By STEVE KRAH
Cortez Hague has a few points of emphasis as the new head baseball coach at Ben Davis High School on the west side of Indianapolis.
“Creating good young men first and foremost and future leaders of families and future leaders of the community. That would be No. 1 for me,” says Hague, who was hired to guide the Giants program at the end of July. “Behind that is putting a good, clean baseball product on the field. That involves throwing a lot of strikes, making routine plays on the field and putting the ball in-play.”
Ben Davis (enrollment around 4,350) is a member of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (with Indianapolis North Central, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, Pike and Warren Central).
The Giants are part of an IHSAA Class 4A sectional grouping in 2024 with Indianapolis Cathedral, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks, Indianapolis North Central, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North and Pike. Ben Davis has won 12 sectional crowns — the last in 2014.
An IHSAA Limited Contact Period runs from Aug. 28-Oct. 14 and Hague has been getting 25 to 30 to come to voluntary workouts two times a week.
“We’ve been having fun with that,” says Hague.
The coach says BD players considering college baseball include Class of 2024’s Jayden Atkins and Cameron Spaulding and 2025’s Austin Calvin.
Zyon Avery (Class of 2018) has played at Ohio University, Parkland College and LSU-Shrevport.
The past six seasons Hague was an assistant coach on Jake Banwart’s staff at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis. He was junior varsity head coach for two years and then a varsity assistant.
Hague, 28, has also been associated with Banwart as a Baseball Academics Midwest travel coach at the 13U to 18U levels for the past seven years.
Hague’s assistant coaches at Ben Davis are Brian Harrison and Nate Atkins with the varsity squad, Lucas Kemling with the JV team and Bishop Akers with the freshmen.
Ben Davis practices and plays on a diamond located in the southwest corner of the campus near the football field and 9th Grade Center.
The facility recently got new sod and infield laser-leveling. Hague says dugout and backstop improvement is on the wish list.
“The most unique thing about Ben Davis’ field is the pine tree hitter’s eye,” says Hague. “It’s a beautiful site for a baseball field.
“It’s unique for Indianapolis.”
Feeders for the high school are Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center, Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center, Ben Davis Little League and Wayne Baseball Club.
Ben Davis Bullpen is a parent-run support group for the baseball community.
Hague carried on a tradition with the annual alumni game featuring former and current Giants Saturday, Sept. 23.
Hague earned a Physical Education/Health Education degree at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis in 2018 and now teaches Health and helps in the Learning Lab at Ben Davis.
A 2013 graduate of Cardinal Ritter High School in Indianapolis, Hague played football and his head baseball coaches were Vince Purchia and Jason Sims.
“Vince brought same intensity everyday,” says Hague. “He was consistent in his messaging. He had a passion for the game and his kids.”
Hague, whose primary position was catcher with time at pitcher and corner infield, was not around Sims as much.
Cortez and wife Jordan Hague have two daughters — Gemma (10) and Talulah (4).
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