Tom Marker steps away from Orange baseball after seven winning seasons

After seven winning seasons and two trips to the Division I state tournament, Tom Marker has stepped down as Olentangy Orange baseball coach to focus on teaching.

Marker, 45, submitted his resignation to athletic director Andre Nash on Aug. 6. Marker is a sixth-grade math teacher at Olentangy Berlin Middle School, a position he has held since the school opened in 2023.

“I would love to coach again, but given my current position and how much I appreciate and respect the Berlin Middle School administration, I need to put more energy and effort into my teaching, and that doesn’t allow me to give our baseball guys what they deserve from a time and energy perspective,” Marker said. “I love teaching in Olentangy and that’s the most important part.”

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Orange went 158-53 in those seven seasons under Marker. The Pioneers were 24-6 this spring, losing 5-0 to eventual champion Cincinnati St. Xavier in a state semifinal.

“Our parents are unreal; our kids are unreal,” Marker said. “A lot of people are getting out of this [coaching] profession because they say the parents are crazy. Our parents are so supportive. I have no gripes about our baseball program. The facilities are great. The support is unreal.

“My assistant coaches are my best friends. I don’t know how many coaching staffs can say they’ve been the same coaching staff since I started there. That part stinks. I’m going to miss the coaching staff.”

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The 1999 Steubenville graduate also had success at his previous stints, going 76-48 at Upper Arlington (2015-18), 82-61 at Bexley (2010-14) and 40-30 at Independence (2006-08).

He has had just two losing seasons, finishing 13-17 in 2011 and 12-16 in 2012 at Bexley. The 2020 season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marker, who also was the pitching coach at Grove City in 2009, succeeded Phil Callaghan at Orange. Callaghan went 173-56 in eight seasons with a state tournament berth in 2017.

“The standard is not going to change,” Marker said. “Whoever is lucky enough to land in that position, they’re going to be in a good position regardless.”

Nash said Marker “has made an extraordinary impact on Orange baseball, the Orange community and the Olentangy Local School District.”

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Marker has mentored several talented players, including 2023 Orange graduate Charlie Scholvin, who went on to play at Toledo and was selected in the 15th round of the 2026 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins. The shortstop signed his rookie deal and reported to the team’s facility in Fort Myers, Florida, on July 19.

Scholvin’s brother, Maverick, helped Orange reach state this spring as a junior. He has committed to Bowling Green.

“He’s been my mentor for three years now,” Maverick said of Marker. “He’s taught me a lot of what I know about the game, a lot of different situations. The way he thinks about the game is top-notch and the way that he pours it back into us is going to be missed a lot.”

Marker previously taught at Whitehall-Yearling (2004-09), Bexley Middle School (2010-14), UA (2015-17) and Orange Middle School (2018-22).

High school sports reporter Frank DiRenna can be reached at fdirenna@dispatch.com and at@DispatchFrank on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Tom Marker steps away from Orange baseball after seven winning seasons