Zac Pearman is entering his sixth season with the Lindenwood baseball staff for the 2021 season, and his third season as the associate head coach.
The Lindenwood baseball team had one of the best starts to a season in program history in 2020. The Lions jumped out to a 15-1 record, including a 3-0 mark in the GLVC before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lions dominated the 2020 season, as their 15 wins in 16 games were recognized with the No. 5 ranking at the conclusion of the season. Lindenwood was a scary team to face, as the pitching staff boasted a team ERA of 1.63. Led by Kyle Hentis and his 36 strikeouts, the team compiled 125 strikeouts from the bump. Lindenwood walked just 29 batters in 138 innings of work, and held its opposition to a .198 batting average. In his first outing of the year, Hentis set the new school record for strikeouts in a career.
The Lions accumulated 32 GLVC Academic All-Conference members, while earning seven 2019-20 GLVC Brother James Gaffney Distinguished Scholars. Bryce Beckmann was named the 2019-20 GLVC Scholar Athlete of the Year, while earning CoSIDA Academic All-District recognition. As a team, the Lions earned the 2019-20 GEICO Team Academic All-GLVC honors. Kolby Schulte was recognized as the GLVC James R. Spaulding Sportsmanship Award winner.
Pearman was named the associate head coach to start the 2019 season, and resumed his role as the pitching coach. Pearman helped place three Lions on the all-MIAA list, including Kyle Hentis who was named to the third-team all-MIAA.
Hentis was a quality arm for the Lions in 2019, as he posted a 3.47 ERA in his 85.2 innings pitched. Hentis struck out 80 batters and tallied two complete games, while going 3-5 in his 15 games pitched. Blake Beckmann and Eric Hipp were earned honorable-mention recognition as they were both key contributors to the Lions. Beckmann threw 78.2 innings and posted a 3.78 ERA, while striking out 73 batters. In his 15 games, Beckmann went 4-3 with one complete-game shutout during the regular season. Hipp registered a 1.68 ERA in his 21 appearances this year. Hipp compiled a 6-3 record with three saves in his 48.1 innings pitched.
Pearman returned to Lindenwood after spending the 2018 season on the baseball staff at Southeast Missouri State as a volunteer assistant coach.
In his first season as pitching coach in 2017, he helped the pitching staff drop its era by over a full point to 4.66. The pitching was one of the key reasons for the Lions winning 40 games, and capturing the MIAA Tournament and NCAA Division II Central Regional Championships. In 12 postseason games, the Lions gave up five or fewer runs in seven of them, including a shutout in the first round of the national championship tournament.
Pearman coached five all-conference players. Connor Law was a first-team all-MIAA reliever and finished the year eighth in the nation in saves. Brendan Feldmann was a second-team selection and led the MIAA in strikeouts. Blake Beckmann, Andrew Eilers, and Kyle Hentis were all honorable mention picks. Law also earned honorable mention all-region honors. Law and Feldmann both signed professional contracts from Major League organizations over the summer.
From 2015-16, Pearman was a graduate assistant coach for the Lions. He helped Lindenwood win 41 games over those two seasons.
Other coaching experience for Pearman includes being the pitching coach in 2016 for the Wisconsin Rapid Rafters of the Northwood League.
Pearman was one of the top baseball pitchers in Lindenwood history after playing for the Lions from 2011-14. He led or tied for the team-high in wins in three of his four seasons, and finished with 28 career victories. He pitched in over 372 innings and had a career ERA of 4.35. He struck out 152 batters during his career, while walking just 73.
In 2014, Pearman went 4-4 and was among the team's ERA leaders with a 4.78 mark. He started 11 games and appeared in 14. One of his top victories of his career came in his final outing when he threw a six-hit shutout against NCAA regional finalist Emporia State. Pearman also earned conference victories over Washburn and Fort Hays State.
As a junior, Pearman went 6-3 with a 5.93 ERA. Among his wins that year was over powerhouse Central Missouri in a 5-2 complete game victory. All six of his victories came in MIAA play.
In 2012, Pearman led a Lindenwood team that was beginning its transition to the NCAA with eight wins, and he had an ERA just under five. He was named a first-team All-ICAA after the season.
As a freshmen, Pearman came in and led Lindenwood with 10 wins. He ranked in the top-15 in the NAIA in wins and had an ERA of 4.31. Pearman struck out a career-best 51 batters that season.
Off the field, Pearman was a two-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and graduated Lindenwood with a degree in physical education.
