(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 19)—McKendree University baseball coach Jim Boehne has announced that former major league star Kirk Rueter will join the Bearcats' coaching staff for the 2014 season. Rueter will work with the McKendree pitching staff as the team enters its first full year as NCAA Division II members.
 
"We are extremely excited that Kirk has agreed to join our baseball program," said Boehne. "He has been a friend of the program for years, so he has seen the growth of our team during our transition to (NCAA) Division II. Kirk has a wealth of knowledge about the art of pitching, and it will be great for him to share that knowledge with our players. From being around Kirk, you can tell that he still loves the game of baseball and our players can feel that energy. They respond to him, and can benefit greatly not only from his knowledge of the game, but the experiences he went through to get to the top of his profession."
 
Rueter, a left-handed pitcher, spent 13 years in the major leagues. The Hoyleton, Ill., native broke in with the Montreal Expos in 1993 and spent parts of four seasons with the organization before being traded to the San Francisco Giants during the 1996 campaign. During his 10 seasons with San Francisco Rueter amassed 105 victories, a mark that makes him the all-time wins leader for a left-hander in the long, rich history of the Giants' organization. Rueter appeared in the post-season three times with San Francisco and started Game 4 of the 2002 World Series.
 
For his career, Rueter compiled an overall record of 130-92. He reached double figures in the wins column seven consecutive years, which included a career-high 16 victories in 1998.
 
"I'm really thankful to Coach Boehne for asking me to be a part of the McKendree baseball program," said Rueter. "He has built a successful program over the years, and this team is set to do even bigger things at the Division II level. I'm a rookie when it comes to coaching, but I will do everything I can to help the Bearcats succeed in 2014. I've had some wonderful coaches across the game of baseball who have taught me so many things, and I want to be able to share that with these players. I can't wait to jump in and get started."
 
At McKendree, Rueter will get a chance to work with a staff that includes six southpaws who are in either their freshman or sophomore seasons with the Bearcats. That group of left-handers includes sophomore Sam Lidisky (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic), who led the staff with six victories as a freshman in 2013, and sophomore Josh Tonozzi (Mark, IL/Putnam County), who picked up a team-leading three saves a year ago and tied for second in wins with four.
 
McKendree finished the 2013 season with an overall record of 23-23. The Bearcats were 17-19 in their first year as Great Lakes Valley Conference members last season. McKendree is scheduled to open its 2014 season on Tuesday, Feb. 25 with a home game against Harris-Stowe State University. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Hypes Field.