Homers fly, especially for Hanover’s Christie, Indiana Wesleyan’s Salmon

By STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Several players doubled down on power during the Indiana college baseball week of Feb. 28-March 6.
NCAA Division III Hanover’s Alex Christie (Center Grove High School graduate) knocked five home runs for the week — two against Purchase and one each against Mary Washington, Kean and Neumann — in Myrtle Beach, S.C. It was Christie’s first five homers of the 2022 season.
Also lofting five homers was NAIA Indiana Wesleyan’s Evan Salmon — two homers in Game 1 and one in Game 2 against Cleary and one apiece in Games 3 and 4 against Spring Arbor.
IWU’s Zach Rabe clouted two in Game 1 against Cleary and two in Game 3 against Spring Arbor. Salmon has eight homers in ’22 and Rabe four.
NCAA D-I’s Ball State’s Trenton Quartermaine socked four home runs for the week — one against Coastal Carolina, one in Game 1 against Florida A&M and two in Game 2 against Florida A&M. Quartermaine’s season total for circuit clouts is five.
NAIA Indiana Southeast’s Trevor Campbell homered twice against Lindsey Wilson and once each in Games 1 and 3 against Northwestern Ohio. Ray Aponte smacked homers against Lindsey Wilson and Northwestern Ohio (Games 1 and 3).
NCAA D-III Franklin’s Logan Demkovich (Munster) homered in all three games against Hope while Noah Wood (Indianapolis Lutheran) produced big flies in Games 1 and 2.
Purdue’s Cam Thompson cracked a walk-off homer as Purdue (12-0) topped Longwood 6-5 in 11 innings in Game 3 of the series. The Boilermakers continue to enjoy the best start in program history. Thompson has two homers in ’22.
Indiana’s Brock Tibbitts (New Albany) rapped two homers against Miami (Ohio) while teammates Matthew Ellis (Miami and Game 2 vs. Missouri State) and Homestead graduate Carter Mathison (Games 1 and 3 vs. Missouri State) also enjoyed two-homer weeks. Ellis has five dingers on the year while Tibbitts and Mathison (the 2021 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Player of the Year) have two each.
Butler’s Aaron Steinhart went deep twice against Northern Kentucky. The blasts were his first two of ’22.
Evansville’s Tanner Craig (Austin) cranked homers against Kentucky, Ohio (Game 1) and Illinois-Chicago (Game 2). He has six homers on the season.
At 5-3, Valparaiso is off to its best eight-game start since 1999.
NCAA D-II University of Indianapolis third baseman Armen Torosian homered in Games 2 and 3 against Wayne State, raising his season total to three.
Purdue Northwest finally opened its season and went 3-1 in a series at Southwest Baptist.
Anderson’s Tyler Smitherman (Westfield) bashed two homers in Game 1 against St. Norbert, doubling his season HR tally.
Earlham’s Christian Lancianese homered twice in Game 2 against Wilmington. Nathan Lancianese homered once in Game 3 of the series. They were the season’s first bombs for both players.
Manchester’s Brady Perez (Rochester) ahieved lift-off in Games 2 and 4 against Kalamazoo, raising his season HR mark to five.
Rose-Hulman’s Shane Garner (Sullivan) rapped his first two homers of ’22 in Game 1 against Saint Mary’s (Minn.) and Dubuque.
NAIA Saint Francis freshman Sam Pesa (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger) homered in Games 1 and 3 against Huntington. His grand slam in Game 1 was part of a 13-run fifth inning. Pesa has a team-best five homers in ’22.
Goshen’s Peyton Smith (Daleville) homered in Games 3 and 4 against Grace. He has three homers on the season.
It wasn’t all about slugging.
NAIA Indiana University Kokomo posted three shutouts against visiting Ohio Christian — 5-0, 10-0 and 1-0. Owen Callaghan (Hamilton Southeastern), Lucas Letsinger (Hamilton Heights), Ben Harris (Northwestern), J.T. Holton (Clinton Central) and Ryan Beck (Mt. Vernon of Fortville) combined for 18 strikeouts and six walks over 23 innings.
Indiana University South Bend beat Concordia (Neb. 1) 2-1 in Game 2 in Auburndale, Fla., without a hit. Nolan Unger’s second-inning groundout drove in Coby Campbell with the first run and Jake Dykstra (Lake Central) scored on a seventh-inning wild pitch. The Titans have won four straight.
Crown Point graduate Josh Hoogewerf (9 K’s, 0 BB, 7 IP) and New Prairie alum Noah Brettin (2 K’s, 0 BB, 1 IP) combined on a 1-hitter as NCAA D-III Trine beat John Carroll 1-0 in the first game of a doubleheader in Lake Myrtle, Fla.
Dalton Nikirk (Bedford North Lawrence) delivered the walk-off RBI single to plate Easton Rhodes (DeKalb) for the Thunder.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL
Records Through March 6

NCAA D-I
Purdue 12-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
Notre Dame 8-1 (0-0 ACC)
Indiana State 6-4 (0-0 MVC)
Valparaiso 5-3 (0-0 MVC)
Butler 5-6 (0-0 Big East)
Ball State 5-7 (0-0 MAC)
Indiana 4-6 (0-0 Big Ten)
Evansville 3-9 (0-0 MVC)
Purdue Fort Wayne 0-11 (0-0 Horizon)

NCAA D-II
Southern Indiana 6-3 (0-0 GLVC)
Indianapolis 4-6 (0-0 GLVC)
Purdue Northwest 3-1 (0-0 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III
Earlham 5-1 (0-0 HCAC)
Franklin 4-2 (0-0 HCAC)
Anderson 4-4 (0-0 HCAC)
DePauw 4-4 (0-0 NCA
Wabash 3-1 (0-0 NCAC)
Rose-Hulman 3-3 (0-0 HCAC)
Trine 2-3 (0-0 MIAA)
Hanover 2-6 (0-0 HCAC)
Manchester 0-7 (0-0 HCAC)

NAIA
Oakland City 13-5 (2-1 RSC)
Saint Francis 12-6 (2-2 CL)
Taylor 12-7 (3-1 CL)
Grace 9-8 (3-1 CL)
Marian 9-9 (1-3 CL)
Indiana University-Kokomo 8-6 (3-0 RSC)
Indiana University Southeast 8-7 (0-0 RSC)
Indiana Wesleyan 7-9 (3-1 CL)
Bethel 7-13 (1-3 CL)
Indiana Tech 5-6 (0-0 WHAC)
Indiana University South Bend 6-8 (0-0 CCAC)
Huntington 4-8 (2-2 CL)
Calumet of Saint Joseph 4-6 (0-0 CCAC)
Goshen 4-10 (1-3 CL)

Junior College
Vincennes 5-9 (0-0 MWAC)
Ivy Tech Northeast 3-2 (0-0 NJCAA XII)
Marian’s Ancilla 1-13 (0-0 MCCAA)

Week of Feb. 28-March 6
NCAA D-I
Monday, Feb. 28
Coastal Carolina 9, Ball State 6

Tuesday, March 1
Northern Kentucky 13, Butler 8
Indiana 15, Miami (Ohio) 2

Wednesday, March 2
Butler 5, Manchester 2
Kentucky 5, Evansville 4
Purdue 6, Charlotte 2

Friday, March 4
Ball State 6, Florida A&M 3
Jacksonville 4, Butler 1
Evansville 4, llinois-Chicago 2
Notre Dame 6, Illinois 1
Purdue 6, Longwood 1
Tennessee Tech 13, Purdue Fort Wayne 4
Missouri State 9, Indiana 7
East Carolina 5, Indiana State 4
Valparaiso 4, Omaha 2
Omaha 9, Valparaiso 2

Saturday, March 5
Ball State 7, Florida A&M 4
Ball State 6, Florida A&M 1
Jacksonville 11, Butler 3
Evansville 12, Ohio 5
Illinois-Chicago 7, Evansville 5
Notre Dame 2, Michigan 1
Purdue 6, Longwood 5 (13 inn.)
Tennessee Tech 7, Purdue Fort Wayne 1
Indiana 12, Missouri State 3
Maryland 10, Indiana State 4
Valparaiso 7, Omaha 5

Sunday, March 6
Florida A&M 5, Ball State 3
Butler 7, Jacksonville 3
Ohio 6, Evansville 4
Indiana State 6, Michigan 5
Purdue 6, Longwood 5 (11 inn.)
Tennessee Tech 15, Purdue Fort Wayne 7
Indiana vs. Missouri State
Indiana State vs. Michigan
Notre Dame 3, Minnesota 1

NCAA D-II
Monday, Feb. 28
Lake Erie 6, Southern Indiana 3

Friday, March 4
Indianapolis 5, Wayne State 3
Southwest Baptist 7, Purdue Northwest 4
Purdue Northwest 5, Southwest Baptist 0
Southern Indiana 11, Trevecca Nazarene 3

Saturday, March 5
Wayne State 13, Indianapolis 2
Wayne State 26, Indianapolis 11
Purdue Northwest 7, Southwest Baptist 2
Trevecca Nazarene 9, Southern Indiana 4
Trevecca Nazarene 15, Southern Indiana 3

Sunday, March 6
Wayne State 13, Indianapolis 3
Purdue Northwest 6, Southwest Baptist 5

NCAA D-III
Monday, Feb. 28
Rose-Hulman 8, Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 5

Tuesday, March 1
Christopher Newport 10, Hanover 6
Cabrini 9, Hanover 5 (11 inn.)

Wednesday, March 2
Butler 5, Manchester 2
Mary Washington 13, Hanover 5
Grove City 2, Rose-Hulman 0

Thursday, March 3
Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 16, Rose-Hulman 7
Hanover 19, Purchase 6

Friday, March 4
Wilmington 9, Earlham 8
Hope 14, Franklin 13
Dubuque 9, Rose-Hulman 7
Kean 9, Hanover 5
Hendrix 14, DePauw 7

Saturday, March 5
Earlham 19, Wilmington 9
Franklin 18, Hope 6
Hope 27, Franklin 7
Hanover 11, Neumann 3
Anderson 11, St. Norbert 4
Anderson 20, St. Norbert 11
Kalamazoo 19, Manchester 6
Kalamazoo 13, Manchester 5
DePauw 9, Hendrix 6
Hendrix 8, DePauw 6
Aurora 9, Wabash 8 (10 inn.)
Wabash 16, Aurora 3

Sunday, March 6
Anderson 6, St. Norbert 2
Earlham 12, Wilmington 11
Kalamazoo 15, Manchester 1
Kalamazoo 8, Manchester 6
Trine 1, John Carroll 0 (8 inn.)
John Carroll 15, Trine 0

NAIA
Monday, Feb. 28
Spring Arbor 9, Goshen 2
Spring Arbor 3, Goshen 0

Tuesday, March 1
Calumet of St. Joseph 19, Lincoln Christian 1
Calumet of St. Joseph 8, Lincoln Christian 0 (suspended in 3rd to April 11)
Grace 12, IU South Bend 7

Wednesday, March 2
Indiana Wesleyan 17, Cleary 8
Cleary 11, Indiana Wesleyan 2
IU Southeast 16, Lindsey Wilson 2

Friday, March 4
Brewton-Parker 20, Calumet of St. Joseph 4
Saint Francis 14, Huntington 9
Huntington 6, Saint Francis 1
Bethel 9, Mt. Vernon Nazarene 6
Mt. Vernon Nazarene 13, Bethel 0
Grace 6, Goshen 2
Goshen 1, Grace 0
Spring Arbor 2, Indiana Wesleyan 1
Indiana Wesleyan 7, Spring Arbor 6
Taylor 8, Marian 1
Taylor 5, Marian 1
IU Kokomo 5, Ohio Christian 0
Oakland City 4, West Virginia Tech 2

Saturday, March 5
Calumet of St. Joseph 6, Brewton-Parker 4
Brewton-Parker 12, Calumet of St. Joseph 11
Huntington 6, Saint Francis 5
Saint Francis 6, Huntington 1
Bethel 9, Mt. Nazarene 6
Mt. Vernon Nazarene 5, Bethel 2
Mt. Vernon Nazarene 5, Bethel 3
Grace 16, Goshen 12
Grace 13, Goshen 11
Indiana Wesleyan 26, Spring Arbor 1
Indiana Wesleyan 19, Spring Arbor 18
Marian 20, Taylor 10 (8 inn.)
Taylor 12, Marian 10
IU Kokomo 10, Ohio Christian 0
IU Kokomo 1, Ohio Christian 0
Oakland 11, West Virginia Tech 10 (11 inn.)
Oakland 7, West Virginia Tech 6
IU Southeast 26, Northwestern Ohio 12
Northwestern Ohio 3, IU Southeast 2
IU South Bend 20, Michigan-Dearborn 5
IU South Bend 13, Michigan-Dearborn 9

Sunday, March 6
IU Southeast 11, Northwestern Ohio 8
IU South Bend 8, Concorida (Neb.) 7
IU South Bend 2, Concorida (Neb.) 1
Southeastern 6, Indiana Tech 2
Southeastern 6, Indiana Tech 0

Junior College
Monday, Feb. 28
Vincennes 7, Joliet 2

Friday, March 4
Ivy Tech Northeast 4, Anderson JV 3
Wabash Valley 16, Vincennes 0
Kellogg 16, Vincennes 7

Saturday, March 5
Wabash Valley 16, Vincennes 0
Kellogg 16, Vincennes 7
Miami-Hamilton 13, Marian’s Ancilla 8
Ivy Tech Northeast 13, Lincoln Trail 3
Lincoln Trail 8, Ivy Tech Northeast 6

Sunday, March 6
Lake County 1, Marian’s Ancilla 0
Lake County 16, Marian’s Ancilla 5
Lincoln Trail 12, Ivy Tech Northeast 5
Ivy Tech Northeast 6, Lincoln Trail 1

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Oakland City U. off to 11-4 start in 2022

By STEVE KRAH
http://www.IndianaRBI.com

The Mighty Oaks of Oakland City University swing some mighty potent bats in improving to 11-4 on the 2022 baseball season.
OCU went 6-1 for the Week of Feb. 21-27 and collected 49 hits — 16 for extra bases — in a four-game sweep of Grace Christian.
Chandler Dunn (.533, 12 runs batted in, 16 runs scored), Noah Baugher (.419, 11 R), Payton Hall (Benton Central High School graduate) (.400, 17 R), Treven Madden (2 home runs, 12 RBIs), Sam Pinckert (Heritage Hills) (2 HR, 16 RBIs, 12 R), Bailey Falkenstien (Jeffersonville) (2 HR), Gehrig Tenhumberg (Evansville Reitz) (2-0, 2.70 earned run average, 23 strikeouts, 3 walks, 20 innings) and Milan VanDerBreggen (2-1, 2.38, 15 K’s, 1 base on balls, 11 1/3 IP) are among leaders for Andy Lasher-coached Mighty Oaks.
Oakland City went 17-27 in 2021.
In other NAIA play, Taylor — coached by Kyle Gould — moved to 9-6 with a 3-1 week. On the season, offensive leaders include T.J. Bass (Greenwood Community) (.356 average, 5 HR, 26 RBIs), Kaleb Kolpien (Homestead) (.474, 12 RBIs) and Camden Knepp (Northridge) (12 RBIs). On the mound, Matt Duktowski (NorthWood) is 2-0 with 16 K’s and three walks over 15 1/3 innings.
Todd Bacon-coached Marian went 2-2 for the week and is 8-6. For the season, A.J. Bordenet (Lafayette Central Catholic) (.458, 11 RBIs), Jackson Hogg (.390), Bryce Davenport (.350, 3 HR, 10 RBIs), Kato Hironori (2 HR) and Brodie Rinehold (Franklin Community) (2 HR) are among top batsmen. Pitcher Damien Wallace (Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter) has made four starts and is 3-0 with 3.05 ERA, 24 K’s and eight walks in 20 2/3 innings.
Some other NAIA performers: Indiana University Southeast — Trevor Campbell (.364) and Brody Tanksley (Bedford North Lawrence) (4 HR, 10 RBIs); Indiana Tech — Jacob Daftari (Hamilton Southeastern) (.471) and Manuel Ascanio (.407); Indiana University-Kokomo — Dylan Steele (Bloomington North) (.357) and Ben Harris (Northwestern) (2-1, 2.08, 13 K’s, 10 BB, 13 IP); Grace — Alex Rich (Crown Point) (.395, 11 RBIs), Chris Griffin (.375, 10 RBIs), Sam Newkirk (3 HR, 11 RBIs) and Austin Carr (Franklin Central) (10 RBIs); Bethel — Andrew Sarno (.474), Jake Schlasky (Crown Point) (10 RBIs), Jeremy Wiersema (9 RBIs, 7-of-8 on stolen bases) and Frank Plesac (Crown Point) (2-1, 2.55, 21 K’s, 5 BB, 17 2/3 IP); and Goshen — Morgan Baker (2 HR in Game 1 vs. Brescia).
NCAA Division I Purdue is off to an 8-0 start. Led by Curtis Washington Jr. (7-of-7) and Evan Albrecht (6-of-6), the Boliermakers are 35-of-35 in stolen base attempts.
Albrecht (.462), Washington (.375), Cam Thompson (13 RBIs) and Jackson Smeltz (McCutcheon) (2-0, 1.07, 18 K’s, 4 BB, 9 1/3 IP) are among the hot Boilermakers, which are coached by Greg Goff.
Some other top NCAA D-I performers: Notre Dame — Ryan Cole (.500, 6 RBI, 5-5 SB), Brooks Coetze (2 HR), Carter Putz (8 RBI), Jack Brannigan (6 RBI), Aidan Tyrell (2-0, 0.00, 11 K’s, 3 BB, 11 IP) and John Michael Bertrand (2-0. 0.69, 19 K’s, 1 BB, 13 IP; Indiana State — Jordan Schaffer (West Vigo) (.414), Diego Gines (.407), Mike Sears (2 HR), Parker Stinson (Yorktown) (9 RBI), Miguel Rivera (6 RBI), Sean Ross (6 RBI) and Matt Jachec (2-0. 1.35, 13 K’s, 0 BB, 13 1/3 IP); Valparaiso — Kaleb Hannahs (West Vigo) (.474, 2 HR, 7 runs), Alex Thurston (.353), Kyle Schmack (South Central of Union Mills) (.333, 5 RBIs) and Colin Fields 1-0, 1.64, 15 K’s, 5 BB, 11 IP); Butler — Travis Holt (.478, 7 R, 5-6 SB), James Gargano (7 RBIs), Cole McDaniel (1-0, 2.25) and Derek Drees (0-0, 2 games, 10 K’s, 3 BB, 5 IP); Ball State — Amir Wright (Griffith) (.333); Indiana — Bobby Whalen (.391, 4 RBI, 5-5 SB), Matthew Ellis (2 HR) and Braydon Tucker (Northview) (0-1, 1.93, 2 appearances, 5 K, 5 BB, 4 2/3 IP); Evansville — Mark Shallenberger (.304) and Nick Smith (Boonville) (0-1, 1.61, 9 1/3 IP); and Purdue Fort Wayne — Alex Evenson (.320) and Jack Lang (Hamilton Southeastern) (.310, 6 RBIs).
Tracy Archuleta-coached Southern Indiana is out of the gate at 6-0. The Screaming Eagles have been led by Lucas McNew (Borden) (.455, 2 HR, 13 RBIs through 5 games), Ethan Hunter (Terre Haute South Vigo) (11 RBIs) and Brice Stuteville (South Spencer) (0-0, 1.42, 3 games, 8 K’s, 0 BB, 6 1/3 IP).
Other top NCAA D-II performers: Indianapolis — Alex Vela (Cardinal Ritter) (.478, 6 RBIs, 11 R, 5-7 SB), Caleb Vaughan (Lawrence North) (.409, 10 R), Drew Donaldson (8 RBI) and Xavier Rivas (Portage) (1-0, 1.93, 2 games, 23 K’s, 6 BB, 14 IP).
In NCAA Division III, the Adam Rosen Era began at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology with the Fightin’ Engineers winning both of the first-year head coach’s first two games. Adam Taylor (Perry Meridian) (5 RBI’s), Josh Mesenbrink (4 RBI’s), Brett Tuttle (1 HR, 5 R) and Ian Kline (1-0, 1.50, 4 2/3 IP) are among the RHIT leaders.
Other top NCAA D-III performers: Earlham — Cameron McCabe (.500), Zach Swearingen (.500), Andrew Bradley (.500), Maxwell Fries (8 RBIs) and Keodon Kuderer (6 R); Franklin — Logan Demkovich (Munster) (2 HR); DePauw — Evan Barnes .588 through 4 games), Cameron Macon .563, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 8 R) and Cameron Allen (9 R); Wabash — Liam Patton (Warsaw) (.800 3 2B, 3 RBIs), Camden Scheidt (Highland) (.500), Reese Bauer (Northeast Dubois) (.500) and Dylan Scheid (Lawrence North) (0-0, 1.50, 1 game, 8 Ks, 0 BB, 6 IP); Anderson — Jake Stank (Mount Vernon of Fortville) (.444) and Tyler Smitherman (Westfield) (2 HR); and Manchester — Brady Perez (Rochester) (2 HR, 4 RBIs).
In junior college, Vincennes U.’s Colton Evans is hitting .465 and Connor VanLannen is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA and 18 K’s in 15 innings.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL
Records Through Feb. 27

NCAA D-I
Purdue 8-0
Notre Dame 5-1
Indiana State 5-2
Valparaiso 3-2
Butler 3-3
Ball State 2-5
Indiana 1-5
Evansville 1-6
Purdue Fort Wayne 0-8

NCAA D-II
Southern Indiana 6-0
Indianapolis 3-3
Purdue Northwest 0-0

NCAA D-III
Earlham 3-0
Franklin 3-0
DePauw 3-2
Rose-Hulman 2-0
Wabash 2-0
Anderson 1-4
Trine 1-2
Hanover 0-2
Manchester 0-2

NAIA
Oakland City 11-4
Taylor 9-6
Marian 8-6
Saint Francis 6-4
Bethel 6-10
Indiana Tech 5-4
Indiana University-Kokomo 5-4
Indiana University Southeast 5-6
Grace 5-7
Goshen 3-5
Indiana Wesleyan 3-7
Indiana University South Bend 2-5
Huntington 2-6
Calumet of Saint Joseph 0-2

Junior College
Vincennes 4-5
Marian’s Ancilla 1-10
Ivy Tech Northeast 0-0

Week of Feb. 21-27
NCAA D-I
Wednesday, Feb. 23
Vanderbilt 9, Evansville 0

Friday, Feb. 25
UNC-Wilmington 2, Ball State 0
Butler 6, Jackson State 5
Arkansas 5, Indiana 2
Indiana State 14, Merrimack 2
Notre Dame 20, Marist 2
Purdue 9, Princeton 3
Purdue 8, Princeton 3
California Baptist 4, Purdue Fort Wayne
Valparaiso 9, Alabama A&M 2
Valparaiso 3, Alabama A&M 2

Saturday, Feb. 26
Middle Tennessee 1, Ball State 0
Butler 10, Prairie View 1
Butler 9, Jackson State 1
Evansville 11, Dayton 2
Indiana 12, Louisiana-Lafayette 4
Indiana State 16, Minnesota 3
Notre Dame 16, Monmouth 2
Notre Dame 9, Monmouth 0
Purdue 4, Princeton 3
Purdue 5, Princeton 4
California Baptist 23, Purdue Fort Wayne 5
California Baptist 5, Purdue Fort Wayne 3

Sunday, Feb. 27
Coastal Carolina 7, Ball State 2
Dayton 4, Evansville 2
Dayton 5, Evansville 4
Stanford 13, Indiana 0
Indiana State 14, Minnesota 8
Purdue Fort Wayne vs. California Baptist

NCAA D-II
Saturday, Feb. 26
Northwood 11, Indianapolis 6
Northwood 5, Indianapolis 4
Southern Indiana 12, Lake Erie 4

Sunday, Feb. 27
Northwood 9, Indianapolis 4
Southern Indiana 8, Lake Erie 3

NCAA D-III
Wednesday, Feb. 23
Centre 9, Hanover 1

Saturday, Feb. 26
Otterbein 8, Anderson 3
Baldwin Wallace 9, DePauw 8
Franklin 20, Albion 1
North Central 15, Manchester 5
Hope 16, Manchester 5
Wabash 3, Heidelberg 2
Maryville 4, Hanover 1
Earlham 20, Olivet 4
Earlham 9, Olivet 4
Asbury 5, Trine 4
Asbury 5, Trine 1

Sunday, Feb. 27
Baldwin Wallace 9, Anderson 4
DePauw 10, Transylvania 4
Earlham 10, Olivet 9
Franklin 11, Albion 6
Franklin 11, Albion 5
Wabash 15, Otterbein 5
Rose-Hulman 14, North Vermont-Lyndon 1
Rose-Hulman 12, North Vermon-Lyndon 11
Trine 3, Asbury 1

NAIA
Monday, Feb. 21
Bethel 5, Oakland City 3
Oakland City 5, Bethel 4 (8 inn.)
IU-Kokomo 5, Calumet of Saint Joseph 2
IU-Kokomo 5, Calumet of Saint Joseph 1
Indiana Tech 4, Indiana Wesleyan 3
Indiana Wesleyan 6, Indiana Tech 3
Marian 11, Georgetown 9

Wednesday, Feb. 23
Oakland City 9, Asbury 2

Thursday, Feb. 24
Bethel 11, Toccoa Falls 7

Friday, Feb. 25
Toccoa Falls 7, Bethel 1
Faulkner 3, Indiana Wesleyan 2
Indiana Wesleyan 4, Faulkner 3
Marian 9, Edward Waters 5
Edward Waters 8, Marian 7
Edward Waters 2, Marian 1
Taylor 8, Olivet Nazarene 6
Olivet Nazarene 2, Taylor 1

Saturday, Feb. 26
Bethel 4, Toccoa Falls 0
Bethel 4, Toccoa Falls 3
Faulkner 8, Indiana Wesleyan 4
Faulkner 4, Indiana Wesleyan 3
Oakland City 13, Grace Christian 1
Oakland City 13, Grace Christian 4
Saint Francis 7, IU South Bend 5
Saint Francis 7, IU South Bend 6
Taylor 11, Olivet Nazarene 1
Taylor 9, Olivet Nazarene 5

Sunday, Feb. 27
Brescia 5, Goshen 4
Brescia 8, Goshen 5
Oakland City 11, Grace Christian 1
Oakland City 26, Grace Christian 0
Indiana Tech 6, IU Kokomo 2
Indiana Tech 7, IU Kokomo 5

Junior College
Monday, Feb. 21
Vincennes 10, Marian’s Ancilla 2
Vincennes 3, South Suburban 1

Saturday, Feb. 26
Clark State 4, Marian’s Ancilla 3
Clark State 9, Marian’s Ancilla 4

Sunday, Feb. 27
Marian’s Ancilla 10, Clark State 9
Clark State 7, Marian’s Ancilla 3
Morton 10, Vincennes 5
Joliet 10, Vincennes 3

Good sees growth for Rochester Zebras baseball

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Cory Good is working to grow baseball in the town where he learned the game.

A 2007 graduate of Rochester (Ind.) High School, Good is entering his fifth season as the Zebras head coach in 2019.

He expects to have more than two dozen players — varsity and junior varsity — wear the Old Gold and Black this spring. Numbers vary with the size of the freshmen class. Last year, there were more frosh than usual. This year, the number has dipped a little. Next year, it looks to pick up again.

Good counts Tony Stesiak, Dave Baillieul and Fred McGlothin as assistant coaches and is looking for more helpers.

Brady Perez, a shortstop, third baseman and pitcher, is back for his senior year after hitting .479 as a junior. He is committed to Trine University. Senior catcher/third baseman Zaine Young is considering college baseball offers.

Recent graduates who went on to the collegiate diamond are right-handed pitcher Andrew Feldman at Taylor University with catcher Tanner Hampton and left-hander Carter Hooks both at Manchester University.

The Zebras play home games at Bob Copeland Field. After receiving a new home bullpen last year, the on-campus facility is getting a new press box and a batting cage down the first base line this season.

“I’d like to see new fencing or netting behind home plate,” says Good of his wish list.

“Small ball” is a brand that Good embraces.

“We want to do the things that it takes to put the pressure on,” says Good. “By being aggressive, we will make (opposing defense) make the play.”

Rochester (enrollment around 500) is a member of the Three Rivers Conference (with Maconaquah, Manchester, Northfield, North Miami, Peru, Southwood, Tippecanoe Valley, Wabash and Whitko).

TRC teams tangle with each other one time to determine the champion. Games are Monday or Wednesday with Friday as the rain date.

Non-conference foes for the Zebras include Bremen, Carroll (Flora), Caston, Culver Academies, Delphi, John Glenn, LaVille, Lewis Cass, Logansport, Oregon-Davis, Pioneer, Plymouth and Winamac. The Twin Lake Invitational is May 18.

“We play a pretty decent schedule,” says Good.

The Zebras are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping with Lewis Cass, Manchester, Oak Hill, Wabash and Whitko. Rochester has won 11 sectional championships — the last in 2014.

Good spent the 2014 season as an assistant to Brian Hooker, his coach at RHS and one of his mentors.

“He impacted a lot of people,” says Good of former educator and multi-sport coach Hooker, who passed away Jan. 3, 2019 at 59. “He was able to connect with people.”

As sales manager for The Winning Edge, a sporting goods company owned Brad Good (his father), Cory had a working relationship with Hooker and sold equipment to him before and after joining his staff.

As Rochester assistant, Good came to appreciate all the behind-the-scenes things a head coach has to do for his program.

“It’s all the moving parts,” says Good. “There’s paperwork, grades, physicals, fundraising, transportation and gear.”

Hooker outfitted Rochester in many uniforms over the years. Good plans to have a basic home and road ensemble and possibly an alternate.

Good says he is also glad to see a junior high club program that will send players on to the high school.

In 2018, there was a combined seventh/eighth grade team.

“If numbers come, we’ll go with multiple teams,” says Good of a program that plays games in the spring and on weekdays. “Kids can walk the halls and talk about the game that night.

“It brings more excitement to the sport.”

Good says he expects that the Running Rivers Conference will someday adopt baseball and softball as school-affiliated sports. Rochester Middle School (Grades 6-8) belongs to the RRC.

Good studies sports management at Indiana University. He is the oldest of Brad and Kathy Good’s three children. His mother is a teacher. Casey Good is an Indiana University graduate and store manager at The Winning Edge. He was a football and track athlete at Rochester.

Maggie Good graduated from Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis, where she played softball. Libby Good is a senior at Purdue University. She played volleyball and softball at Rochester.

Cory and Shelby Good were married in July 2018 and are expecting their first child in August.

The Rochester Zebras celebrate a 2014 sectional baseball championship. The champions are (from left): First row — seniors Levi Brown, Tanner Hampton, Cyrus Holland, Carter Screeton, Brandt Eytcheson and Kyle Katschke; Second row — coaches Tony Stesiak, Brian Hooker and Cory Good.

Cory and Shelby Good were married in July 2018. Cory Good is head baseball coach at Rochester (Ind.) High School and sales manager at The Winning Edge.