Loman ends successful run as Palmyra baseball coach

When the final out was made during Monday’s district semifinal game between Mark Twain and Palmyra, it not only signified an end to the Panthers’ season, but the end of Mark Loman’s stay as the program’s coach.
After eight seasons as Palmyra baseball coach, Loman will be joining Par Pitts as an assistant football coach next fall in Odessa.
“It’s been a great run here, not just in baseball but football, too,” said Loman, following Palmyra’s 6-4 loss to the Tigers. “My family’s loved the community so it’s going to be a bittersweet deal leaving. At the same time we’re looking forward to the opportunity (at Odessa).”
During his eight-year run, the Panthers played in five district championship games and won four of them. The program had its most successful run in 2003, going 21-1 and reaching the state quarterfinals before losing to eventual state champion, Valley Park.
“It would have been nice (to play for one more district title), but you can’t win them all,” said Loman. “A lot of different things happened to this ball club this year, but they came around at the end. You can’t look at the score, you’ve got to look at it as what did it teach the kids, coming together as a unit when the chips were down and everybody was counting us out completely… I’m proud of what this team has done.”
Loman also agreed that this year’s squad epitomized the last eight years of Panther baseball.
“Their motto is ‘scrappy’ and that was the name of (Monday’s game),” he said. “It could have gotten out of hand really quick but we made some great plays and our pitchers kept us in the game. Hopefully that tradition continues with this team – being a scrappy team. That’s the way I know baseball.”
Like many in the coaching profession, Loman’s move was also related to family and the desire to spend more time with those closest to him.
“I’ve got three little ones that are begging for my attention and a wife that’s a great gal, so it’s time – it’s their time. It’s time for me to be with them and coach them some,” he said. “Having the winter months off, between coaching football and baseball, it’s cold and you don’t get a chance to get outside and play with them and do those things. This is going to give me the opportunity to have the springtime for them. They’ll be someday probably that I’ll get back into it - maybe by the time they’re high school age.”