Scott Baerns was a four-year starter at second base for the Tennessee Tech baseball team, stacking up records and accolades in the process, and helping fellow 2005 Hall of Fame inductee Coach David Mays return Golden Eagle baseball to the top of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Baerns came to Cookeville by way of Maryville High School in Blount County, Tennessee. Once at TTU, he played in 38 games as a freshman in 1985, exhibiting smooth defensive play and batting a dependable .282 at the plate. Baerns racked up six doubles, a team-leading four triples, and two homeruns that season.

The next year, he helped the Golden Eagles to a then school record 35-17 record and an OVC Southern Division Crown, and in 1987, Baerns hit .313 and drove in 29 runs as a junior, adding 15 stolen bases in 16 tries.

Baerns’ senior season in 1988 was one of the greatest individual campaigns in Tennessee Tech baseball history. Through 53 games, the fourth-year starter posted a batting average of .476 with 33 stolen bases, both of which led the Ohio Valley Conference. He also set school single-season records in six different categories, including at bats (187), most games (53), most runs (76), most hits (89), most total bases (133) and batting average (.476).

In a road contest against Tennessee State that season, Baerns was able to break a 32-year-old school record by scoring five runs in a single game.

Baerns’ outstanding play earned him recognition as the National Player of the Year and winner of the George Trautman Trophy, picked annually by Phi Delta Theta. In addition to that award, Baerns was selected to the Converse-ABCA All-America team, chosen by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

He was also named to the 1988 Southern Division All-OVC baseball team.