From the day Jud Thigpen stepped on the Pillow Academy campus more than five years ago, the PA coach knew he had a ball player in Lake Giachelli.
“He plays the game the right way and has since I first met him,” said the fifth-year Mustang head coach. “And by that, I mean he plays the game hard, and he makes people around him better. He is one of those rare leaders who leads by example and vocally.”
Giachelli recently wrapped up a stellar career for the Mustangs and has been named the Greenwood Commonwealth’s 2019 Player of the Year in baseball.
Giachelli, also a star football player at PA, finished this season with a team-high 18 RBIs while hitting .375 with a team-best eight doubles. He also ranked second in on-base percentage at .487.
He played catcher and infield during his career, in which he was a five-year starter.
Giachelli was also the Mustangs’ ace pitcher with a 5-3 mark and one save. He had a team-low 3.3 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 26 walks for Pillow, which finished the year at 11-9-1 after falling in the first round of the State AAAA, Division II playoffs.
What he meant to his team can’t be explained by just numbers, Thigpen said.
This, Thigpen explained, is why: “His leadership has really set a standard for future seniors to follow here. He treats all players, no matter their age, equally. He is never ‘too good’ for anybody. His leadership will be missed, but hopefully others will follow in his footsteps.”
Giacehelli was a first-team All-North AAAA, Division II selection.
