to playing in the College World Series and slugging three home runs in one game in an upset win against No. 2 ranked Randolph-Macon, April 4 ranks as one of the best days in Lemley’s baseball life.

“To get picked up (by a team) is the greatest feeling because being a professional baseball player is still a dream. Will’s recommendation went a long way. It got me here.”

Now, Lemley is looking to make more memories with the Beach Bums, who will visit Washington, June 5-7 and 19-21 to battle the Wild Things in two, three-game series.

“I want to help make the team better and I want to show that just because I’m from a small school, doesn’t mean I can’t play.”

It has been a year, however, since Lemley has played baseball. He said that he did not play either in the Federation or Daily News Leagues locally last summer because the competition wouldn’t help him much. However, he is hardly apprehensive about the extended layoff from the game.

“I’m not nervous because I know I can adjust quickly,” he said. “It’s just going to be a confidence thing until I can catch up.

“But, I am really excited to put the uniform back on. I miss competing. I live for those close moments in the bottom of the ninth inning. It’s about being the best I can be; about staying focused and remaining hungry.”

For Lemley, whether that brings a Major League Baseball contract remains to be seen. Right now, however, it’s enough.

“If I go no farther, at least I tried. I gave it all I got,” Lemley said. “I’m going to play as long as I can. When someone says I don’t have it anymore, when someone doesn’t want me anymore, that’s the day I walk away.”