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Northwood baseball coach Ed Pikor Jr. died unexpectedly in his sleep Sept. 24 in his native Connecticut at the age of 56. Pikor coached the Gladiators baseball team the past three seasons, leading the squad to its first three varsity wins this past spring since the school re-opened in 2005.

"It came to everyone as a shock," said Northwood athletics director Marco Fuggitti. "When the principal told the kids the news [Thursday], a lot of them decided to go home for the day. A lot of them went up to the actual funeral [Monday]. Everybody is in shock and denial."

Pikor had lived in Rockville, but moved back to Connecticut this year to take on a teaching job with Our Lady of Assumption School in Fairfield, as he was unable to find a similar job in Montgomery County, according to Fuggitti. He had planned to come back and coach Northwood again this spring. Fuggitti said he had confirmed that decision about two weeks ago.

According to an obituary published on Stamfordadvocate.com, Pikor graduated from the University of New Haven (Conn.), where he was the captain of the baseball team and a member of the football team. After graduation, Pikor eventually became a pre-game instructor for the New York Mets and a player-coach in the Boston Red Sox organization. He also served as scouting stints for the Cleveland Indians and the Major League Scouting Bureau.

Pikor had two children, daughter Kimberly and son Todd.