Older brother Plato Deliyannis is PhD. student at Duke University.
Younger brother Simon Deliyannis graduated Bloomington High School North in 2023 and is going to study at IU.
Both brothers played golf in high school — Plato at Bloomington South and Simon at Bloomington North. Plato has played Ultimate at Duke.
The middle Deliyannis (pronounced Dell-E-Yah-ness) boy, Harry goes to Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., as an Economics major and Religious Studies minor.
A 6-foot, 175-pound right-hander has made two mound appearances and is 1-0 with a 0.00 earned run average, six strikeouts and five walks in 10 innings.
Pitching in the spring for the Frank Pericolosi-coached Pomona Pitzer Sagehens, Deliyannis was in 13 games (12 starts) with 3-5 record, 4.50 ERA, 77 strikeouts and 28 walks in 76 innings.
The 2023 season marked his second full college slate, meaning he has two remaining years of eligibility. The COVID-19 pandemic curtailed 2020 and Pomona Pizer did not field a team in 2021.
Not enrolled in school, Deliyannis came back to Indiana and was the pitching coach at his prep alma mater — Bloomington North — just two years after his senior year with Richard Hurt as Cougars head coach and Erik Pearson as an assistant. It’s an experience that makes Harry want to coach after his collegiate days.
“A lot of high schoolers think they know more than their coaches,” says Deliyannis. “From coaching alongside Coach Hurt I can say that high schoolers don’t.”
Deliyannis credits the coach/educator for having a big impact on him.
“Coach Hurt is by far the most-organized person I’ve ever met,” says Deliyannis. “The work ethic, organization and attention to details that (he) coaches with and his even-keel demeanor I appreciate more than I can express now. I really look up to Coach Hurt.
“I feel lucky that I had him as my high school coach. He prepared me for college and I think for life better than anybody else.”
Deliyannis fell in love with Pomona — located east of Los Angeles — after his first visit.
The former second baseman and designated from both sides of the plate, who turned 22 in March and will be a senior in 2023-24, prefers starting over relieving.
“I get to see hitters three or four times,” says Deliyannis. “I like the interesting game that comes up after I’ve gone through a lineup once. I have to re-figure out how to pitch to them again.
“I like going deep into games and give my team a chance (to win). That’s my responsibility as a starter.”
Throwing over-the-top, Deliyannis uses a four-seam fastball, curveball, slider, change-up and cutter.
“I use them all at least 10 percent of the time,” says Deliyannis. “There’s no pitch I won’t throw.”
The four-seamer sits at 88-89 mph and has hit 90 several times the past two springs.
His 12-to-6 curve has a high spin rate (3200 rpm).
His slider is sometimes horizontal and sometimes has gyro movement.
The “circle” change-up, which has overtaken his curve as his best pitch, is really a screwball.
“When I throw it hard it has a dot and moves like a lefty slider,” says Deliyannis. “I throw from the high arm slot and let it naturally pronate. I don’t think of turning it over. I let the grip do what it does.”
He throws the cutter often to right-handed batters.
“I think it looks like a fastball and they get out in front of it,” says Deliyannis.
A lifelong Bloomington resident, Deliyannis was in what is now the Bloomington Junior Baseball Association before playing travel ball for the Indiana Chiefs and then Indiana Prospects, where Mark Taylor was one of his early head coaches.
The summer after high school (2019), Deliyannis was supposed to play for the Cortland (N.Y.) Crush but was bedridden for a month with mononucleosis then competed in a few non-league games in Indiana.
Friday night starter Austin Peterson has been sitting batters down at a consistent pace so far in 2022. The 6-foot-6 senior right-handed pitcher has made four starts for the University of Connecticut and was 2-0 with 44 strikeouts and five walks in 24 2/3 innings heading into the Week of March 14-20. A 2018 Chesterton (Ind.) High School graduate, Peterson played at Purdue and Wabash Valley College before winding up at UConn. Peterson is more than one of 120 players from Indiana high schools (or hometowns) on NCAA Division I rosters outside the state. Many are key contributors. Freshman right-hander Casey Sorg (Floyd Central) sported a 1.59 ERA in five mound appearances for Bellarmine, a squad with nine Indiana products on a team led by Jeffersonville alum Larry Owens. Sophomore outfielder Carson Husmann (South Central of Union Mills) was hitting .318 with two home runs and 11 runs batted in for Bradley. Senior outfielder Damon Lux (Shelbyville) had driven in 12 runs for Duke. Redshirt junior right-hander Blake Malatestnic (Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter) was 3-0 with a 2.82 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings for Eastern Illinois. Sophomore second baseman Tim Borden II (Providence) was hitting .316 with four homers and 11 RBIs for Georgia Tech. Freshman outfielder Jared Comia (Hanover Central) was hitting .283 with two homers and eight RBIs for Illinois. Redshirt senior catcher/first baseman Nolan Metcalf (Penn) was hitting .306 with nine RBIs for Kansas. Senior right-hander Jack Myers (Indianapolis Cathedral) had 16 strikeouts in 19 innings for Kennesaw State. Sophomore left-hander Michael Dunkelberger (South Bend Saint Joseph) was 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA for Lipscomb. Senior right-hander Jared Poland (Indianapolis Cathedral) was 1-1 with 1.38 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 13 innings for Louisville. Redshirt sophomore J.J. Woolwine (Fishers) was hitting .439 with one homer and eight RBIs and freshman right-hander Luke Leverton (Seton Catholic) was 1-0 with 1.00 ERA and nine strikeouts in innings for Miami (Ohio). Senior shortstop Riley Bertram (ZIonsville Community) was hitting .293 with one homer and 11 RBIs for Michigan. Sophomore outfielder Roman Kuntz (New Prairie) was hitting .370 with three homers and 10 RBIs for Morehead State. Freshman right-hander Landon Kruer (Providence) was 1-0 with 1.59 ERA for Navy. Redshirt junior outfielder Trevyn Moss (Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran) was hitting .274 with one homer, one triple and 14 RBIs for Northern Kentucky. Redshirt junior shortstop Xavier Haendiges (Salem) was hitting .353 for Ohio. Junior right-hander Bayden Root (Kokomo) was 1.0 with a 2.61 ERA in six appearances for Oklahoma State. Senior right-hander Cameron Pferrer (Carmel) was 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings for Saint Louis. Freshman Nick Mitchell (Carmel) was hitting .357 with eight RBIs for Western Illinois. Junior infielder/outfielder Matthew Meyer (Westfield) was hitting .260 with one homer and 11 RBIs for Western Kentucky. Senior outfielder Ryan Missal (Lowell) was hitting .257 with four homers and 11 RBIs for Western Michigan. Sophomore first baseman Julian Greenwell (Columbus East) was hitting .310 with one homer and nine RBIs. There’s several more coaches with Indiana prep roots — head coach Billy Gernon (New Albany) and associate head coach Adam Piotrowicz (John Glenn) at Western Michigan, head coach Eric Wedge (Fort Wayne Northrop) at Wichita State and assistants Jared Broughton (Indianapolis Lutheran) at Clemson, Nick McIntyre (McCutcheon) at Toledo, Justin Parker (Fort Wayne Wayne) at South Carolina, Matt Reida (Western) at Alabama and Bobby Rinard (Mishwawaka Marian) at Dixie State.
INDIANA D-I PLAYERS OUTSIDE STATE 2022 Alabama So. IF Bryce Eblin (Center Grove) Volunteer Assistant Coach Matt Reida (Western)
Alabama State Fr. RHP/IF Kyler McIntosh (Columbus North)
Illinois Fr. OF Jared Comia (Hanover Central) Jr./Sr. C Ryan Hampe (Hometown — Crown Point, Ind. — Sandburg HS) Fr. RHP Calvin Shepherd (Lawrence North)
As winter has turned to spring, the hottest college baseball programs in the state — based on current win streaks — are at Taylor, Indiana University Southeast, Marian, Indianapolis and Indiana Wesleyan.
Among NAIA squads, there’s the Taylor Trojans (21-6) with 14 straight wins, IU Southeast Grenadiers (17-11) and Marian Knights (15-8) with eight each and Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats (21-8) with five. NCAA D-II’s UIndy Greyhounds (7-7) have six straight triumphs (including a 4-0 weekend series vs. Truman).
Among regulars, Conner Crawford (.357 with three home runs) paces the Taylor offense. Anderson High School graduate Joe Moran (5-2, 2.45 earned run average) is the Trojans’ top moundsman.
Brody Tanksley (.392 with seven homers) leads IU Southeast batters. Drew Hensley (4-2) is tops in pitching wins. Both are Bedford North Lawrence alums.
Hitter Matteo Porcellato (.329) and pitcher Kole Aping (4-0) have contributed to Marian’s success. Aping is a Beech Grove graduate.
By the way, Crossroads League frontrunners Indiana Wesleyan (12-0) and Taylor (10-0) are slated to meet April 9 and 10 in doubleheaders at IWU.
Brandon DeWitt (.475) and Greenwood Community grad Reid Werner (2-1) have been key performers for Indianapolis.
Taylor (4-0 vs. Mount Vernon Nazarene), IU Southeast (3-0 at Ohio Christian), Marian (2-0 vs. Spring Arbor), UIndy (4-0 vs. Truman) and Indiana Wesleyan (4-0 at Goshen) are all coming off weekend series wins as are NAIA members Oakland City (11-11) 3-0 vs. Rio Grande and NCAA D-II’s Purdue Northwest (6-3) 3-0 vs. Wisconsin Parkside.
NCAA D-I series victors included Indiana State (11-6) 3-1 at Alabama-Birmingham, Indiana (9-2) 2-1 vs. Purdue, Notre Dame (9-3) 2-1 vs. Duke, Ball State (9-8) 3-1 vs. Western Michigan, Evansville (9-10) 2-1 at Butler and Purdue Fort Wayne (7-8) 3-1 vs. Oakland.
Max Wright is hitting .339 with four homers for Indiana State. Geremy Guerrero (4-0, 1.14) has been the Sycamores’ top pitcher.
Evansville Memorial graduate Drew Ashley (.395) and Carmel alum Tommy Sommer (2-0, 1.40) are among those who have shined for Indiana.
Kenton Crews (Heritage Hills alum) became the first Evansville player during the NCAA D-I era to hit for the cycle when he produced a single, double, triple and home run in Sunday’s win at Butler.
Notre Dame played its first home games since 2019. Irish hitters led so far in 2021 by Jared Miller (.380 with three homers). Niko Kavadas (Penn graduate) is hitting .302 with seven homers. Starter John Michael Bertrand and reliever Liam Simon are both 3-0.
Purdue Fort Wayne regular and Hamilton Southeastern product Jack Lang (.354) is among the Mastodons’ leaders as is Jacob Myer (3-0, 1.61).
At the NCAA D-III level, Hanover (6-2) went 2-0 vs. Mount St. Joseph, Wabash (7-5) 4-0 vs. Trine, Anderson (6-4) 3-1 for the weekend — 1-1 at Earhlam Saturday and 2-0 vs. Bluffton Sunday.
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