By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

St. Charles Catholic pitcher/shortstop Marc Picciola gave up his prep football career to concentrate on a promising baseball career. His dedication to the diamond is paying dividends.

Picciola, a senior, recently committed to attend Louisiana Tech where he will continue his baseball career.

“I went on a visit and the coaches made me feel at home,” said Picciola.

“I really like the campus. And I think it will really fit me as a player, so I felt it was the right decision.”

Picciola earned All-State honors at second base as a freshman and a sophomore and has become a frontline starter for the Comets on the mound.

He tore his ACL late in football season while quarterbacking the Comets as a junior. He successfully rehabbed his knee in time for baseball season, and returned to go 4-0 on the mound with a scant 0.46 ERA over 30 innings. He also struck out 33 batters.

In 2008, he hit .380 as a sophomore, while going 5-0 on the mound with a 0.50 ERA and three postseason victories.

Comets coach Paul Waguespack says that “the sky is the limit” for his ace.

“I just know this: he’s a winner,” says Waguespack. “He’s become so much better on the mound. He’s real solid in every aspect, and I think he’ll make a real strong college player.”

Waguespack also said that the decision should serve to take the pressure off of Picciola in his senior season.

“It won’t be a distraction. This should help him,” Waguespack says.

Picciola, who seeks to become an engineer, says it’s been a dream to play baseball at the Division I level.

Now, it will realized. It just hasn’t hit him yet.

“Honestly, I’m not really thinking about it,” said Picciola. “I’m getting ready for the high school season. I know when I’m getting ready to go up there next year, though, it’ll finally hit me.”