Cal Lutheran conducted a national search to lead its prestigious national championship baseball program and found the ideal candidate in its own dugout. Long-time assistant coach Erik Scherer has been promoted to Head Coach of the Kingsmen baseball program. Scherer played a critical role in the program's 2017 National Championship and its consistent success.
"I am grateful and honored that Cal Lutheran has selected me to be the head baseball coach," Scherer said. "I was fortunate to be part of Coach Slimak's staff and know that the lessons of his leadership will serve me well going forward. I'm proud of the success the program has had over the years, and I look forward to the challenge of sustaining those highest standards of achievement, as we work tirelessly to help our players reach their full potential as citizens, students, and athletes. We are excited for the opportunity of not only competing in the SCIAC, one of the toughest NCAA Division III baseball conferences in the nation but on the regional and national level as well."
"We could not be more excited to name Erik as Cal Lutheran's Head Baseball Coach," said Director of Athletics Howard Davis. "Erik's national championship pedigree and terrific service to the university over two decades have earned him universal respect on the field and in our athletic department. We are excited about the future of Kingsmen baseball under Coach Scherer's leadership."
Scherer played for the program from 1992-95 and was named an assistant coach in 2000. He has been instrumental to the Kingsmen's success and as the Acting Head Coach a year ago, he led the team to a second straight Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament Championship.
Scherer took over at the helm in February 2023 and guided the Kingsmen to a 29-16 (16-8 SCIAC) season. As the No. 4 seed, the Kingsmen swept through the SCIAC Tournament and into the NCAA Tournament, where they finished one game shy of playing for a regional championship.
With Scherer on staff, the Kingsmen have made nine NCAA West Regional appearances, won seven regular season SCIAC titles, and have appeared in ten SCIAC Tournaments, winning six SCIAC Championships.
Scherer's time at Cal Lutheran can easily be highlighted by the run to the 2017 National Championship, with four members of the pitching staff earning post-season honors.
Since 2000, Cal Lutheran has seen 11 players (6 pitchers) drafted by Major League Baseball organizations and has won 30-plus games eight times, capped off by a 40-win campaign in 2017. Under his tutelage, three pitchers earned all-American honors, and seventeen were selected all-West Region. Eighteen pitchers have received All-SCIAC First Team honors, with another 21 earning All-SCIAC Second Team awards.
Scherer takes over for Marty Slimak who said the program is in great hands.
"Erik is a Cal Lutheran alumnus," Slimak said. "He has played in this program as a student-athlete and has been a part of the winning system for over 20 years. He will continue the success of the baseball program and continue to keep our baseball alumni in the fraternity of the Purple and Gold."
Scherer was a member of the CLU baseball program from 1992 through 1995, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science (Magna Cum Laude) in 1995. In addition, he earned a Master's in Physical Education from Azusa Pacific University in 2000. Erik resides in Valencia with his wife, Nicole. They have five children and two grandchildren.