Conference tournaments in swing in NAIA, NCAA D-II, NCAA D-III

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Indiana University Southeast (32-18) finished as runner-up to Point Park in the River States Conference baseball tournament at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio. 

The Brett Neffendorf-coached Grenadiers await their NAIA Opening Round assignment.

Three teams remain in the NAIA’s Crossroads League tournament in Winterholter Field in Upland, Ind. — regular-season champion and No. 1 seed Taylor (40-14) takes on the winner of the 3 p.m. Monday, May 6 game between No. 3 Saint Francis (36-16) vs. No. 6 Marian (25-26) at 6 for the title. A second championship game called will be played if necessary in the double-elimination format.

Taylor is coached by Kyle Gould, Saint Francis Dustin Butcher and Marian Todd Bacon.

Indiana Tech (30-22) has made the best-of-three championship series in the NAIA’s Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament at Warrior Field in Fort Wayne, Ind. Those games against Madonna are slated for 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. today (May 6) and — if necessary — Tuesday (May 7). 

Kip McWilliams’ Indiana Tech team has won nine games in a row. The Warriors began the 2024 season at 0-6 and 2-16.

In NCAA Division II, the Great Lakes Valley Conference is slated for May 8-11 at Mtn Dew Park in Marion, Ill.

Regular season champion Indianapolis (34-16) is the No. 1 seed in an eight-team field. The Al Ready-coached Greyhounds play Lewis at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time/7:30 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday, May 8.

Purdue Northwest (18-28) is the No. 6 seed in NCAA D-II’s Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament May 9-12 at Jackson Field in Lansing, Mich.

Dave Griffin’s PNW Pride won its last regular-season game.

NCAA Division III’s Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference will stage its six-team tournament May 9-12 at Kokomo (Ind.) Municipal Stadium.

Hanover (26-14) is the No. 1 seed, followed by No. 2 Transylvania, No. 3 Rose-Hulman (23-17), No. 4 Mount St. Joseph, No. 5 Anderson (23-17) and No. 6 Franklin (20-20). 

The Hanover Panthers are coached by Grant Bellak, the Rose-Hulman Fightin’ Engineers Adam Rosen, the Anderson Ravens Matt Bair and the Franklin Grizzlies Lance Marshall.

Four teams made NCAA D-III’s North Coast Athletic Conference — No. 1 seed Wittenberg, No. 2 Denison, No. 3 DePauw (23-15) and No. 4 Kenyon. The event is May 9-11 in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Blake Allen coaches the DePauw Tigers.

Through the Week of April 29-May 5, the longest win streaks among the state’s NCAA Division I teams belong to Indiana State (34-10) and Southern Indiana (22-26) at three games apiece. 

Mitch Hannahs’ ISU Sycamores are 17-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference and have MVC series left against Evansville and Valparaiso to wrap the regular season plus a mid-week game against Ball State.

Tracy Archuleta’s Screaming Eagles are 11-10 in the Ohio Valley Conference and have OVC series left with Arkansas-Little Rock and Western Illinois plus mid-weeks with Evansville and Middle Tennessee State.

National Junior College Athletic Association‘s Division II Region 24 tournament play begins for Vincennes (13-42) Friday, May 10. Chris Barney coaches the Trailblazers.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through May 5

NCAA D-I

Indiana State 34-10 (17-4 MVC)

Purdue 31-17 (12-6 Big Ten)

Ball State 27-10-1 (14-10 MAC)

Indiana 27-19-1 (12-6 Big Ten)

Evansville 27-20 (14-7 MVC)

Notre Dame 25-21 (9-18 ACC)

Southern Indiana 22-26 (11-10 OVC)

Butler 17-30 (3-12 Big East)

Purdue Fort Wayne 16-30 (9-15 Horizon)

Valparaiso 14-31 (6-15 MVC)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 34-16 (29-7 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 18-28 (8-22 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Hanover 26-14 (17-5 HCAC)

Anderson 23-17 (13-9 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 23-17 (14-8 HCAC)

DePauw 23-15 (12-4 NCAC)

Wabash 22-18 (8-8 NCAC)

Franklin 20-20 (9-13 HCAC)

Manchester 16-24 (9-13 HCAC)

Earlham 15-22 (7-15 HCAC)

Trine 11-27 (3-18 MIAA)

NAIA

Taylor 40-14 (30-6 CL)

Oakland City 39-16 (17-7 RSC) 

Saint Francis 36-16 (24-12 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 34-15 (27-9 CL)

IU Southeast 32-18 (20-4 RSC)

IU-Kokomo 32-21 (18-6 RSC)

Huntington 30-21 (23-13 CL)

Indiana Tech 30-22 (24-8 WHAC)

Marian 25-26 (17-19 CL)

Calumet of St. Joseph 21-29 (14-18 CCAC)

Grace 18-31 (12-24 CL)

IU South Bend 18-32 (10-22 CCAC)

Goshen 12-36 (7-29 CL)

Bethel 11-35 (6-30 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 10-42 (2-22 RSC)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 16-29 (3-22 MCCAA)

Vincennes 13-42 (5-27 MWAC)

Results Through May 5

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, April 30

Saint Louis 12, Butler 2

Evansville 7, Southeast Missouri State 6

Indiana State 21, Illinois 11

Notre Dame 4, Michigan State 3

Southern Illinois 7, Southern Indiana 5

Western Michigan 8, Valparaiso 6 (15 inn.)

Wednesday, May 1

Purdue 15, DePauw 0

Friday, May 3

Ball State 4, Northern Illinois 3

Xavier 13, Butler 6

Evansville 13, Valparaiso 1

Purdue 7, Indiana 4

Indiana State 15, Belmont 5

Pittsburgh 3, Notre Dame 1

Southern Indiana 5, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 1

Saturday, May 4

Northern Illinois 12, Ball State 3

Xavier 7, Butler 3

Valparaiso 8, Evansville 4

Indiana 10, Purdue 2

Indiana State 8, Belmont 5

Notre Dame 15, Pittsburgh 8

Purdue Fort Wayne 14, Milwaukee 4

Southern Indiana 11, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 6

Sunday, May 5

Ball State 13, Northern Illinois 10

Xavier 12,Butler 7

Evansville 9, Valparaiso 0

Indiana 5, Purdue 4

Indiana State 6, Belmont 4

Notre Dame 8, Pittsburgh 6

Milwaukee 7, Purdue Fort Wayne 6

Milwaukee 15, Purdue Fort Wayne 6

Southern Indiana 13, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 9

NCAA D-II

Thursday, May 2

Lewis 5, Indianapolis 2

Friday, May 3

Lewis 7, Indianapolis 4

Indianapolis 10, Lewis 6

Wayne State 7, Purdue Northwest 4

Saturday, May 4

Indianapolis 14, Lewis 13

Wayne State 3, Purdue Northwest 0

Wayne State 8, Purdue Northwest 3

Sunday, May 5

Purdue Northwest 5, Wayne State 4

NCAA D-III

Tuesday, April 30

DePauw 13, Wittenberg 3

Wittenberg 15, DePauw 0

Wilmington 9, Earlham 7

Webster 13, Franklin

Spalding 11, Hanover 8

Greenville 11, Rose-Hulman 8

Wabash 6, Ohio Wesleyan 5

Wabash 19, Ohio Wesleyan 3

Wednesday, May 1

Purdue 15, DePauw 0

Heidelberg 10, Manchester 0

Friday, May 3

Olivet 4, Olivet 2

Saturday, May 4

Mount St. Joseph 7, Anderson 2

Anderson 9, Mount St. Joseph 3

DePauw 5, Hiram 4

DePauw 11, Hiram 6

Earlham 10, Transylvania 4

Earlham 8, Transylvania 2

Bluffton 9, Franklin 4

Bluffton 9, Franklin 5

Rose-Hulman 8, Hanover 4

Hanover 6, Rose-Hulman 1

Defiance 5, Manchester 1

Manchester 11, Defiance 3

Wabash 9, Wooster 4

Wooster 7, Wabash 3

Sunday, May 5

Franklin 4, Anderson 3

Franklin 15, Anderson 6

Defiance 7, Earlham 4

Defiance 12, Earlham 9

Bluffton 4, Hanover 3

Hanover 16, Bluffton 12

Rose-Hulman 15, Manchester 9

Manchester 7, Rose-Hulman 3

Olivet 4, Trine 0

Trine 12, Olivet 8

NAIA

Wednesday, May 1

Crossroads League Tournament

Marian 11, Spring Arbor 9

Mount Vernon Nazarene 8, Grace 7

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic

Conference Tournament

Northwestern Ohio Pod

Northwestern Ohio 7, Lourdes 6

Madonna 10, Lawrence Tech 5 (10 inn.)

Lawrence Tech 15, Lourdes 1

Concordia Pod

Concord 5, Siena Heights 2

Indiana Tech 7, Aquinas 5

Aquinas 11, Siena Heights 9

Thursday, May 2

Crossroads League Tournament

Indiana Wesleyan 5, Mount Vernon Nazarene 4

Taylor 11, Marian 6

Saint Francis (Ind.) 7, Huntington 6

River States Conference Tournament

IU-Kokomo 11, Oakland City 9

Point Park 19, Ohio Christian 5

Shawnee State 16, West Virginia Tech 6

IU Southeast 17, Rio Grande 7

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic

Conference Tournament

Northwestern Ohio Pod

Northwestern Ohio 14, Madonna 6

Madonna 10, Lawrence Tech 9 (10 inn.)

Concordia Pod

Indiana Tech 24, Concordia 2

Aquinas 5, Concordia 4

Friday, May 3

Crossroads League Tournament

Marian 10, Mount Vernon Nazarene 6

Huntington 9, Taylor 6

Saint Francis 9, Indiana Wesleyan 7

River States Conference Tournament

West Virginia Tech 10, Rio Grande 3

Oakland City 17, Ohio Christian 7

IU Southeast 7, Shawnee State 3

IU-Kokomo 11, Point Park 8

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic

Conference Tournament

Northwestern Ohio Pod

Madonna 10, Northwestern Ohio 6

Madonna 11, Northwestern Ohio 10

Concordia Pod

Indiana Tech 9, Aquinas 7

Saturday, May 4

Crossroads League Tournament

Taylor 6, Indiana Wesleyan 1

Marian 10, Huntington 8

Taylor 9, Saint Francis (Ind.) 8

River States Conference Tournament

West Virginia Tech 12, Shawnee State 9

Point Park 9, Oakland City 3

IU Southeast 13, West Virginia Tech 5

Sunday, May 5

River States Conference Tournament

Point Park 11, IU-Kokomo 1

Point Park 13, IU-Kokomo 3

Championship

Point Park 10, IU Southeast 8

Junior College

Thursday, May 2

Kalamazoo 12, Marian’s Ancilla 1

Kalamazoo 9, Marian’s Ancilla 3

Saturday, May 4

Kalamazoo 11, Marian’s Ancilla 0

Kalamazoo 5, Marian’s Ancilla 0

Parkland 6, Vincennes 0

Parkland 4, Vincennes 0

Sunday, May 5

Parkland 9, Vincennes 3

Parkland 11, Vincennes 6 (11 inn.)

NAIA conference tourneys here; UIndy on 11-game win streak

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Qualified NAIA teams play this week in conference tournaments.

Regular-season champion Taylor University is the top seed and host of the Crossroads League May 1-6 at Winterholter Field in Upland, Ind. The Kyle Gould-coached Trojans are 37-13 overall and went 30-6 in league play.

Indiana Wesleyan University (33-13, 27-9) is the No. 2 seed, University of Saint Francis (34-15, 24-12) No. 3, Huntington University (29-19, 23-13) No. 4, Mount Vernon Nazarene University (22-24, 18-18) No. 5, Marian University (22-25, 17-19) No. 6, Spring Arbor University (22-26, 16-20) No. 7 and Grace College (18-30, 12-24) No. 8.

The River States Conference is May 2-6 at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Indiana University Southeast (29-17, 20-4) is the No. 2 seed. Indiana University-Kokomo (30-19, 18-6) is No. 4 and Oakland City University (38-14, 17-7) No. 5.

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference is May 1-7  with host sites the first three days and a best-of-3 championship series May 6-7.

Indiana Tech (27-22, 24-8) is the No. 3 seed and will compete in the Concordia Pod.

The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference is May 4-9 at Duly Health & Care Field in Joliet, Ill.

Indiana University South Bend (18-32, 10-22) is the No. 5 and Calumet College of St. Joseph (21-29, 14-18) No. 8.

At 11 games, NCAA Division II University of Indianapolis has the state’s best winning streak through the Week of April 22-28.

The Al Ready-coached Greyhounds are 32-14 overall and 27-5 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The Taylor Trojans have won their last nine. 

Riding a six-game win streak is Kip McWilliams’ Indiana Tech Warriors.

NCAA Division I Purdue University has strung together four wins, including one April 26 against Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Greg Goff’s Boilermakers are 29-15 in all games and 11-4 in the Big Ten Conference.

Ryan Roth’s Grace Lancers have also won four straight. 

Five programs are on three-game win streaks — Thad Frame’s Huntington Foresters, Ian MacDonald’s Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats, Grant Bellak’s NCAA Division III Hanover College Panthers, Adam Rosen’s NCAA D-III Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Fightin’ Engineers and Jeff Mercer’s NCAA D-I Indiana University Hoosiers.

Hanover is 24-11 overall and 15-3 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

RHIT is 21-14 in all games and 12-6 in the HCAC.

Indiana is 25-18-1 overall and 10-5 in the Big Ten.

The Hoosiers go to Purdue Friday though Sunday, May 3-5.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through April 28

NCAA D-I

Indiana State 31-9 (14-4 MVC)

Purdue 29-15 (11-4 Big Ten)

Ball State 25-18 (12-9 MAC)

Indiana 25-18-1 (10-5 Big Ten)

Evansville 24-19 (12-6 MVC)

Notre Dame 22-20 (7-17 ACC)

Southern Indiana 19-25 (8-10 OVC)

Butler 17-26 (3-9 Big East)

Purdue Fort Wayne 15-28 (8-13 Horizon)

Valparaiso 13-28 (5-13 MVC)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 32-14 (27-5 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 17-25 (7-19 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Hanover 24-11 (15-3 HCAC)

Anderson 22-14 (12-6 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 21-14 (12-6 HCAC)

DePauw 20-13 (9-3 NCAC)

Wabash 19-17 (5-7 NCAC)

Franklin 18-17 (7-11 HCAC)

Manchester 14-21 (7-11 HCAC)

Earlham 13-19 (5-13 HCAC)

Trine 10-25 (2-16 MIAA)

NAIA

Oakland City 38-14 (17-7 RSC) 

Taylor 37-13 (30-6 CL)

Saint Francis 34-15 (24-12 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 33-13 (27-9 CL)

IU-Kokomo 30-19 (18-6 RSC)

IU Southeast 29-17 (20-4 RSC)

Huntington 29-19 (23-13 CL)

Indiana Tech 27-22 (24-8 WHAC)

Marian 22-25 (17-19 CL)

Calumet of St. Joseph 21-29 (14-18 CCAC)

Grace 18-30 (12-24 CL)

IU South Bend 18-32 (10-22 CCAC)

Goshen 12-36 (7-29 CL)

Bethel 11-35 (6-30 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 10-42 (2-22 RSC)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 16-25 (3-18 MCCAA)

Vincennes 13-38 (5-23 MWAC)

Results Through April 28

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, April 23

Southern Indiana 4, Belmont 3 (11 inn.)

Northern Illinois 10, Valparaiso 9

Wednesday, April 24

Indiana 7, Ball State 7 (12 inn.)

Butler 10, Eastern Illinois 6

Purdue 10, Evansville 6

Central Michigan 2, Notre Dame 0

Purdue Fort Wayne 4, Toledo 3 (13 inn.)

Thursday, April 25

Eastern Illinois 4, Southern Indiana 2

Southern Indiana 8, Eastern Illinois 1

Friday, April 26

North Carolina State 10, Ball State 2

Seton Hall 7, Butler 3

Evansville 4, Missouri State 1

Indiana 8, Rutgers 3

Southern Illinois 3, Indiana State 2

Wake Forest 4, Notre Dame 3

Purdue 9, Northwestern 3

Wright State 5, Purdue Fort Wayne 1

Illinois-Chicago 8, Valparaiso 6

Saturday, April 27

North Carolina State 9, Ball State 3

Seton Hall 13, Butler 1

Evansville 8, Missouri State 7

Indiana 12, Rutgers 6

Indiana State 9, Southern Illinois 7

Notre Dame 11, Wake Forest 3

Purdue 10, Northwestern 7

Wright State 11, Purdue Fort Wayne 4

Southern Indiana 14, Eastern Illinois 3

Illinois-Chicago 3, Valparaiso 2

Sunday, April 28

North Carolina State 11, Ball State 3

Butler 3, Seton Hall 2

Missouri State 19, Evansville 8

Indiana 18, Rutgers 6

Indiana State 7, Southern Illinois 2

Notre Dame 8, Wake Forest 7

Purdue 11, Northwestern 3

Wright State 2, Purdue Fort Wayne 1

Valparaiso 20, Illinois-Chicago 0

NCAA D-II

Tuesday, April 23

Indianapolis 6, Findlay 2

Wednesday, April 24

Lewis 6, Purdue Northwest 5

Thursday, April 25

Wisconsin-Parkside 4, Purdue Northwest 2

Friday, April 26

Indianapolis 14, Truman 1

Saturday, April 27

Indianapolis 7, Truman 6

Indianapolis 9, Truman 7

Wisconsin-Parkside 4, Purdue Northwest 0

Wisconsin-Parkside 14, Purdue Northwest 13

Sunday, April 28

Indianapolis 12, Truman 5

Wisconsin-Parkside 13, Purdue Northwest 10

NCAA D-III

Tuesday, April 23

Spalding 6, Hanover 5

Wednesday, April 24

Wabash 11, Anderson 0

Franklin 13, Wilmington 2

Maryville 12, Hanover 2

Thursday, April 25

Wabash 14, Greenville 8

Friday, April 26

Hanover 7, Earlham 6

Manchester 10, Mount St. Joseph 8

Alma 5, Trine 4

Saturday, April 27

Anderson 9, Bluffton 4

Anderson 12, Bluffton 5

DePauw 9, Kenyon 3

Kenyon 17, DePauw 5

Hanover 14, Earlham 8

Hanover 14, Earlham 2

Transylvania 7, Franklin 6

Transylvania 14, Franklin 4

Manchester 13, Mount St. Joseph 2

Mount St. Joseph 9, Manchester 1

Rose-Hulman 11, Defiance 10

Alma 20, Trine 5

Alma 9, Trine 2

Wabash 21, Oberlin 8

Wabash 12, Oberlin 7

Sunday, April 28

Bluffton 9, Anderson 8

DePauw 14, Franklin 7

Franklin 10, DePauw 9

Rose-Hulman 14, Defiance 1

Rose-Hulman 12, Defiance 5

NAIA

Tuesday, April 23

Cumberlands (Ky.) 12, IU-Kokomo 2

IU South Bend 5, Saint Francis (Ill.) 2

Saint Francis (Ill.) 16, IU South Bend 6

IU Southeast 13, Campbellsville 3

Bethel (Tenn.) 17, Oakland City 12

Wednesday, April 24

Grace 5, Bethel (Ind.) 4

Grace 4, Bethel (Ind.) 3

Thursday, April 25

Grace 6, Bethel (Ind.) 2

Grace 5, Bethel (Ind.) 3

Calumet of St. Joseph at 6 Judson 2

Calumet of St. Joseph 19, Judson 0

Taylor 10, Goshen 0

Taylor 10, Goshen 2

Marian 6, Huntington 4

Huntington 6, Marian 1

Shawnee State 3, IU-Kokomo 1

Shawnee State 5, IU-Kokomo 0

Point Park 6, IU Southeast 3

Point Park 6, IU Southeast 3

Spring Arbor 3, Indiana Wesleyan 0

Indiana Wesleyan 10, Spring Arbor 2

Oakland City 17, Alice Lloyd 5

Oakland City 15, Alice Lloyd 1

Saint Francis (Ind.) 7, Mount Vernon Nazarene 6

Saint Francis (Ind.) 7, Mount Vernon Nazarene 1

Friday, April 26

West Virginia Tech 10, IUPU-Columbus 4

Roosevelt 17, IU South Bend 15

Roosevelt 12, IU South Bend 1

Indiana Tech 10, Cornerstone 4

Indiana Tech 8, Cornerstone 7

Indiana Wesleyan 8, Spring Arbor 2

Indiana Wesleyan 3, Spring Arbor 2

Saint Francis (Ind.) 3, Mount Vernon Nazarene 2

Mount Vernon Nazarene 4, Saint Francis (Ind.) 2

Saturday, April 27

Calumet of St. Joseph 4, Judson 3

Calumet of St. Joseph 2, Judson 0

Taylor 26, Goshen 2

Taylor 8, Goshen 7

Huntington 13, Marian 3

Huntington 7, Marian 1

West Virginia Tech 14, IUPU-Columbus 4

Roosevelt 12, IU South Bend 8

Roosevelt 11, IU South Bend 9

Indiana Tech 19, Cornerstone 4

Indiana Tech 7, Cornerstone 3

Sunday, April 28

St. Ambrose 16, Calumet of St. Joseph at St. Ambrose 15

St. Ambrose 12, Calumet of St. Joseph at St. Ambrose 4

Junior College

Thursday, April 25

Lansing 18, Marian’s Ancilla 1

Lansing 6, Marian’s Ancilla 0

Lincoln Trail 5, Vincennes 1

Friday, April 26

Lansing 12, Marian’s Ancilla 2

Lansing 10, Marian’s Ancilla 2

Saturday, April 27

John Wood 8, Vincennes 0

John Wood 14, Vincennes 4

Sunday, April 28

John Wood 13, Vincennes 12

John Wood 8, Vincennes 7

Saint Francis wins nine straight; Oakland City, Evansville victory streaks at eight

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

The University of Saint Francis has reeled off nine straight victories — the longest current streak among the state’s college baseball teams through the Week of April 15-21.

The Dustin Butcher-coached Cougars are 31-14 overall and 21-11 in the NAIA Crossroads League. USF left-hander Deron Swanson has nine pitching wins on the 2024 season.

NAIA Oakland City University has produced an eight-game win streak. 

Andy Lasher’s OCU Mighty Oaks are 36-13 overall and 17-7 in the NAIA River States Conference. Right-handers Benjamen Simmons (8) and Gehrig Tenhumberg (7) lead the team in mound triumphs.

NCAA Division I University of Evansville has also won eight straight.

Wes Carroll’s UE Purple Aces are 22-17 in all games and 10-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Left-hander Kenton Deverman (5) is the victory leader. 

NAIA Taylor University has won six in a row as has NCAA Division II University of Indianapolis. 

Kyle Gould’s TU Trojans are 33-13 overall and 26-6 in the Crossroads League. Pacing the squad in wins is Alec Holcomb (8) and Gabel Pentecost (6). Dalton Swinehart has four saves. All three are right-handers.

Al Ready’s UIndy Greyhounds are 27-14 overall and 23-5 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Right-hander Carter Nowak has five wins and right-hander E.J. White 10 saves.

NCAA Division I University of Notre Dame has crafted a five-game victory string.

Shawn Stiffler’s Fighting Irish are 20-18 overall and 5-16 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The most mound wins belong to right-handers Radek Birkholz (3) and Jack Radel (3). Right-hander Nate Hardman (4) is ND’s saves leader.

NAIA Indiana University Southeast has won its last three contests.

Brett Neffendorf’s Grenadiers are 28-15 overall and 20-4 in the RSC. Right-handers Luke Schafer (7) and Tyler Yotkevich (7) are tied for the most victories. Right-hander Garrett Hill has five saves.

NCAA Division III Hanover College lost Sunday, April 21, seeing the end to an eight-game win streak. Grant Bellak’s Panthers are 21-9 overall and 12-3 in the Heartland College Athletic Conference. Righty Matthew Alter (5) leads HC in pitching wins.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through April 21

NCAA D-I

Indiana State 29-8 (12-3 MVC)

Ball State 25-15 (12-9 MAC)

Purdue 25-15 (8-4 Big Ten)

Indiana 22-18 (7-5 Big Ten)

Evansville 22-17 (10-5 MVC)

Notre Dame 20-18 (5-16 ACC)

Southern Indiana 16-24 (6-9 OVC)

Butler 15-24 (2-7 Big East)

Purdue Fort Wayne 14-25 (8-10 Horizon)

Valparaiso 12-25 (4-11 MVC)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 27-14 (23-5 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 17-20 (7-15 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Hanover 21-9 (12-3 HCAC)

Anderson 20-12 (10-5 HCAC)

DePauw 18-11 (8-2 NCAC)

Rose-Hulman 18-14 (9-6 HCAC)

Franklin 16-14 (7-9 HCAC)

Wabash 15-17 (3-7 NCAC)

Earlham 13-16 (5-10 HCAC)

Manchester 11-19 (5-10 HCAC)

Trine 10-22 (2-13 MIAA)

NAIA

Oakland City 36-13 (17-7 RSC) 

Taylor 33-13 (26-6 CL)

Saint Francis 31-14 (21-11 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 30-12 (24-8 CL)

IU-Kokomo 30-16 (18-6 RSC)

IU Southeast 28-15 (20-4 RSC)

Huntington 26-18 (20-12 CL)

Marian 21-22 (16-16 CL)

Indiana Tech 23-22 (20-8 WHAC)

Calumet of St. Joseph 17-27 (10-16 CCAC)

IU South Bend 17-27 (9-17 CCAC)

Grace 14-30 (8-24 CL)

Goshen 12-32 (7-25 CL)

Bethel 11-31 (6-26 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 10-40 (2-22 RSC)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 16-21 (3-14 MCCAA)

Vincennes 13-33 (5-19 MWAC)

Results Through April 21

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, April 16

Purdue 13, Ball State 3

Butler 16, Eastern Michigan 10

Evansville 5, Indiana 4

Notre Dame 7, Valparaiso 6

Western Kentucky 2, Southern Indiana 1

Wednesday, April 17

Miami (Ohio) 6, Butler 4

Notre Dame 15, Purdue Fort Wayne 5

Friday, April 19

Ball State 14, Western Michigan 1

St. John’s 7, Butler 1

Evansville 9, Bradley 7

Illinois State 4, Indiana State 3

Notre Dame 14, Boston College 3

East Tennessee State 9, Purdue 7

Youngstown State 4, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Tennessee-Martin 15, Southern Indiana 10

Valparaiso 7, Missouri State 6 (12 inn.)

Saturday, April 20

Ball State 6, Western Michigan 3

St. John’s 8, Butler 7

Evansville 6, Bradley 1

Indiana 7, Minnesota 1

Indiana State 10, Illinois State 1

Notre Dame 9, Boston College 4

Purdue 18, East Tennessee State 7

Youngstown State 12, Purdue Fort Wayne 3

Southern Indiana 4, Tennessee-Martin 2

Missouri State 8, Valparaiso 6

Sunday, April 21

Western Michigan 8, Ball State 4

Butler 8, St. John’s 4

Evansville 7, Bradley 2

Minnesota 13, Indiana 2

Indiana 18, Minnesota 8

Indiana State 11, Illinois State 1

Notre Dame 13, Boston College 0

East Tennessee State 12, Purdue 2

Purdue Fort Wayne 6, Youngstown State 3

Tennessee-Martin 5, Southern Indiana 3

Missouri State 14, Valparaiso 3

NCAA D-II

Tuesday, April 16

Wisconsin-Parkside 5, Purdue Northwest 3

Purdue Northwest 2, Wisconsin-Parkside 1

Friday, April 19

Indianapolis 7, Maryville 4

Purdue Northwest 8, Saginaw Valley State 6

Saturday, April 20

Indianapolis 9, Maryville 7

Indianapolis 7, Maryville 6

Saginaw Valley State 2, Purdue Northwest 0

Purdue Northwest 9, Saginaw Valley State 6

Sunday, April 21

Indianapolis 12, Maryville 11

Saginaw Valley State 11, Purdue Northwest 4

NCAA D-III

Monday, April 15

Anderson 11, Defiance 1

Earlham 11, Principia 1

Earlham 14, Principia 2

Trine 8, Calvin 7

Tuesday, April 16

Adrian 21, Trine 4

Wednesday, April 17

Webster 17, Rose-Hulman 7

Wittenberg 7, Wabash 6

Wittenberg 9, Wabash 1

Thursday, April 18

DePauw 7, Franklin 4

Friday, April 19

Kalamazoo 15, Trine 2

Saturday, April 20

Anderson 10, Rose-Hulman 6

Rose-Hulman 5, Anderson 3

DePauw 13, Wooster 1

DePauw 13, Wooster 10 (11 inn.)

Franklin 14, Earlham 2

Franklin 18, Earlham 1

Hanover 14, Mount St. Joseph 7

Hanover 10, Mount St. Joseph 5

Manchester 11, Bluffton 4

Manchester 8, Bluffton 2

Kenyon 7, Wabash 6

Kenyon 11, Kenyon 1

Sunday, April 21

Anderson 9, Rose-Hulman 4

DePauw 7, Denison 6

Denison 7, DePauw 1

Earlham 11, Franklin 6

Mount St. Joseph 6, Hanover 5

Manchester 11, Wabash 6

Wabash 6, Manchester 1

Kalamazoo 2, Trine 1

Kalamazoo 9, Trine 5

NAIA

Monday, April 15

Marian 12, Bethel 1

Bethel 6, Marian 3

Huntington 6, Grace 3

Huntington 8, Grace 2

Tuesday, April 16

Western Michigan 12, Goshen 2 (exhibition)

Miami-Hamilton 10, IUPU-Columbus 7

Georgetown (Ky.) 8, IU Southeast 6

Oakland City 27, Kentucky State 1

Wednesday, April 17

Asbury 12, IUPU-Columbus 6

Asbury 7, IUPU-Columbus 4

Thursday, April 18

Lourdes 15, Indiana Tech 11

Indiana Tech 15, Lourdes 8

Taylor 12, Marian 2

Taylor 10, Marian 5

Friday, April 19

Bethel 3, Spring Arbor 2

Spring Arbor 7, Bethel 0

Calumet of St. Joseph 7, Roosevelt 2

Roosevelt 20, Calumet of St. Joseph 4

Saint Francis 11, Grace 7

Saint Francis 24, Grace 13

Mount Vernon Nazarene 12, Goshen 6

Mount Vernon Nazarene 19, Goshen 7

Indiana Wesleyan 12, Huntington 1

Indiana Wesleyan 3, Huntington 2

IU Southeast 9, IUPU-Columbus 1

Midway 6, IU Kokomo 3

IU South Bend 5, Olivet Nazarene 4

Olivet Nazarene 14, IU South Bend 6

Saturday, April 20

Spring Arbor 8, Bethel 3

Spring Arbor 5, Bethel 4

Roosevelt 4, Calumet of St. Joseph 3

Calumet of St. Joseph 7, Roosevelt 3

Saint Francis 9, Grace 5

Saint Francis 7, Grace 0

Mount Vernon Nazarene 14, Goshen 11

Mount Vernon Nazarene 8, Goshen 7

Indiana Wesleyan 13, Huntington 12

Huntington 10, Indiana Wesleyan 0

IUPU-Columbus at IU Southeast

Midway 13, IU Kokomo 11

IU Kokomo 7, Midway 6

IU South Bend 5, Olivet Nazarene 2

Olivet Nazarene 16, IU South Bend 1

IU Southeast 12, IUPU-Columbus 2

IU Southeast 10, IUPU-Columbus 1

Indiana Tech 7, Aquinas 1

Aquinas 11, Indiana Tech 3

Taylor 12, Marian 9

Taylor 13, Marian 3

Oakland City 5, Brescia 0

Oakland City 5, Brescia 3

Sunday, April 21

Indiana Tech 7, Aquinas 0

Indiana Tech 9, Aquinas 7

Oakland City 7, Brescia 5 (10 inn.)

Junior College

Wednesday, April 17

Vincennes 14, Franklin JV 5

Thursday, April 18

Marian’s Ancilla 4, Lake Michigan 1

Lake Michigan 19, Marian’s Ancilla 7

Saturday, April 20

Lake Michigan 14, Marian’s Ancilla 2

Lake Michigan 12, Marian’s Ancilla 9

Vincennes 9, Spoon River 3

Spoon River 7, Vincennes 6

Sunday, April 21

Prairie State 15, Marian’s Ancilla 1

Spoon River 11, Vincennes 9

Spoon River 18, Vincennes 8

Indiana State, Hanover own six-game win streaks

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

The state’s longest college baseball win streaks through the Week of April 8-14 belong to the NCAA Division I Indiana State University Sycamores and NCAA D-III Hanover College Panthers. Both have won six in a row.

Indiana State is 27-7 overall and and 10-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Mitch Hannahs’ team is in first place, three games ahead of Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State, Belmont and Evansville.

Hanover is 19-8 in all games and 10-2 in the Heartland College Athletic Conference. Grant Bellak’s club is in first, a half game against of Transylvania.

NAIA University of Saint Francis owns a five-game win streak. Dustin Butcher’s Cougars are 27-14 overall and 17-11 in the Crossroads League.

Taylor University (29-13, 22-6) and Indiana Wesleyan University (27-11, 21-7) are 1-2 atop the CL. TU is coached by Kyle Gould and IWU by Ian MacDonald.

Four-game win streaks belong to D-I University of Evansville and NAIA Oakland City University.

Wes Carroll’s UE Purple Aces are 18-17 overall and 7-5 in the MVC.

Andy Lasher’s OCU Mighty Oaks are 32-13 overall and 14-7 in the River States Conference.

Tied for first place in the RSC are Indiana University-Kokomo (29-14, 17-4) and Indiana University Southeast (25-14, 17-4). The Drew Brantley-coached IUK Cougars and Brett Neffendorf-coached IUS Grenadiers just finished a three-game series in Kokomo. IUK won that 2-1.

Current three-game win streaks have been built by D-I’s Ball State University and Purdue University and D-III’s Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Wabash College.

Rich Maloney’s BSU Cardinals and 23-13 overall and 10-8 in the Mid-American Conference — good for fourth place behind Bowling Green (15-0 in MAC games), Western Michigan (11-4) and Toledo (12-6).

Greg Goff’s PU Boilermakers are 23-13 overall and 8-4 in the Big Ten Conference, placing them behind Illinois (7-2 in B1G games) and Nebraska (6-3).

Adam Rosen’s RHIT Fightin’ Engineers are 17-11 overall and 8-4 in the HCAC.

Jake Martin’s Wabash Little Giants is 14-12 overall and 3-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Denison (7-1 in NCAC games), DePauw (5-1) and Wittenberg (5-1) are at the top.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through April 14

NCAA D-I

Indiana State 27-7 (10-2 MVC)

Ball State 23-13 (10-8 MAC)

Purdue 23-13 (8-4 Big Ten)

Indiana 20-16 (5-4 Big Ten)

Evansville 18-17 (7-5 MVC)

Notre Dame 15-18 (2-16 ACC)

Southern Indiana 15-21 (5-7 OVC)

Butler 13-21 (1-5 Big East)

Purdue Fort Wayne 13-22 (7-8 Horizon)

Valparaiso 11-22 (3-9 MVC)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 23-14 (19-5 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 14-17 (4-12 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Hanover 19-8 (10-2 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 17-11 (8-4 HCAC)

Anderson 17-11 (7-4 HCAC)

DePauw 14-10 (5-1 NCAC)

Wabash 14-12 (3-3 NCAC)

Franklin 14-12 (5-8 HCAC)

Earlham 10-14 (4-8 HCAC)

Trine 9-18 (1-9 MIAA)

Manchester 9-19 (3-10 HCAC)

NAIA

Oakland City 32-13 (14-7 RSC) 

Taylor 29-13 (22-6 CL)

IU-Kokomo 29-14 (17-4 RSC)

Indiana Wesleyan 27-11 (21-7 CL)

Saint Francis 27-14 (17-11 CL)

IU Southeast 25-14 (17-4 RSC)

Huntington 23-15 (17-9 CL)

Marian 20-17 (15-11 CL)

Indiana Tech 19-20 (16-4 WHAC)

Calumet of St. Joseph 15-25 (8-14 CCAC)

IU South Bend 15-25 (7-15 CCAC)

Grace 14-24 (8-18 CL)

Goshen 12-28 (7-21 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 10-34 (2-19 RSC)

Bethel 9-27 (4-22 CL)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 15-17 (2-11 MCCAA)

Vincennes 11-30 (4-16 MWAC)

Results Through April 14

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, April 9

Evansville 15, Butler 5

Indiana State 9, Purdue 3

Saint Louis 13, Southern Indiana 5

Milwaukee 7, Valparaiso 3

Wednesday, April 10

Notre Dame 11, Butler 2

Bowling Green State 8, Purdue Fort Wayne 7

Friday, April 12

Evansville 9, Illinois State 1

Penn State 15, Indiana 4

Indiana State 14, Bradley 2

North Carolina 13, Notre Dame 0

Purdue 7, Michigan State 2

Southeast Missouri State 1, Southern Indiana 0

Belmont 9, Valparaiso 2

Saturday, April 13

Ball State 5, Akron 1

Ball State 17, Akron 7

Georgetown 13, Butler 4

Georgetown 9, Butler 5

Evansville 6, Illinois State 5

Indiana 10, Penn State 9

Indiana State 11, Bradley 1

North Carolina 7, Notre Dame 2

Purdue 14, Michigan State 0

Purdue Fort Wayne 11, Oakland 6

Oakland 8, Purdue Fort Wayne 3

Southern Indiana 12, Southeast Missouri State 6

Valparaiso 10, Belmont 9

Sunday, April 14

Ball State 14, Akron 9

Georgetown 15, Butler 2

Evansville 13, Illinois State 1

Indiana 12, Penn State 3

Indiana State 17, Bradley 6

North Carolina 10, Notre Dame 3

Purdue 21, Michigan State 1

Oakland 8, Purdue Fort Wayne 5

Southeast Missouri State 12, Southern Indiana 2

Belmont 15, Valparaiso 8

NCAA D-II

Tuesday, April 9

Purdue Northwest 7, Indianapolis 6

Purdue Northwest 4, Indianapolis 0

Friday, April 12

Indianapolis 6, Quincy 5

Grand Valley State 3, Purdue Northwest 0

Saturday, April 13

Quincy 11, Indianapolis 6

Indianapolis 7, Quincy 4

Grand Valley State 9, Purdue Northwest 3

Purdue Northwest 12, Grand Valley State 11

Sunday, April 14

Indianapolis 16, Quincy 11

Grand Valley State 9, Purdue Northwest 3

NCAA D-III

Tuesday, April 9

Wabash 8, DePauw 1

DePauw 8, Wabash 0

Washington (Mo.) 4, Rose-Hulman 3

Adrian 14, Trine 3

Friday, April 12

Hanover 18, Manchester 3

Saturday, April 13

DePauw 7, Ohio Wesleyan 3

DePauw 13, Ohio Wesleyan 3

Rose-Hulman 14, Earlham 2

Rose-Hulman 11, Earlham 1

Franklin 14, Mount St. Joseph 7

Hanover 14, Manchester 4

Hanover 5, Manchester 2

Trine 8, Calvin 7 (10 inn.)

Calvin 6, Trine 5

Wabash 12, Hiram 7

Wabash 17, Hiram 3

Sunday, April 14

Anderson 4, Defiance 3

Anderson 13, Defiance 3

Rose-Hulman 16, DePauw 8

Mount St. Joseph 13, Franklin 6

Mount St. Joseph 15, Franklin 12

Wabash 5, Blackburn 4

NAIA

Tuesday, April 9

Grace 6, Goshen 2

Huntington 10, IUPU-Columbus 7

Saint Francis (Ill.) 11, IU South Bend 5

Saint Francis (Ill.) 11, IU South Bend 4

Marian 9, Mount Vernon Nazarene 5

Mount Vernon Nazarene 8, Marian 7

Oakland City 11, Health Sciences & Pharmacy 2

Wednesday, April 10

Defiance 5, Indiana Tech 4

Friday, April 12

Indiana Wesleyan 6, Taylor 4

Taylor 4, Indiana Wesleyan 3

Saturday, April 13

Marian 10, Bethel 1

Marian 5, Bethel 4

IU South Bend 6, Calumet of St. Joseph 3

IU South Bend 14, Calumet of St. Joseph 5

Saint Francis (Ind.) 10, Goshen 2

Saint Francis (Ind.) 6, Goshen 5

Huntington 19, Grace 3

Grace 4, Huntington 3

IU-Kokomo 9, IU Southeast 1

IU-Kokomo 5, IU Southeast 4

Oakland City 13, IUPU-Columbus 3

Oakland City 17, IUPU-Columbus 3

Indiana Tech 11, Northwestern Ohio 4

Indiana Tech 11, Northwestern Ohio 10

Indiana Wesleyan 18, Taylor 17

Taylor 24, Indiana Wesleyan 1

Sunday, April 14

Calumet of St. Joseph 18, IU South Bend 0

IU South Bend 12, Calumet of St. Joseph 2

Saint Francis (Ind.) 7, Goshen 3

Saint Francis (Ind.) 1, Goshen 0

Oakland City 11, IUPU-Columbus 1

IU Southeast 11, IU-Kokomo 6

Concordia (Mich.) 8, Indiana Tech 7

Concordia (Mich.) 11, Indiana Tech 10 (10 inn.)

Junior College

Monday, April 8

Heartland 8, Vincennes

Heartland 14, Vincennes 4

Tuesday, April 9

Heartland 7, Vincennes 0

Heartland 12, Vincennes 4

Saturday, April 13

Kellogg 7, Marian’s Ancilla 0

Marian’s Ancilla at Kellogg

Lincoln Land 10, Vincennes 4

Lincoln Land 10, Vincennes 0

Sunday, April 14

Kellogg 9, Marian’s Ancilla 2

Kellogg 10, Marian’s Ancilla 0

Lincoln Land 10, Vincennes 5

Lincoln Land 17, Vincennes 6

IU Southeast streak at 13; Indiana Tech wins 11th in a row

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

NAIA’s Indiana University Southeast continued to pile up college baseball victory after victory, extending its win streak to 13 through the Week of April 1-7.

Under the direction of first-year coach Brett Neffendorf, the Grenadiers are 24-12 overall and 16-2 in the River States Conference, which puts IUS in first place.

Another NAIA team from the state has a double-digit win streak and that’s Indiana Tech at 11.

The Kip McWilliams-coached Warriors are 17-17 overall and 14-4 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference — good for third place behind Northwestern Ohio (15-0) and Concordia (15-3).

Other top consecutive triumph runs in NAIA belong to Indiana Wesleyan University (7), Indiana University-Kokomo (6), Taylor University (5) and Huntington University (3).

Ian MacDonald’s IWU Wildcats are 25-9 overall and 19-5 in the Crossroads League.

Drew Brantley IUK Cougars are 27-13 in all games and 15-3 in the RSC, which puts then in second place.

Kyle Gould’s TU Trojans are 27-11 overall and 20-4 in the Crossroads.

Thad Frame’s HU Foresters are 21-14 overall and 16-8 in the CL.

Taylor, Indiana Wesleyan and Huntington are 1-2-3 in the league standings.

NCAA Division I Purdue — coached by Greg Goff — has a four-game win streak. The Boilermakers are 20-12 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten Conference. That’s tied for the third-best record in conference games.

Two teams in the NCAA Division III Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference have won their last three contests.

Grant Bellak’s Hanover College Panthers are 16-8 and 7-2.

Adam Rosen’s Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Fightin’ Engineers are 14-10 and 6-4. 

Hanover is second and Rose-Hulman fourth in the HCAC, which is led by Mount St. Joseph (8-1).

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through April 7

NCAA D-I

Indiana State 23-7 (7-2 MVC)

Purdue 20-12 (5-4 Big Ten)

Ball State 20-13 (7-8 MAC)

Indiana 18-15 (3-3 Big Ten)

Notre Dame 14-15 (2-13 ACC)

Evansville 14-17 (4-5 MVC)

Southern Indiana 14-18 (4-5 OVC)

Butler 13-16 (1-2 Big East)

Purdue Fort Wayne 12-19 (6-6 Horizon)

Valparaiso 10-19 (2-7 MVC)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 20-11 (16-4 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 11-14 (3-9 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Hanover 16-8 (7-2 HCAC)

Anderson 15-11 (5-4 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 14-10 (6-4 HCAC)

Franklin 13-10 (4-6 HCAC)

DePauw 11-8 (2-0 NCAC)

Wabash 10-11 (0-2 NCAC)

Earlham 10-12 (4-6 HCAC)

Manchester 9-16 (3-7 HCAC)

Trine 8-16 (0-7 MIAA)

NAIA

Oakland City 28-13 (11-7 RSC) 

Taylor 27-11 (20-4 CL)

IU-Kokomo 27-13 (15-3 RSC)

Indiana Wesleyan 25-9 (19-5 CL)

IU Southeast 24-12 (16-2 RSC)

Saint Francis 23-14 (13-11 CL)

Huntington 21-14 (16-8 CL)

Marian 17-16 (12-10 CL)

Indiana Tech 17-17 (14-4 WHAC)

Calumet of St. Joseph 14-22 (7-11 CCAC)

IU South Bend 12-22 (4-12 CCAC)

Goshen 12-23 (7-16 CL)

Grace 12-23 (6-17 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 10-30 (2-16 RSC)

Bethel 9-25 (4-20 CL)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 15-13 (2-7 MCCAA)

Vincennes 11-22 (4-8 MWAC)

Results Through April 7

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, April 2

Ball State 7, Bellarmine 2

Evansville 13, Austin Peay State 6

Indiana 16, Indiana State 7

Southern Indiana 10, Murray State 5

Wednesday, April 3

Murray State 13, Southern Indiana 6

Friday, April 5

Ball State 3, Miami (Ohio) 2

Butler 5, Creighton 1

Evansville 3, Belmont 2

Indiana 15, Maryland 4

Murray State 5, Indiana State 4 (12 inn.)

Clemson 7, Notre Dame 3

Purdue 5, Rutgers 3 (10 inn.)

Southern Indiana 9, Lindenwood 4

Illinois State 11, Valparaiso 1

Saturday, April 6

Ball State 2, Miami (Ohio) 0

Creighton 11, Butler 1

Evansville 8, Belmont  3

Indiana 14, Maryland 2

Indiana State 2, Murray State 1 (10 inn.)

Indiana State 6, Murray State 4

Clemson 3, Notre Dame 2

Purdue 8, Rutgers 6

Purdue Fort Wayne 4, Northern Kentucky 3 (10 inn.)

Purdue Fort Wayne 4, Northern Kentucky 1

Lindenwood 7, Southern Indiana 6

Illinois State 3, Valparaiso 1

Sunday, April 7

Miami (Ohio) 11, Ball State 1

Creighton 10, Butler 7

Belmont 12, Evansville 0

Maryland 6, Indiana 5

Clemson 13, Notre Dame 12 (11 inn.)

Purdue 5, Rutgers 3

Northern Kentucky 12, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Lindenwood 9, Southern Indiana 4

Illinois State 6, Valparaiso 0

NCAA D-II

Friday, April 5

Indianapolis 4, Illinois-Springfield 3

Indianapolis 4, Illinois-Springfield 2

Purdue Northwest 5, Davenport 3

Saturday, April 6

Illinois-Springfield 8, Indianapolis 6

Indianapolis 7, Illinois-Springfield 4

Purdue Northwest 3, Davenport 2

Davenport 9, Purdue Northwest 5

Sunday, April 7

Davenport 10, Purdue Northwest 3

NCAA D-III

Monday, April 1

Hope 10, Trine 0

Wednesday, April 3

Adrian 11, Trine 1

Friday, April 5

Earlham 3, Manchester 1

Albion 4, Trine 2

Saturday, April 6

Anderson 5, Transylvania 4

Transylvania 13, Anderson 12

DePauw 2, Oberlin 1

DePauw 8, Oberlin 7

Earlham 9, Manchester 1

Manchester 7, Earlham 2

Hanover 11, Franklin 2

Hanover 17, Franklin 7

Rose-Hulman 14, Bluffton 3

Rose-Hulman 6, Bluffton 0

Albion 10, Trine 0

Albion 7, Trine 1

Wabash 6, Asbury 4

Asbury 5, Wabash 4

Sunday, April 7

Transylvania 8, Anderson 3

Hanover 8, Franklin 0

Rose-Hulman 14, Bluffton 11

Asbury 11, Wabash 6 (12 inn.)

NAIA

Wednesday, April 3

Indiana Tech 12, Lourdes 2

Indiana Tech 13, Lourdes 4

Friday, April 5

Taylor 9, Bethel 3

Taylor 6, Bethel 0

Goshen 6, Huntington 5

Huntington 9, Goshen 4

Spring Arbor 16, Grace 5

Spring Arbor 14, Grace 3

IU-Kokomo 6, Brescia 4 (11 inn.)

Midway 7, IUPU-Columbus 4

IU South Bend 3, Trinity Christian 2

Trinity Christian 7, IU South Bend 4

IU Southeast 11, Oakland City 4

Saturday, April 6

Taylor 14, Bethel 4

Taylor 10, Bethel 4

St. Ambrose 7, Calumet of St. Joseph 0

St. Ambrose 6, Calumet of St. Joseph 4

Huntington 6, Goshen 2

Huntington 3, Goshen 1

Grace 11, Spring Arbor 1

Spring Arbor 6, Grace 2

IU-Kokomo 12, Brescia 10

IU-Kokomo 18, Brescia 5

Midway 6, IUPU-Columbus 0

Midway 2, IUPU-Columbus 0

Trinity Christian 15, IU South Bend 5

Trinity Christian 17, IU South Bend 3

IU Southeast 10, Oakland City 2

IU Southeast 3, Oakland City 1

Indiana Tech 4, Siena Heights 0

Indiana Tech 4, Siena Heights 3

Saint Francis 5, Marian 1

Saint Francis 4, Marian 1

Sunday, April 7

Indiana Tech 9, Siena Heights 3

Indiana Tech 5, Siena Heights 2

Marian 7, Saint Francis 6

Saint Francis 12, Marian 2

Junior College

Friday, April 5

Marian’s Ancilla 3, Glen Oaks 2

Marian’s Ancilla 13, Glen Oaks 8

Wabash Valley 2, Vincennes 0

Saturday, April 6

Glen Oaks 9, Marian’s Ancilla 0

Glen Oaks 10, Marian’s Ancilla 2

‘Calm’ Kolpien keeps coming through for Taylor Trojans

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Kaleb Kolpien is a steady presence in the Taylor University baseball lineup.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior is the NAIA No. 18-ranked Trojans’ everyday right fielder and hits from the left side in either the 2-hole or 3-hole depending on that day’s opposing pitcher.

If Kolpien (pronounced Coal-Peen) had a meme it would likely start with “Stay Calm.”

“I’m a hard worker which has gotten me to where I am today,” says Kolpien. “I’m typically a calm person that always me to not get too worked up.

“Baseball’s a game of failure. I’ve typically done a good job relaxing and it’s benefitted me well.”

What allows the Fort Wayne, Ind., native to play like this?

“It’s a belief in myself and my teammates,” says Kolpien. “If I don’t contribute in this certain situation, it’s not the end of the world. My teammates will pick me up.”

His thought as he’s in the batter’s box?

“I’m just trying to hit it as hard as I can through the center field fence,” says Kolpien. “That’s my approach.

“You can adjust to the outside or inside pitch instead of trying to pull the ball. 

“I’ve typically never been a huge home run guy growing up. Staying with my approach and hitting through the middle has allowed me to hit doubles as well. I spray the balls all over the field and, occasionally, I’ll run into one.”

So far in 2024, he has started in all 34 games and is hitting .368 (46-of-125) with three home runs, 13 doubles, 25 runs batted in, 39 runs scored, 25 walks (against nine strikeouts) and a .981 OPS (.487 on-base percentage plus .544 slugging average). He has 15 multi-hit games with four safeties in a Feb. 21 contest against Indiana University South Bend.

In 2023, Kolpien hit a Crossroads League-leading .424 (98-of-231) with six homers, 21 doubles, 53 RBIs, 57 runs, 30 walks (vs. 15 strikeouts) and a 1.086 OPS (.493/.593) over 59 games. 

Kolpien produced 32 multi-hit games, including five hits Feb. 23 against Olivet Nazarene.

He set a school record for single-season hits and led the team in at-bats. As a left-handed pitcher he also made seven appearances (four in relief) and went 1-1 and was named first team all-conference. The Business Management major was chosen CSC Academic All-District, CSC Second Team Academic All-American and TU’s 2022-23 Male Athlete of the Year.

In Kolpien’s freshmen campaign of 2021, he hit .387 (84-of-217) with three homers, 15 doubles, 51 RBIs, 56 runs, 40 walks (against 27 strikeouts) and a .985 OPS (.487/.498) over 59 contests. As a pitcher, he was 3-1 with six saves in 20 appearances.

His first two college seasons, Kolpien traded time in right field and designated hitter while also pitching. Now, he’s mostly a right fielder.

Taylor is 23-11 overall and 16-4 in the Crossroads League one game ahead of second-place Indiana Wesleyan (21-9, 15-5). 

Because of wet weather, the Trojans are to play CL foe Bethel University for 1 p.m. doubleheader today (Friday, April 5) on the turf at Championship Park in Kokomo. The 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday, April 6 is expected to at BU in Mishawaka, Ind.

At TU’s Winterholter Field in Upland, Ind., Taylor is 14-0.

“We have an awesome facility,” says Kolpien of a diamond with a turf infield and grass outfield. “Typically when the weather warms up students will show out for games. The fans bring the energy and the guys get excited about playing at home.”

Kyle Gould is in his 20th season as Taylor head coach.

“He gets the best out of our team,” says Kolpien of the 2002 TU graduate. “He’s a super-competitive guy. That resonates with a lot of our players.

“(Gould) is also really good at finding match-ups in certain situations. He does a real good job of managing the game whether that’s having a pinch-hitter come up in a certain spot or bullpen match-ups.”

Scouting reports also play a part with assistants Justin Barber and Cam Screeton feeding information to Gould.

The 2023 team went 42-17 overall and 30-6 in winning the Crossroads League title. The Trojans won the NAIA Opening Round held at Taylor and qualified for the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, going 2-2 with the losses to eventual champion Westmont (Calif.) and runner-up Lewis-Clark State (Idaho). 

It was Taylor’s first time in the World Series since 1969.

“This year our team is just as talented,” says Kolpien, who says there has been an early-season adjustment without 2023 fifth-years T.J. Bass, Ben Kalbaugh and Kade Vander Molen and 2023 senior Norbie Fernandez. “We’re getting rolling right now.”

The 2024 Trojans are 15-4 since March 1. One of Taylor’s February wins came at No. 1-ranked Southeastern in Lakeland, Fla.

Kolpien grew up on Fort Wayne’s southwest side. He played T-ball and machine pitch and jumped into travel ball at 9, first with the Summit City Spartans. His 14U to 17U seasons were spent with Northern Indiana Elite with a few tournaments as a substitute on older brother Kade’s Summit City Sluggers squad.

Kade Kolpien is fifth-year senior who comes off the Taylor bench. He is in the Transition to Teaching program.

Kaleb Kolpien is a 2021 graduate of Homestead High School, where he set school records for hits, double, triples and batting average in a single season and first highest career batting average. He was honorable mention all-state as a sophomore and a member of the school’s academic honor roll and a National Honor Society member.

As he is today, Nick Byall was the HHS Spartans head baseball coach. 

“I love Coach Byall,” says Kolpien. “He went to my church. I knew him growing up. He’s a great guy to play for. He’s super-respectful  and like Coach Gould’s he’s super competitive. He got the best out of the guys that we had. I’m thankful that my sophomore year he gave me a chance to play and show what I can do. He always believed in me.

“I’m still pretty close to him to this day.”

Kaleb got to know Byall and Barber well through his brother and as it has turned out they have been college teammates for three seasons.

“It’s been a good time,” says Kaleb. 

With sister Selah Kolpien (Homestead Class of 2023) playing volleyball and majoring in nursing at Taylor, all three of Dave and Kristin Kolpien’s are now on-campus.

While the brothers meet over baseball, little sis is also in the mix.

Says Kaleb, “We try to have lunch together and make an intentional effort to see one another.”

The 2024 regular season is scheduled to conclude April 26, followed by the CL tournament and the opportunity to play deeper into the postseason.

Kaleb Kolpien. (Taylor University Photo)

Kaleb Kolpien. (Taylor University Photo)

Kaleb Kolpien. (Taylor University Photo)

Kaleb Kolpien. (Taylor University Photo)

Indianapolis win streak at 14; Taylor has won 10 straight

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

NCAA Division II baseball’s University of Indianapolis continues to be white-hot through the Week of March 18-24.

UIndy (16-7 overall and 12-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference) is riding a 14-game win streak. Among top pitchers for the Al Ready-coached Greyhounds are Andrew DeWitt (3-0, 0.00 earned run average), Carter Nowak (3-1, 2.64) and E.J. White (1-1, 5 saves, 1.15).

NAIA’s Taylor University (21-9 overall, 14-2 in the Crossroads League) has won 10 straight games while Indiana University Southeast (18-12 overall, 10-2 in the River States Conference) has won seven in a row.

Among leading TU hurlers for the Kyle Gould-coached Trojans are Alec Holcomb (4-2, 4.28), Gabel Pentecost (3-1, 2.40), Jack Ross (1-0, 3 saves, 2.66) and Dalton Swinehart (2-3, 4 saves).

Luke Schafer (5-1, 2.16), Tyler Yotkevich (4-4) and Garrett Hill 2-0, 4 saves, 2.60) are part of the pitching staff for the Brett Neffendorf-coached Grenadiers.

NCAA Division III Rose-Hulman (11-6 overall, 3-1 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) has won three straight. The Adam Rosen-coached Fightin’ Engineers have moundsmen like Schuyler Wilcox (2-0, 2.79) and Jonathan Oliger (1-0, 3 saves, 2.57).

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through March 24

NCAA D-I

Indiana State 17-5 (2-1 MVC)

Purdue 16-9 (1-2 Big Ten)

Notre Dame 14-9 (2-7 ACC)

Ball State 13-12 (2-7 MAC)

Indiana 12-12 (1-2 Big Ten)

Butler 10-12 (0-0 Big East)

Southern Indiana 11-12 (2-1 OVC)

Evansville 9-14 (0-3 MVC)

Purdue Fort Wayne 9-16 (3-3 Horizon)

Valparaiso 8-15 (0-3 MVC)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 16-7 (12-0 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 8-9 (0-4 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Franklin 9-6 (0-2 HCAC)

Anderson 13-8 (3-1 HCAC)

Hanover 12-6 (3-1 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 11-6 (3-1 HCAC)

Wabash 8-7 (0-0 NCAC)

Trine 8-8 (0-0 MIAA)

DePauw 7-6 (0-0 NCAC)

Earlham 7-7 (1-1 HCAC)

Manchester 6-12 (1-3 HCAC)

NAIA

Oakland City 25-10 (8-4 RSC) 

IU-Kokomo 20-12 (9-3 RSC)

Taylor 21-9 (14-2 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 18-8 (12-4 CL)

IU Southeast 18-12 (10-2 RSC)

Saint Francis 17-12 (7-9 CL)

Marian 15-12 (10-6 CL)

Huntington 14-11 (9-5 CL)

Goshen 11-15 (6-8 CL)

Calumet of St. Joseph 11-16 (4-5 CCAC)

IU South Bend 9-15 (1-5 CCAC)

Bethel 8-16 (3-11 CL)

Grace 8-20 (2-14 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 8-23 (2-10 RSC)

Indiana Tech 4-16 (2-4 WHAC)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 13-9 (0-3 MCCAA)

Vincennes 10-20 (4-8 MWAC)

Results Through March 24

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, March 19

Valparaiso 9, Ball State 6

Butler 13, Miami (Ohio) 10

Kentucky 11, Evansville 3

Indiana State 15, Indiana 7

Notre Dame 16, Western Michigan 11

Western Kentucky 5, Southern Indiana 3

Wednesday, March 20

Ball State 7, Butler 6

Illinois-Chicago 6, Purdue 5 (14 inn.)

Michigan State 11, Purdue Fort Wayne 1

Friday, March 22

Toledo 5, Ball State 2

Murray State 13, Evansville 6

Illinois 9, Indiana 1

Missouri State 6, Indiana State 5

Notre Dame 6, Miami (Fla.) 2

Purdue 10, Iowa 3

Wright State 16, Purdue Fort Wayne 13

Tennessee Tech 9, Southern Indiana 7

Southern Illinois 6, Valparaiso 4

Saturday, March 23

Toledo 7, Ball State 5

Dayton 9, Butler 7

Dayton 8, Butler 2

Murray State 7, Evansville 6

Indiana 8, Illinois 1

Indiana State 3, Missouri State 0

Notre Dame 5, Miami (Fla.) 2

Iowa 4, Purdue 3

Purdue Fort Wayne 11, Wright State 2

Southern Indiana 7, Tennessee Tech 5

Southern Illinois 13, Valparaiso 1

Sunday, March 24

Ball State 4, Toledo 2

Butler 11, Dayton 9

Butler 9, Dayton 8

Murray State 6, Evansville 5 (10 inn.)

Illinois 15, Indiana 8

Indiana State 8, Missouri State 5

Miami (Fla.) 12, Notre Dame 10

Iowa 9, Purdue 6

Wright State 14, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Southern Indiana 8, Tennessee Tech 1

Southern Illinois 9, Valparaiso 5

NCAA D-II

Tuesday, March 19

Indianapolis 13, Findlay 5

Friday, March 22

Indianapolis 6, Southwest Baptist 3

Davenport 4, Purdue Northwest 1

Davenport 4, Purdue Northwest 1

Saturday, March 23

Indianapolis 9, Southwest Baptist 2

Indianapolis 12, Southwest Baptist 10

Sunday, March 24

Indianapolis 10, Southwest Baptist 3

Wayne State 9, Purdue Northwest 1

Wayne State 6, Purdue Northwest 2

NCAA D-III

Tuesday, March 19

Greenville 8, Wabash 7 (10 inn.)

Wednesday, March 20

Anderson 8, Alma 1

Alma 17, Anderson 9

Rose-Hulman 13, Greenville 5

Thursday, March 21

North Central 4, DePauw 0

Saturday, March 23

Anderson 5, Manchester 4

Anderson 6, Manchester 2

Hanover 10, Transylvania 4

Transylvania 3, Hanover 2

Mount St. Joseph 7, Rose-Hulman 3

Rose-Hulman 12, Mount St. Joseph 6

Trine 10, Wright State-Lake 5

Illinois Wesleyan 6, Wabash 5

Wabash 8, Illinois Wesleyan 2

Sunday, March 24

Earlham 11, Anderson 2

Anderson 8, Earlham 4

DePauw 14, Williams 0

DePauw 10, Williams 4

Rose-Hulman 11, Franklin 5

Rose-Hulman 7, Franklin 4

Hanover 8, Defiance 1

Hanover 13, Defiance 3

Transylvania 12, Manchester 7

Manchester 4, Transylvania 2

Wright State-Lake 5, Trine 1

Wright State-Lake 6, Trine 4

Wabash 8, Illinois Wesleyan 5

NAIA

Tuesday, March 19

Mt. Vernon Nazarene 19, Grace 13

Mt. Vernon Nazarene 15, Grace 5

Saint Francis (Ind.) 12, IUPU-Columbus 8

IU Southeast 5, Georgetown (Ky.) 2

Indiana Wesleyan 15, Indiana Tech 12

Thursday, March 21

Saint Francis (Ill.) 7, Calumet of St. Joseph 2

Saint Francis (Ill.) 11, Calumet of St. Joseph 10

Goshen 8, Spring Arbor 5

Spring Arbor 13, Goshen 4

Friday, March 22

Huntington 8, Bethel 5

Huntington 2, Bethel 1

Saint Francis (Ill.) 6, Calumet of St. Joseph 5

Marian 8, Grace 3

Grace 5, Marian 3

IU-Kokomo 6, Oakland 5 (11 inn.)

IU-Kokomo 5, Oakland 4

Brescia 6, IUPU-Columbus 5

IU Southeast 13, Midway 1

Saint Francis (Ind.) 13, Indiana Wesleyan 9

Saint Francis (Ind.) 6, Indiana Wesleyan 5

Taylor 4, Mt. Vernon Nazarene 1

Taylor 2, Mt. Vernon Nazarene 0

Saturday, March 23

Marian 15, Grace 5

Marian 6, Grace 2

Oakland City 9, IU-Kokomo 6

Brescia 12, IUPU-Columbus 6

Brescia 7, IUPU-Columbus 2

IU Southeast 16, Midway 3

IU Southeast 5, Midway 2

Indiana Tech at Michigan-Dearborn

Indiana Wesleyan 4, Saint Francis (Ind.) 3

Indiana Wesleyan 5, Saint Francis (Ind.) 1

Taylor 7, Mt. Vernon Nazarene 4

Taylor 4, Mt. Vernon Nazarene 0

Sunday, March 24

Indiana Tech 8, Michigan-Dearborn 0

Indiana Tech 11, Michigan-Dearborn 4

Junior College

Tuesday, March 19

Marian’s Ancilla 15, Glen Oaks 5

Frontier 14, Vincennes 4

Thursday, March 21

Kellogg 9, Marian’s Ancilla 2

Saturday, March 23

Lake Michigan 18, Marian’s Ancilla 11

Danville Area 10, Vincennes 5

Danville Area 9, Vincennes 6

Sunday, March 24

Morton 16, Marian’s Ancilla 2

Danville Area 10, Vincennes 2

Vincennes 16, Danville Area 7

Marian’s Ancilla 10-4, on six-game win streak

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Marian University’s Ancilla College are off to a 10-4 start to the 2024 baseball season.

MUAC’s six-game win streak through the Week of March 4-10 is the longest among Indiana’s 38 baseball-playing schools.

During the streak, the Chuck Bowen-coached Chargers have outscored opponents 74-43. MUAC won nine games in 2023.

NCAA Division II Purdue Northwest is on a five-game victory streak as is NAIA’s Indiana University-Kokomo and Indiana Wesleyan University.

Four-game streaks belong to NCAA Division I’s Indiana State and Purdue and NCAA D-II’s Indianapolis.

On three-game streaks are NCAA D-III’s DePauw and NAIA’s Oakland City.

The Dave Griffin-coached PNW Pride earned two wins Sunday, March 10 in Melbourne, Fla.

Drew Brantley’s IUK Cougars picked up three River States Conference weekend wins at Alice Lloyd.

With a pair of home triumphs against Marian, Ian MacDonald’s IWU Wildcats are 5-1 in the Crossroads League.

Mitch Hannahs’ ISU Sycamores took three at Florida A&M.

Greg Goff’s Purdue Boilermakers piled up 45 runs in a four-game home sweep of Albany.

Al Ready’s UIndy Greyhounds scored 52 runs in sweeping four in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at Missouri Science and Technology.

Blake Allen’s DePauw Tigers is now 4-0 in neutral site games.

Andy Lasher’s OCU Mighty Oaks is 15-4 at home, including 2-0 on the week.

Teams with double-digit wins on the season are Oakland City (18), IU-Kokomo (14), Purdue (12), Indiana State (11), Saint Francis (11), Taylor (11), Indiana Wesleyan (10), Indiana University Southeast (10), Ball State (10) and Marian’s Ancilla (10).

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through March 10

NCAA D-I

Purdue 12-4 (0-0 Big Ten)

Indiana State 11-3 (0-0 MVC)

Ball State 10-6 (1-2 MAC)

Notre Dame 9-4 (0-0 ACC)

Indiana 9-6 (0-0 Big Ten)

Evansville 7-8 (0-0 MVC)

Butler 6-7 (0-0 Big East)

Valparaiso 6-8 (0-0 MVC)

Purdue Fort Wayne 6-11 (0-0 Horizon)

Southern Indiana 5-8 (0-0 OVC)

NCAA D-II

Purdue Northwest 7-1 (0-0 GLIAC)

Indianapolis 6-6 (4-0 GLVC)

NCAA D-III

Anderson 8-5 (0-0 HCAC)

Hanover 7-3 (0-0 HCAC)

Trine 7-3 (0-0 MIAA)

DePauw 5-4 (0-0 NCAC)

Franklin 5-4 (0-0 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 4-4 (0-0 HCAC)

Wabash 4-4 (0-0 NCAC)

Earlham 3-5 (0-0 HCAC)

Manchester 3-5 (0-0 HCAC)

NAIA

Oakland City 18-6 (3-1 RSC) 

IU-Kokomo 14-11 (4-2 RSC)

Saint Francis 11-7 (2-4 CL)

Taylor 11-9 (4-2 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 10-5 (5-1 CL)

IU Southeast 10-11 (3-2 RSC)

Huntington 8-8 (4-2 CL)

Marian 8-9 (3-3 CL)

IU South Bend 8-10 (0-0 CCAC)

Grace 7-8 (1-3 CL)

Calumet of St. Joseph 7-11 (0-0 CCAC)

Bethel 6-10 (1-5 CL)

Goshen 6-11 (2-4 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 5-15 (1-3 RSC)

Indiana Tech 2-10 (0-0 WHAC)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 10-4 (0-0 MCCAA)

Vincennes 9-11 (3-1 MWAC)

Results Through March 10

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, March 5

Purdue Fort Wayne 12, Butler 10

Nortre Dame 11, Purdue 2

Valparaiso 6, Jacksonville 5

Wednesday, March 6

Ball State 10, Florida A&M 2

Ball State 6, Florida A&M 4

Indiana 11, Northern Kentucky 5

Tennessee 2, Southern Indiana 1

Friday, March 8

Eastern Michigan 10, Ball State 9

Butler 7, Memphis 6

Mississippi State 5, Evansville 2

Indiana State 8, Florida A&M 4

Virginia Tech 11, Notre Dame 3 

Purdue Fort Wayne 9, Missouri 7

Valparaiso 3, The Citadel 2

Valparaiso 10, The Citadel 5 (10 inn.)

Saturday, March 9

Eastern Michigan 6, Ball State 2

Jackson State 10, Butler 5 (11 inn.)

Mississippi State 8, Evansville 3

Troy 8, Indiana 1

Virginia Tech 10, Notre Dame 5

Purdue 11, Albany 3

Purdue 6, Albany 1

Purdue Fort Wayne 9, Missouri 7

Missouri 11, Purdue Fort Wayne 1

Sunday, March 10

Ball State 11, Eastern Michigan 8

Butler 4, Presbyterian 1

Mississippi State 13, Evansville 3

Indiana 10, Troy 7

Troy 15, Indiana 11

Indiana State 7, Florida A&M 2

Indiana State 15, Florida A&M 0

Virginia Tech 11, Notre Dame 8

Purdue 16, Albany 6

Purdue 12, Albany 1

Missouri 20, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Southern Indiana 9, Bellarmine 7

The Citadel 10, Valparaiso 6

NCAA D-II

Wednesday, March 6

Purdue Northwest at 4, Indianapolis 2

Saturday, March 9

Indianapolis 23, Missouri S&T 12

Indianapolis 12, Missouri S&T 11

Sunday, March 10

Indianapolis 5, Missouri S&T 3

Indianapolis 12, Missouri S&T 11

Purdue Northwest 6, Florida Tech 4

Purdue Northwest 5, Florida Tech 0

NCAA D-III

Monday, March 4

Cairn 11, Manchester 2

Manchester 9, Cairn 4

Trine 6, St. Vincent 0

Marietta 7, Wabash 6

Tuesday, March 5

Wabash 14, Misericordia 6

Wednesday, March 6

Hanover 5, Belhaven 3

Trine 4, North Central (Minn.) 2

Trine 10, North Central (Minn.) 8

Thursday, March 7

Alma 6, Earlham 5

Earlham 12, Alma 6

Trine 16, St. John Fisher 11

Heidelberg 9, Wabash 7 (10 inn.)

Friday, March 8

Marian (Wis.) 7, Anderson 5

Marian (Wis.) 11, Anderson 3

Trine 4, Waynesburg 0

Waynesburg 8, Trine 3

Misericordia 8, Wabash 1

Saturday, March 9

Hope 6, Anderson 3

DePauw 13, Manchester 3

Albion 7, Franklin 4

Franklin 15, Albion 3

Hanover 2, Belhaven 1 (10 inn.)

Belhaven 8, Hanover 7

Trine 6, Dominican 5

Wabash 14, Heidelberg 6

Sunday, March 10

Anderson 13, Illinois Tech 12

DePauw 14, Manchester 2

DePauw 14, Manchester 4

Albion 14, Franklin 7

NAIA

Monday, March 4

Calumet of St. Joseph 17, Cornerstone 6

IU-Kokomo 11, Lourdes 8

IU-Kokomo 12, Lourdes 10

Campbellsville 17, IUPU-Columbus 2

Tuesday, March 5

Calumet of St. Joseph 9, Siena Heights 4

Rochester 15, IU South Bend 4

Indiana Wesleyan 15, Olivet Nazarene 11

Wednesday, March 6

Southeastern 18, Calumet of St. Joseph 0

IU South Bend 10, Valley City State 5

Oakland City 12, Lourdes 2

Oakland City 3, Lourdes 0

Thursday, March 7

Bethel (Ind.) 7, Goshen 2

Goshen 6, Bethel (Ind.) 1

Concordia (Neb.) 6, Calumet of St. Joseph 2

Cumberlands (Ky.) 14, Calumet of St. Joseph 2

Aquinas 7, IU South Bend 3

Aquinas 4, IU South Bend 2

Huntington 4, Saint Francis 3

Saint Francis 7, Huntington 5

IU Southeast 12, Ohio Christian 2

IU Southeast 7, Ohio Christian 2

Indiana Wesleyan 7, Marian 0

Indiana Wesleyan 5, Marian 4

Taylor 9, Spring Arbor 3

Spring Arbor 9, Taylor 8

Friday, March 8

Calumet of St. Joseph 8, Dordt 6

Siena Heights 8, Calumet of St. Joseph 4

IU-Kokomo 22, Alice Lloyd 2

IU-Kokomo 6, Alice Lloyd 3

Northwestern (Iowa) 16, IU South Bend 5

Saturday, March 9

Calumet of St. Joseph 10, Dordt 7

IU-Kokomo 13,  Alice Lloyd 2

Fisher (Mass.) 7, Indiana Tech 6 (12 inn.)

Sunday, March 10

Point Park 11, IUPU-Columbus 4

Oakland City 6, Rio Grande 3

Georgia Gwinnett 16, Indiana Tech 6

Georgia Gwinnett 10, Indiana Tech 0

Junior College

Monday, March 4

Marian’s Ancilla 15, Ridgewater 8

Marian’s Ancilla 9, Ridgewater 8

Wednesday, March 6

Lake Land 6, Vincennes 3

Marian’s Ancilla 7, Minnesota North-Vermillion 4

Marian’s Ancilla 15, Minnesota North-Vermillion 9

Friday, March 8

Marian’s Ancilla 16, Lake Region State 10

Marian’s Ancilla 12, Erie 4

Saturday, March 9

Vincennes 17, Lewis & Clark 9

Vincennes 8, Lewis & Clark 5

Sunday, March 10

Lewis & Clark 5, Vincennes 3

Vincennes 12, Lewis & Clark 1

Mokma does his part to help Huntington U. pitchers reach their goals

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Even before Mike Mokma became part of the baseball coaching staff at Huntington (Ind.) University, he was getting to know Foresters players.

Mokma, a standout right-handed pitcher at Holland (Mich.) Christian High School (2013-16) and Michigan State University (2017-19) who competed in the Los Angeles Dodgers (2021) and Seattle Mariners systems (2022) and served as head coach at South Christian High School in Grand Rapids, Mich. (spring of 2023), was the pitching coach for the Jamie Sailors-managed Lafayette (Ind.) Aviators (summer of 2023).

Prospect League member Lafayette featured Huntington pitchers Graham Kollen and Tyler Papenbrock and catcher Sebastian Kuhns and it was with the Aviators that Mokma met HU head coach Thad Frame. 

Hired by Huntington in August, Mokma reunited with the three Foresters who were part of a team that went 37-16 overall and 27-9 in NAIA Crossroads League when he arrived on campus in the fall as Frame’s pitching coach. 

The emphasis for Mokma, 25, has been development.

“It’s how we can get our guys to achieve the goals they want to achieve as well as the goals we want to achieve (as a team),” says Mokma. “It’s just being there all the time for them.

“What’s our plan on the mound every time we go out? What’s that look like opponent to opponent? What makes our guys good?”

The 2023 campaign ended with a 6-5 loss to Indiana Wesleyan University in the championship game of the CL tournament at HU’s Forest Glen Park. Two conference teams — IWU and Taylor University — moved on to NAIA Opening Round play then wound up at the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho. Taylor is No. 9 and Indiana Wesleyan No. 14 in the 2023-24 Top 25 preseason rankings.

“Our expectations are to get the NAIA World Series,” says Mokma. “You look inside of that and it’s what we did last year and what we’re going to do. Our emphasis this year are the little things. What little things did not allow us to (make the 2023 NAIA tournament)? Everyone coming back knows the feeling of not being able to get there.

“You see how close we got last year. You clean up a few of the little things, there’s your opportunity.”

Mokma splits recruiting duties with Huntington assistant Jamar Weaver.

“For me, it’s finding guys that I feel fit out pitching staff with make-up, repertoire and how they compete,” says Mokma. “We’re looking for the best players that we feel fit us.”

The current 2024 online roster includes 24 players with Indiana hometowns plus three from Ohio and one each from Kentucky, New York, Canada, Curacao and the Dominican Republic.

Cost is the same for all players — in-state or out-of-state. Athletic scholarship money is based on a Crossroads League spending limit.

“Almost every kid coming in will get some kind of academic scholarship,” says Mokma. 

Frame plus assistants Weaver and Andy Vaught and graduate assistant Langston Ginder are all HU graduates. Ginder played for the 2023 Foresters.

At the NCAA D-I level, there are 11.7 available scholarships divided among 27 players on a 35-man roster. Mokma says he does not recall that anyone at Michigan State was on a “full-ride” is his three seasons in East Lansing.

Mokma grew up in Holland and played summer travel ball for Elite Baseball of Grand Rapids and occasionally was picked up for tournaments by the Kalamazoo Maroons. Jim Caserta was the Holland Christian head coach. 

Scott and Jennifer Mokma had two sons on the field when HCHS (also known as the Maroons) won a Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 state championship in 2016. Mike Mokma was pitching and little brother Chris Mokma, a freshman, was at first baseman.

In Mike’s junior and senior years of high school, he earned basketball letters with Jason Mejeur as head coach.

At Michigan State, the 6-foot-7, 235-pound Mokma made 34 mound appearances (18 starts) and went 4-7 with a 3.71 earned run average, 85 strikeouts and 37 walks in 111 2/3 innings. 

As a Spartan, Mokma discovered his diamond identity.

“I learned just who I was as a pitcher,” says Mokma. “I got to college and I could throw hard and I could throw strikes. But besides that it was how I could get guys out and how I could go deep into games.

“When you go against big-time hitters you get intimidated pretty quick, especially being a young freshman. I had to learn quickly that who I was had nothing to do with who they were and my best was going to beat their best. It wasn’t easy, but once I learned that the confidence went up from there.”

Jake Boss Jr., was — and still is — head coach at Michigan State. Recruited by Mark Van Ameyde, Mokma had two pitching coaches at MSU — Skyler Meade (now head coach at Troy, Ala., University) in 2017 and Van Ameyde (who head coach at Eastern Michigan University then came back for his second stint as a Spartans assistant) in 2018 and 2019.

Mokma pitched in 53 professional games (all in relief) and went 7-5 with two saves, a 3.32 ERA, 78 strikeouts and 25 walks in 81 1/3 innings. He was in the Dodgers organization for three years but only go to play for one. Injured in March 2019, he spent the rest of the year rehabbing though was signed by LA as an undrafted free agent. The COVID-19 pandemic took away the 2020 minor league season. 

He finally pitched in a game again in 2021 for the High Class-A Great Lakes Loons (Midland, Mich.). A free agent at season’s end, Mokma was inked by the Seattle Mariners organization and hurled for the High Class-A Everett (Wash.) AquaSox in 2022. 

“I learned the mental game of baseball is a very funny thing,” says Mokma of his pro experience. “I think it’s overlooked from a pitching standpoint. I learned to control what you can control not let your highs get too high or your lows get too low.”

Mokma decided to make 2022 has last season as a player. He earned his degree from MSU in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science and began his coaching career in 2023, leading the program at South Christian. 

“I always wanted to get into coaching,” says Mokma. “I always wanted to give back and do the same that every coach I’ve had has helped me with, getting them where they want to be.”

Mentors include Caserta, who also led West Ottawa High School in Holland to an MHSAA Division I state crown in 2003, and David Kool, Michigan’s Mr. Basketball in 2006 at South Christian and Western Michigan University’s all-time leading scorer with 2,122 points and a former Holland Christian head boys basketball coach and now the South Christian athletic director.

“Both of them have told me some of the things I’m going to run into and here’s a framework for a lot of things,” says Mokma. “With (Caserta), we were going get our work in, do the best we can and we’re going to get out.”

Caserta is now quarterbacks coach for Holland-based Hope College football.

Chris Mokma, who was a back-up catcher and first baseman on the varsity as a freshman and grew to be a 6-foot-4 right-handed pitcher with multiple perfect games, committed to Michigan State but was selected in the 12th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Miami Marlins and went pro. He has logged 80 minor league games 2019, 2021-23. He was with the High Class-A Midwest League’s Beloit (Wis.) Sky Carp in parts of 2022 and 2023.

“He’s always been able to control the fastball a little bit better than I have,” says Mike of Chris. “He’s got a really good change-up. I never had a change-up. I was always a fastball/slider guy. That’s what I relied on.”

In a pairing of former NCAA Division I athletes, Mike and Miranda (O’Donald) Mokma were married October 2020 in Emmaus, Pa. She is from that Lehigh Valley town and played softball for three years while majoring in Sport Management at the University of Delaware. The couple met in the summer of 2018 when Mike was playing in the Cape Cod League with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks and Miranda was doing an internship.

Huntington is scheduled to open the 2024 baseball season Feb. 9 against MidAmerican Nazarene in Olathe, Kan.

Mike Mokma. (Los Angeles Dodgers Photo)

Mike Mokma. (Michigan State University Photo)

Mike Mokma. (Everett AquaSox Photo)

Coaching opportunity leads Weaver back to Huntington U.

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Relationships took Jamar Weaver to Huntington University as a student-athlete and they’ve got him back with the Foresters as a coach.

Weaver, who played four baseball seasons the Frames — father Mike and son Thad — graduated from HU in 2018 as a double major in Management and Marketing was hired in June to join the coaching staff for 2023-24. 

Weaver spent the better part of three years in purchasing at Keystone RV in Goshen, Ind., after college while also serving as an assistant at Westview Junior/Senior High School near Topeka, Ind., 2019-21. He and wife Ciara Borg-Weaver moved to Chicago and Jamar handled the website for the family business — Weaver Furniture Sales in Shipshewana, Ind. — remotely.

Ciara Borg-Weaver is also a Westview graduate. As a dance major at Ball State University her likeness appeared on banners and billboards as part of the “We Fly” marketing campaign. The couple was married in May 2021.

An invitation from Thad Frame, who took over as head coach for the 2022-23 season, put a change in their lives.

“After spending quite a few months praying about it and talking to my wife about it, I felt like God was pushing us back to Huntington,” says Weaver, 28. “Thad’s a big reason for that. He’s an outstanding recruiter and relationship builder.

“One of the big reasons I came to Huntington was the relationship I built with Thad. He developed into an older brother figure for me. I stayed connect with him through the years even after I graduated.

“(Long-time Foresters head coach Mike Frame) was a good figure in my life. He was hard-nosed, expected the best from guys and pushed guys to play with a passion and desire.”

Weaver was a second baseman his freshman and sophomore years, moved to center field as a junior then split time between second base and shortstop as a senior. 

His last two seasons, he hit .281 and .275 with 43 runs batted in, 68 runs scored and 17 stolen bases. The 2017 team went 35-13 and played in the NAIA national tournament.

As a player at Westview, Weaver played his last three seasons for Huntington graduate Jason Rahn then served on his coaching staff.

“Jason is another one I look to as an older brother figure,” says Weaver. “Some of the things he taught me was to coach guys differently. Not everyone is built the same way and handles the same style of coaching. 

“He was harder on some guys — me being one of them — because he recognized that they can handle that tough coaching and correction. Other guys need more encouragement and positive feedback.”

Joel Mishler was Weaver’s head coach as a Westview freshman.

“I took a lot of lessons from him growing up and also played in the (Indiana) Chargers (travel) organization (founded by Mishler),” says Weaver. “He taught me how to play the game the right way. A lot of the ideas I’ve taken on how to attack the game of baseball I got from him.”

Mishler instilled the concept of respect for the game and people in it and hustling.

“He laid the groundwork,” says Weaver. “He has a vast knowledge of the game and is well-connected throughout baseball.”

Weaver played in the youth leagues around Shipshewana, including a Sandy Koufax League while in junior high.

Father Mervin Weaver, who comes from an Amish background, is a big basketball fan but also encouraged his son’s affinity for the diamond.

“He recognized I had a passion for baseball,” says Jamar Weaver. “He supported me in all of that.

“He soaked in as much information as he could. I owe a lot to my father.”

Mervin Weaver watched baseball videos, threw plenty of batting practice and hit many ground balls.

On the hardwood, Jamar scored 388 career points. When Westview was the 2014 IHSAA Class 2A state runner-up to Park Tudor, Weaver was selected as an Arthur L. Trester Mental Attitude Award winner.

“That was a special year,” says Weaver. “At the time I didn’t see the significance of that award. It has been brought up multiple times. 

“Seeing the names of those who won it before me and even afterward really put an emphasis on how cool that award is. It really means a lot.”

As a Huntington baseball assistant, Weaver’s duties include coordinating defense and baserunning and sharing recruiting with new pitching new Mike Mokma. 

Weaver notes that recruiting has been focused on pitching with a few spots needed in the infield and outfield. 

“We’re looking to add depth,” says Weaver.

Each recruiting class has around 10 players — give or take a few.

Graduate assistant Langston Ginder helps Thame on the offensive side of things for the Foresters. Huntington went 37-16 overall and 27-9 in the Crossroads League in 2023.

Jamar Weaver. (Huntington University Image).