Hanover first-time HCAC champs; NAIA Opening Round, D-II regional to start

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Hanover (Ind.) College is NCAA Division III Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball champions for the first time.

The Grant Bellak-coached Panthers (30-15) won the 2024 HCAC tournament in Kokomo and earned an NCAA D-III regional berth. Hanover goes to a site hosted by Denison and also featuring Rowan and Millikin. The regional is May 17-19.

The season ended for HCAC tourney qualifiers Anderson (25-19), Rose-Hulman (25-19) and Franklin (20-22).

DePauw (23-17) saw its season come to an end at the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament in Chillicothe, Ohio.

The NAIA Opening Round is May 13-16 at 10 sites around the country.

Two locations will feature Indiana teams. 

At the Upland (Ind.) Bracket, the five teams are No. 1 seed Missouri Baptist, No. 2 Taylor (Ind.), No. 3 Mid-America Nazarene (Kan.), No. 4 Indiana Southeast and No. 5 Indiana Tech.

At Williamsburg (Ky.) Bracket, there’s No. 1 Cumberlands (Ky.), No. 2 Bellevue (Neb), No. 3 Loyola (La.), No. 4 Saint Francis (Ind.) and No. 5 Park (Mo.).

The Kyle Gould-coached Taylor Trojans (41-14) won the Crossroads League regular-season and tournament titles.

Brett Neffendorf’s Indiana Southeast Grenadiers (32-18) were River States Conference tournament runners-up.

Kip McWilliams’ Indiana Tech Warriors (32-22) won the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament. The team is on an 11-game win streak.

Dustin Butcher’s Saint Francis Cougars (37-17) finished second in the Crossroads League tournament.

The NAIA World Series is slated for My 24-31 in Lewiston, Idaho.

Oakland City won the National Christian College Athletic Association Mideast Regional and earned a berth in the NCCAA World Series May 18, 20-22 at the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy.

Andy Lasher’s Oakland City Mighty Oaks (41-14) keeps adding to the single-season school record for victories.

Indianapolis (35-18) went 1-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament in Marion, Ill., and has earned a hosting spot in NCAA Division II Midwest Regional No. 2.

The Al Ready-coached Greyhounds are in a field with Trevecca Nazarene, Maryville and Grand Valley State. The regional goes May 16-19.

Purdue Northwest (19-30) saw its season conclude at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament in Lansing, Mich.

Vincennes (13-44) wrapped for 2024 at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Region 24 Pod A tournament at Normal, Ill.

In NCAA Division I, the regular season concludes this week (May 13-19) then comes conference tournaments for qualifiers.

Indiana State (36-11, 19-5), Evansville (29-22, 15-9) and Valparaiso (14-34, 6-18) are in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Purdue (33-19, 13-8) and Indiana (28-21-1, 13-8) are in the Big Ten Conference.

Ball State (30-20-1, 16-11) is in the Mid-American Conference.

Notre Dame (27-22, 9-18) is in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Southern Indiana (22-30, 11-13) is in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Butler (20-32, 5-13) is in the Big East Conference.

Purdue Fort Wayne (17-33, 10-17) is in the Horizon League.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through May 12

NCAA D-I

Indiana State 36-11 (19-5 MVC)

Purdue 33-19 (13-8 Big Ten)

Ball State 30-20-1 (16-11 MAC)

Evansville 29-22 (15-9 MVC)

Indiana 28-21-1 (13-8 Big Ten)

Notre Dame 27-22 (9-18 ACC)

Southern Indiana 22-30 (11-13 OVC)

Butler 20-32 (5-13 Big East)

Purdue Fort Wayne 17-33 (10-17 Horizon)

Valparaiso 14-34 (6-18 MVC)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 35-18 (29-7 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 19-30 (8-22 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Hanover 30-15(17-5 HCAC)

Anderson 25-19 (13-9 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 25-19 (14-8 HCAC)

DePauw 23-17 (12-4 NCAC)

Wabash 22-18 (8-8 NCAC)

Franklin 20-22 (9-13 HCAC)

Earlham 15-22 (7-15 HCAC)

Manchester 14-21 (7-11 HCAC)

Trine 11-27 (3-18 MIAA)

NAIA

Taylor 41-14 (30-6 CL)

Oakland City 41-14 (17-7 RSC) 

Saint Francis 37-17 (24-12 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 34-15 (27-9 CL)

IU Southeast 32-18 (20-4 RSC)

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

Indiana Tech 32-22 (24-8 WHAC)

Huntington 30-21 (23-13 CL)

Marian 25-27 (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 13-44 (5-29 MWAC)

Results Through May 12

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, May 7

Ball State 24, Butler 7

Evansville 10, Southern Indiana 0

Purdue 11, Illinois-Chicago 9

Wednesday, May 8

Butler 12, Eastern Illinois 11

Bowling Green 5, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Friday, May 10

Ball State 6, Central Michigan 1

Indiana State 5, Evansville 4

Indiana 10, Nebraska 5

Notre Dame 6, Toledo 5

Purdue 4, Michigan 0

Purdue Fort Wayne 18, Northern Kentucky 8

Arkansas-Little Rock 11, Southern Indiana 9

Murray State 11, Valparaiso 10 (10 inn.)

Saturday, May 11

Ball State 6, Central Michigan 4

Villanova 3, Butler 2

Butler 10, Villanova 9 (11 inn.)

Indiana State 6, Evansville 4

Nebraska 5, Indiana 2

Notre Dame 8, Toledo 2

Michigan 7, Purdue 6

Northern Kentucky 10, Purdue Fort Wayne 0

Arkansas-Little Rock 7, Southern Indiana 6

Murray State 7, Valparaiso 3

Sunday, May 12

Central Michigan 17, Ball State 9

Butler 10, Villanova 9 (11 inn.)

Evansville 7, Indiana State 6

Nebraska 4, Indiana 2

Toledo 5, Notre Dame 2

Michigan 8, Purdue 6

Northern Kentucky 18, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Arkansas-Little Rock 5, Southern Indiana 4 (10 inn.)

Murray State 12, Valparaiso 3

NCAA D-II

Wednesday, May 8

Great Lakes Valley 

Conference Tournament 

Quincy 5, Missouri-St. Louis 4

Thursday, May 9

Great Lakes Valley 

Conference Tournament 

William Jewell 3, Drury 2

Maryville 9, Rockhurst 3

Indianapolis 5, Lewis 2

Great Lakes Intercollegiate 

Athletic Conference Tournament 

Grand Valley State 8, Wisconsin-Parkside 1

Saginaw Valley State 18, Purdue Northwest 4

Davenport 11, Wayne State 2

Friday, May 10

Great Lakes Valley 

Conference Tournament 

Drury 6, Rockhurst 4

Lewis 5, Missouri-St. Louis 2

Maryville 10, William Jewell 4

Quincy 5, Indianapolis 4

Great Lakes Intercollegiate 

Athletic Conference Tournament 

Purdue Northwest 9, Wisconsin-Parkside 7

Saginaw Valley State 9, Wayne State 8 (10 inn.)

Grand Valley State 4, Davenport 2

Saturday, May 11

Great Lakes Valley 

Conference Tournament 

William Jewell 8, Drury 7

Lewis 12, Indianapolis 4

Quincy 7, William Jewell 5

Maryville 11, Lewis 9

Great Lakes Intercollegiate 

Athletic Conference Tournament 

Saginaw Valley State 2, Grand Valley State 1

Davenport 3, Purdue Northwest 1

Saginaw Valley State 14, Davenport 2

Sunday, May 12

Great Lakes Valley 

Conference Tournament 

Championship

Maryville 11, Quincy 1

Great Lakes Intercollegiate 

Athletic Conference Tournament 

Championship

Grand Valley State 5, Saginaw Valley State 3

NCAA D-III

Thursday, May 9

Heartland Collegiate Athletic 

Conference Tournament 

Rose-Hulman 5, Franklin 0

Mount St. Joseph 11, Anderson 10

Hanover 10, Mount St. Joseph 7

North Coast Athletic 

Conference Tournament 

Wittenberg 6, Kenyon 2

Denison 10, DePauw 2

Friday, May 10

Heartland Collegiate Athletic 

Conference Tournament 

Transylvania 7, Rose-Hulman 2

Anderson 11, Franklin 7

Mount St. Joseph 10, Rose-Hulman 1

Transylvania 12, Hanover 10

North Coast Athletic 

Conference Tournament 

Wittenberg 4, Denison 3

Kenyon 10, DePauw 2

Denison 14, Kenyon 1

Saturday, May 11

Heartland Collegiate Athletic 

Conference Tournament 

Anderson 15, Rose-Hulman 4

Hanover 6, Anderson 1

Hanover 6, Transylvania 4

Sunday, May 12

Heartland Collegiate Athletic 

Conference Tournament

Championship

Hanover 9, Transylvania 6

North Coast Athletic 

Conference Tournament 

Championship

Denison 17, Wittenberg 7

NAIA

Monday, May 6

Crossroads League Tournament 

Saint Francis 7, Marian 5

Championship 

Taylor 7, Saint Francis 4

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic 

Conference Tournament 

Championship Series

Indiana Tech 5, Madonna 4 (11 inn.)

Indiana Tech 10, Madonna 3

Wednesday, May 8

National Christian College Athletic 

Association Mideast Regional

Alice Lloyd 5, Asbury 3

Oakland City 10, Alice Lloyd 0

Thursday, May 9

National Christian College Athletic 

Association Mideast Regional

Asbury 8 Alice Lloyd 6

Oakland City 7, Asbury 3

Junior College

Friday, May 10

NJCAA Division II 

Region 24 Tournament

Heartland 10, Vincennes 9

Spoon River 11, Vincennes 8

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.)

Cardenas carries confidence to the bump for U. of Indianapolis

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

NCAA Division II University of Indianapolis — ranked No. 2 in the Midwest/No. 20 in the nation by National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association — close the 2024 regular season in Romeoville, Ill., with a four-game Great Lakes Valley Conference series May 2-4 against Lewis University (one game Thursday, two games Friday, one game Saturday).

Greyhounds head coach Al Ready and pitching coach Adam Cornwell have decided to hand the ball to junior right-hander Diego Cardenas to start today (May 2). First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. Central Time.

Cardenas, a 21-year-old South Bend, Ind., native and Environmental Sustainability major, brings up the same word when describing Ready and Cornwell.

“It’s amazing,” says Cardenas of playing for Ready. “It’s a great experience. It’s a unique way of coaching and a lot of the players get along with it. He’s very brave and confident in his guys.

“He trusts all of his players and that’s pretty sweet.”

Cardenas says Ready, who played at UIndy and is in his 17th season coaching in the program (sixth as head coach), does not go by the book.

“He’s very unorthodox,” says Cardenas of the man who has the Greyhounds at 32-14 overall and 27-5 at the top of the GLVC standings. The team has won 11 straight.

Says Cardenas, “(Cornwell) gives me a lot of confidence by giving me my own space and making corrections when they’re due.

“He lets us be our own person which is great.”

Cardenas has gone from a reliever going into the season to a mid-week starter and then a weekend arm for conference games.

In eight mound appearances (all starts) in 2024, Cardenas is 5-0 with a 2.70 earned run average, 37 strikeouts and 25 walks in 46 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting .195 against him.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder throws from a three-quarter arm angle and uses a two-seam fastball, change-up and slider to get hitters out.

“I get a ton of arm-side run,” says Cardenas of his two seamer which has hit 91 mph and sets at 86 to 89. “Not a lot of vertical (movement), more horizontal.”

A combination of splitter and change-up, he calls that pitch a “splange” and it goes 80 to 83 mph.

“I choke the daylights out of it,” says Cardenas of the grip.

Wedging the ball deep in his hands in a traditional slider grip, the righty makes deliveries at 77 to 80 mph.

Born and raised in South Bend with Larry and Kelly Cardenas as parents and former John Adams High School ballplayers Esai Cardenas and Benicio Cardenas (who also on the team at Marian University’s Ancilla College) as older brothers, Diego played at South Bend East Side Little League as a youngster and travel ball as a teen with the Indiana Nitro.

At Adams, 2021 graduate Diego Cardenas was a middle infielder when not on the mound.

Mike Cass was and still is the Eagles head coach.

“He kept it simple,” says Cardenas of Cass.

Cardenas underwent Ulnar Collateral Ligament reconstruction (Tommy John surgery) and redshirted for the 2022 UIndy season. That summer he played in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., for the Turf Monsters.

In his debut season with Indianapolis in 2023, Cardenas got into nine games (all in relief) and went 0-0 with a 9.00 ERA, eight strikeouts and 11 walks in eight innings. 

He split his summers between contracts with the Prospect League’s Terre Haute (Ind.) Rex and Northwoods League’s Waterloo (Ind.) Bucks. He has signed to play this summer with the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League’s Olney (Md.) Cropdusters.

But before that there’s business to attend at UIndy. The eight-team GLVC tournament is May 8-11 in Marion, Ill. After that comes an NCAA D-II Midwest Regional May 16-19 at a campus site and a chance to advance to a Midwest Super Regional May 24-25 at a campus site and then the D-II World Series June 1-8 in Cary, N.C.

“We’re playing loose and confident,” says Cardenas. “We’re playing in a very fun way.”

While he has no real allegiance to an MLB team, Cardenas does have a favorite player.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Marcus Stroman,” says Cardenas of the New York Yankees right-hander. “I love his confidence and his flash.”

Cardenas has two years of remaining eligibility. He expects to take one in 2025 while finishing his undergraduate degree then a graduate year. He says if he had to decide on his concentration now it would be in Management Sciences.

After baseball, he foresees a career in renewable energies, performing research and analytics and hands-in field work.

“I love the outdoors,” says Cardenas. “It’s pretty awesome.”

Diego Cardenas. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Diego Cardenas. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Diego Cardenas. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Diego Cardenas. (University of Indianapolis Image)

Diego Cardenas. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Diego Cardenas. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Diego Cardenas. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

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

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

There’s just no quit in Ready’s UIndy Greyhounds

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Greyhounds don’t give up.

At least not the kind that play baseball at the University of Indianapolis.

UIndy head coach Al Ready sees to that.

“It’s part of our culture,” says Ready. “Our team will just not quit.”

Indianapolis went 39-21 and qualified for the 2023 D-II World Series in Cary, N.C., while showing that never-day-die spirit over and over again.

A few examples … 

On April 11 against Ohio Dominican, UIndy prevalied 24-23 in 11 innings. Indianapolis trailed 19-18 going into the bottom of the ninth and score on run to force extra frames. Both teams tallied three in the 10th. The visitors scored one in the top of the 11th and the Hounds walked it off with two in the bottom.

On April 25, UIndy trailed 10-7 against Kentucky Wesleyan and scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to win.

There was postseason magic, too.

In a May 18 regional game at the Illinois Springfield, Indianapolis was behind 8-5 through seven innings. The Greyhounds scored five in the top of the eighth and the Prairie Stars two in the bottom. UIndy won 11-10 with the game-winner in the 11th.

What turned about to be the final game of the 2023 season was against Cal State San Bernadino had Indianapolis rallying again. The Greyhounds went down 6-0 and 9-2 then produced five runs in the bottom of the ninth in a 10-8 loss. 

A player at Great Lakes Valley Conference rival Quincy (Ill.) University — center fielder Brock Boynton — used the word scrappy to describe the Hounds.

“Brock Boynton is one of the my favorite players to watch in the GLVC,” says Ready. “He’s exactly right. That’s a good assessment. We are scrappy. We just never quit.

“A lot of teams are not built to come back.”

Ready, who attended the 2024 American Baseball Coaches Association Convention in Dallas and received the ABCA/ATEC D-II Midwest Regional Coach of the Year Award for 2023, has been head coach at UIndy for five seasons after 11 as an assistant to ABCA Hall of Famer Gary Vaught. 

A former UIndy player, London, Ont., native Ready holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the school.

His coaching style in recent years has changed as athletes have changed. 

Performance Psychology coach Scott Holdsworth — father of former UIndy All-American Macy Holdsworth — meets with the team once a week.

“I’ve learned so much from Scott in just how to get my message across to the kids,” says Ready, 46. “The message hasn’t really changed about what we need to do on the field. But the way I deliver the message is much different.

“How the coach should interact with the kids is the biggest thing that I’ve learned. The way I deliver the message is much different. 

“Coaches that are my age could probably relate to this. In my generation, coaches just told you to do something and you didn’t ask questions. You just did it because the coach told you to do it. Now the players need to know why. You need to provide much more information and you need to teach them.”

To prove his point, Ready uses the video game MLB: The Show as an analogy.

“A lot of coaches up to the early and mid-2000’s were coaching their teams like the video game. The players don’t have a brain. Just do this because I tell you to do it.”

Ready no longer coaches third base but stays in the dugout so he can communicate with the hitter and the players on-deck and in the hole about the situation. 

“The stars are aligning here for this play and this is what we’re going to do,” says Ready.

“Small ball” is a big part of what make UIndy click. The Hounds will bunt and they will certainly run. Indianapolis obliterated the previous single-season stolen base record with 153 (in 180 attempts) in 2023. Individual leaders were Caleb Vaughn (a school-record 43), Easton Good (25), Jared Bujdos (22), Brandon DeWitt (17), Drew Donaldson (17) and Nick Lukac (17).

Ready’s coaching staff for 2024 features pitching coach/recruiting director Adam Cornwell and hitting/third base/infield coach E.J. Devarie plus graduate assistants DeWitt and Alex Vela. Trevor Forde has left to become head coach at Illinois Springfield.

UIndy opens the 2024 season Feb. 16 against Notre Dame College in Indianapolis. The South Euclid, Ohio-based Falcons are coached by former big league pitcher Len Barker.

Al Ready. (Gandolph Bats Photo)

Bragg now leading Lawrence Central baseball program

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Tim Bragg takes over as head baseball coach at Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis with a wealth of knowledge gained from successful diamond minds.

“I played for and coached under a lot of great baseball guys so I think I’m prepared,” says Bragg. “I’ve got all those things in my tool box.”

Bragg is a Physical Education teacher and coached eighth grade baseball at Belzer Middle School across 56th Street from LCHS the past three springs and had been named junior varsity coach at Lawrence North and was in that position for six weeks in the fall on the staff of Richard Winzenread (who won more than 500 games leading the Wildcats). 

The two men had worked together at the former Craig Middle School and Bragg led the Craig eighth grade team in 2005. 

“He’s such a great coach and a great guy,” says Bragg of Winzenread. “I’m part of his coaching tree. I’ve got a lot of his practice plans and practice book that I refer to everyday.”

One of Bragg’s Craig players was Micah Johnson, who played at Park Tudor High School and was all-Big Ten Conference at Indiana University and played in the big leagues with the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.

From 2006-08, Bragg was freshman coach under Winzenread and also coached an LN summer team. Winzenread announced his retirement a few weeks ago and knowing about the opening at Lawrence Central, Bragg applied and was hired.

Prior to landing at Belzer, Bragg spent a decade in Warren Township coaching football, basketball and softball at Raymond Park Middle School.

In 2004, Bragg was the Pike High School JV baseball coach. The Red Devils program was then led by Pat McCarthy.

Bragg also spent one summer coaching Hoosier Diamond travel ball in Noblesville.

As a radio and television host and producer at WNDE and WRTV, Bragg worked with Mark Boyle, Bill Benner and Ed Sorenson.

Bragg was the reporter who’s question prompted the oft-replayed “Playoffs?!” rant from Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Mora.

NCAA Division III power Marietta (Ohio) College — then led by head coach Don Schaly — was Bragg’s first post-high school stop in the fall of his freshman year.

“I did not make the team but I learned a lot of baseball,” says Bragg, who transferred to the University of Indianapolis. “Those guys were baseball maniacs.”

At UIndy, Bragg was a catcher for the Mark Peterson-coached Greyhounds and was named all-Great Lakes Valley Conference as a catcher in 1990 and 1991. He was team MVP and captain in ’91.

A 1986 graduate of Indianapolis North Central High School, Bragg backstopped teams guided by Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Tom Bradley (who also won over 500 games).

The Panthers were regional champions in 1984 and 1985 and were ranked No. 1 during the 1986 season.

Gary Thurman (Indianapolis North Central Class of 1983) went on to the play in the majors for the Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners and New York Mets and was a long-time pro coach.

John Smith went from NC to the Miami Hurricanes to the Mets organization.

North Central alum Derek Henderson played at Tennessee State University then in the Mets and Toronto Blue Jays systems and in independent ball.

For a few summers Bragg played for IHSBCA Hall of Famer and former Noblesville High School head coach Don Dunker. The team went to Nashville, Tenn., and was Twitty City World Series runners-up two years in a row.

North Central teammate Mike Shebek pitched for that team.

“I learned a lot from Don,” says Bragg. “He’d work us hard. I made a lot of friends playing for him.”

Bragg, 55, was officially named as Lawrence Central head coach Nov. 28. 

“I’m really excited about it,” says Bragg.

The first assistant coach is former North Central classmate Bryan Foster, a first-team all-state shortstop who was selected in the eighth round of the 1986 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft and played four seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers system and one in the Houston Astros organization before going into business.

Foster will work with middle infielders and Bragg will take catchers, pitchers and corners. The interview process for other assistant candidates has begun.

Lawrence Central (enrollment around 2,500) is a member of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (with Ben Davis, Indianapolis North Central, Lawrence North, Pike and Warren Central).

The Bears are part of an IHSAA Class 4A sectional grouping in 2024 with Ben Davis, Indianapolis Cathedral, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks, Indianapolis North Central, Lawrence North and Pike. Lawrence Central has won eight sectional titles — the last in 2004.

The 2023 LC team went 1-24.

“I know there’s a lot of talent there,” says Bragg. “I’ve coached the kids that are juniors, sophomores and freshmen already. My first goal is improvement then we’ll set bigger goals. 

“We want to build a winning culture and a team that everybody respects. We don’t want to be a pushover. We won’t be. We’re going to teach every single day. These guys are going to get better with their abilities and Baseball I.Q.

“I think we’re going to surprise some people.”

Among the returnees is University of Alabama commit Ahmaad Duff (Lawrence Central Class of 2024).

“We’ve got an SEC player on the team,” says Bragg of the outfielder/pitcher. “I’m not going to get into his way at all. He’ll be a great leader and have a great (senior) season.”

Another returnee from the Class of 2024 is Nick Johnson. Bragg says Bryson Luter is expected to come back to baseball from track.

A player meeting was slated for Thursday, Nov. 30. The first Limited Contact Period practice is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 11.

As a way of growing the program, a winter youth camp is scheduled for Dec. 27-28.

Youth players come from Fall Creek Softball & Baseball and Oaklandon Youth Organization with its Oaklandon Bombers travel team.

Lawrence Central is getting a brand new baseball stadium with field turf and generous dimensions plus two batting tunnels and is expected to be ready by the beginning of the 2024 season in April. The old varsity field will become the JV diamond.

Lawrence North is also getting a new field.

“It’s an exciting time to be a coach in Lawrence,” says Bragg expects that summer tournaments played at LC and Belzer will be stream of revenue.

Ted Bragg, Tim’s grandfather, went from Marion, Ind., to what was then the Eastern Division of Indiana Normal School (later Ball State University) and was on the first basketball team. He earned a baseball letter in 1924.

“I got my athletic genes from him,” says Tim Bragg.

Bragg resides in McCordsville, Ind., and has two children — Brianna Bragg (20) and Preston Bragg (16). 

Brianna graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville. Preston, who is autistic and has played in the Challenger Division at OYO, is a Mt. Vernon sophomore. 

Tim Bragg. (Lawrence Central High School Photo)

Lawrence Central High School.

Gossmann in third season pitching for Evansville Otters

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

The Evansville (Ind.) Otters are in the thick of the 2023 pennant push in the Frontier League and Avon (Ind.) High School, Vincennes (Ind.) University and University of Southern Indiana graduate Austin Gossmann has a key role.

As a starting pitcher, the right-hander has helped Evansville to a 40-31 mark heading into play Aug. 7. 

The Otters are four games behind West Division leader Gateway and two behind second-place Schaumburg. The top three teams in each division make the postseason. The regular season ends Sept. 3.

Evansville last won the Frontier League championship in 2016.

So far in 2023, Gossmann has pitched in 12 games (11 starts) and is 4-2 with a 5.46 ERA, 47 strikeouts and 24 walks in 56 innings. His last appearance was Wednesday, Aug. 2.

Since turning pro in 2021, Gossmann has been in 46 games (26 starts) and is 14-15 with a 4.33 earned run average, 249 strikeouts and 92 walks in 251 1/3 innings.

Gossmann was a Frontier League all-star in 2022. In 18 starts, he went 8-6 with one complete game a 4.85 ERA, 101 strikeouts and 40 walks in 105 2/3 innings.

In his rookie campaign of 2021, he made 16 appearances (15 starts) and was 2-7 with one complete game a 4.92 ERA, 101 strikeouts and 28 walks in 89 2/3 innings.

“The thing I like about starting is the constant competitiveness,” says Gossmann, who turned 27 in April. “It’s your responsibility to bridge to the bullpen and give your team a chance to win.

“It’s a bigger role.”

Pitching every five days also allows Gossmann to develop a standard routine with bullpen, weightlifting and running sessions between starts.

All the time, Andy McCauley has been Evansville’s manager and Max Peterson the pitching coach. The Otters play in historic Bosse Field (opened in 1915).

In three seasons at Southern Indiana (2019-21), Gossmann hurled in 30 games (24 starts) and was 9-8 with one save, a 5.12 ERA, 134 strikeouts and 50 walks in 142 1/3 innings. He made Great Lakes Valley Conference all-academic teams in 2019 and 2020.

Tracy Archuleta is the Screaming Eagles head coach. Jeremy Kuester is the pitching coach.

“I learned what it means to be a ballplayer and a good person from those two,” says Gossmann. “While I was at USI I grew up a lot and he was instrumental. I came in with a lot of cockiness and arrogance.

“I didn’t fully appreciate the lessons and what (Archuleta) was trying to communicate to me until after my senior year.”

With Kuester, it was back to the basics. 

“I was hard-headed and I thought I knew what I was talking about,” says Gossmann. “Kuester let me do my own thing for that first year. When I came back for my next year he was a little bit more on my back about doing things the USI way.”

Gossmann, who earned a History degree with a Secondary Education minor, was a Screaming Eagles volunteer assistant pitching coach in the fall and spring of 2021-22. At the same time, he served as a pitching instructor at Next Level Academy Evansville.

Gossmann delivers his pitches from variations on a three-quarter arm slot.

His mix has included a four-seam fastball, sinker, cutter and change-up as sometimes a two-seamer and slider.

When he has had access to measurements, his four-seamer has been clocked at 89-91 mph while touching 92. With multiple 14-hour road trips that has come down to 87-89 and 91.

The sinker has run and more depth than the fastball and goes 88-90 mph.

The cutter looks like a four-seamer then breaks to the glove side.

“Sometimes it will sweep a decent amount,” says Gossmann. “My slider has evaded me this year.”

While his bullpens are not always the same, they often call for 15 pitches at 75 percent effort.

“I’m throwing all my different pitches where I want to and have a feel,” says Gossmann. (This year) every week tends to be a little bit different in terms of focus. Sometimes I’m just working on fastballs. Other times after I throw a couple fastballs I really want do dial in on the cutter.

“What has been trending negatively the last couple of weeks?”

Gossmann picked up a slider as a high school freshman and that was pretty much his best pitch for years before he added complimentary pitches to the repertoire.

“When I was a (pro) rookie I was pretty much a two-pitch pitcher,” says Gossmann. “I went to the drawing board in the off-season.”

Pitchers that 5-foot-10 and 190-pound Gossmann admires include right-handers Sonny Gray, Tim Linceum and Trevor Bauer.

The 5-10 and 195 Gray (now with the Minnesota Twins) and 5-11, 170 Lincecum (now retired) are similar in build to Gossmann, who has been a social media follower of Bauer (now in Japan) on the Research and Development side of pitching.

In one season at South Alabama (2018) with Mark Calvi as head coach and Bob Keller as pitching coach, Gossmann relieved in eight contests and went 0-0 with an 8.18 ERA, nine strikeouts and four walks in 11 innings.

When Keller was let go, Gossmann was cut from the squad.

“Looking back it probably was for the best,” says Gossmann. “At the time it was crushing.

“I was faced with the decision. I could hang them up or continue playing.”

USA teammates included future pros Travis Swaggerty (drafted 10th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018), Brendan Donovan (now with the St. Louis Cardinals) and Dylan Hardy (who played in the Boston Red Sox system and was in the Frontier League in 2021), Zach Greene (now in the New York Yankees organization) and Michael Sandle (now in the Houston Astros system).

“Being at that level really set me up for where I’m at now,” says Gossmann. “It showed me where I needed to be if I wanted to continue playing past college.”

Gossmann was at National Junior College Athletic Association member Vincennes parts of three seasons (2015-17) with the first and last seeing him receiving a medical redshirt.

Playing for Trailblazers head coach Chris Barney, he competed in six games (five in relief) and went 0-0 with a 5.06 ERA, 14 strikeouts and 12 walks in 16 innings as a freshman in 2015.

Gossmann achieved a 4-2 record with one complete game, one save, 46 strikeouts and 18 walks in 42 1/3 innings pitched as a redshirt freshman in 2016.

He posted a 2.19 ERA with 16 strikeouts and five walks in 12 1/3 innings as a sophomore in 2017. It turns out he had a shoulder impingement and a labrum tear. He left VU with two associate degrees — History and Secondary Educuation/Teaching.

Gossmann played two summers during his college years — 2016 for the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League’s Richmond (Ind.) Jazz and 2018 for the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League’s Alexandria (Va.) Aces.

He worked in 11 games (nine in relief) for Richmond and went 1-1 with a 10.80 ERA, 29 strikeouts and 15 walks in 28 1/3 innings. All 14 of his games with Alexandria were out of the bullpen as he went 1-2 with a 2.61 ERA, 31 strikeouts and eight walks in 20 2/3 innings.

Gossmann was rehabbing from injuries in the summers of 2015 and 2017. In 2019, he was concentrating on paperwork to get more eligibility and 2020 was the COVID-19 pandemic summer.

At Avon High School, Gossmann was a two-year letterwinner. He was on the freshman team throughout his freshman season of 2011. He was on the junior varsity and dressed for a few varsity games as a sophomore in 2012. He split time between varsity and JV as a junior in 2013. He was a full-time varsity player as a senior in 2014. That spring, the Orioles won the Hendricks County title.

Born in Indianapolis, Gossmann grew up in Avon.

He played for rec and all-star games in the Avon Junior Athletic Association then the Avon Attack travel team.

He was with the Indiana Outlaws at 13U and 14U, the Avon High summer team at 15U, Indiana Irish at 16U and 17U and Demand Command at 18U.

Austin is the oldest of Jeff and Karen Gossmann’s three children. 

Nathan Gossmann graduated from Indiana University as a triple major and is now a consultant in Washington D.C.

Kayla Gossmann is heading into her senior year as a Biology major and Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis.

Jeff Gossmann is a Department of Defense accountant. Karen Gossmann is a French teacher at Plainfield (Ind.) High School.

Austin Gossmann.

Austin Gossmann. (Evansville Otters Photo)

Austin Gossmann. (Evansville Otters Photo)

Austin Gossmann. (Evansville Otters Photo)

Austin Gossmann. (Evansville Otters Photo)

Austin Gossmann. (Evansville Otters Photo)

‘Golden Retriever’ Boynton doing his part for NCAA D-II powerhouse Quincy

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

Brock Boynton came from a very successful prep baseball program and he’s experienced more of the same in college.
The 2019 graduate of Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind., where the Kingsmen have won five state titles and numerous conference, sectional, regional and semistate crowns, landed at NCAA Division II dynamo Quincy (Ill.) University.
The Hawks (44-9 overall, 27-5 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2023) are on a 14-game win streak after winning the GLVC tournament and host a D-II Midwest Region tournament Thursday to Saturday, May 18-20. The winner of the event that also includes Wayne State and Northwood moves on to a best-of-three super regional for a chance to compete in the D-II World Series June 3-10 in Cary, N.C.
Quincy, which calls QU Stadium (built in 1938 under the Works Project Administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt), is No. 4 in the Collegiate Baseball D-II poll and No. 1 in the NCAA Midwest D-II rankings.
A lefty batting and throwing senior center fielder, Boyton has played in 51 games (50 starts) and is hitting .294 (52-of-177) with eight home runs, eight doubles, 41 runs batted in, 42 runs scored and an .849 OPS (.374 on-base percentage plus .475 slugging average).
Quincy opened the 2023 season in Florida and went 4-3 against traditional D-II powers Tampa, Saint Leo and Rollins. Boynton hit .387 (12-of-31) on the trip.
“I felt pretty good,” says Boynton of that start. “I came back up (north) and struggled a little bit.
“I’m just trying to ride the wave — not get too high or get too low — and just take one pitch at a time. It know there are times coming up where the team is going to need you. This is playoff baseball. Every pitch counts. It doesn’t matter if you’re hitting or on defense, you’ve got to put everything aside. It’s a new season. I’m going up the plate every single time to do a job for my team.
“Our inside joke for our hitters is “The Union: We do jobs.”
During his four-year QU career, Boynton has been in 161 games (157 starts) and is hitting .304 (164-of-539) with 16 homers, 22 doubles, 104 RBIs, 122 runs and an .847 OPS (.398/.449).
With Boynton on the team, Quincy is 120-55.
Boynton really takes satisfaction from his impact on defense.
“It’s everything,” says Boynton. “Because baseball is a very hard sport and you’ve got guys being paid millions of dollars to fail 7 out of 10 times. A buddy always told me, ‘Your offense will always come and go, but your defense can always stay.’ That has always sat with me.
“I take so much pride in the outfield and being that leader in center field. To take runs away (from the other team) and be there for your pitcher. My nickname on the team is ‘Golden Retriever.’ I’m going to chase down that ball for you.”
Among his favorite MLB players are Mike Trout and Bryce Harper.
“You look at photos of me back in rec ball and I had the eye black nearly down to my chin,” says Boynton. “Those are two guys I model my game on.”
Quincy’s head coach for Boynton’s first two seasons was Josh Rabe (who played 38 games in the majors with the Minnesota Twins in 2006 and 2007). Matt Schissel has guided the program the past two.
“The knowledge that (Rabe) has is unbelievable,” says Boynton of the man who is now Quincy’s athletic director. “That dude has seen a lot of baseball. I tried to be a sponge around him.
“(Hitting coach/recruiting coordinator) Chandler Purcell played for Josh. He has done an excellent job.”
The 2023 Hawks are led by junior catcher and GLVC Player of the Year Luke Napleton (.359, 27 homers, 83 RBIs).
“Our lineup is very scary because 1 through 9 can change the game in one swing,” says Boynton. “That’s what sets us apart from any other team we play.”
Boynton, who turns 23 in July, received his diploma Monday, May 15 and graduated with a Sport Management degree. Though he is entitled to a fifth season, his plan is to play this summer for the Northwoods League’s Kokomo (Ind.) Jackrabbits and try to make his way into independent pro baseball.
“I’m putting all my chips out on the table and betting on myself this season and this summer,” says Hobbs. “I know I have the tools to play at the next level.”
Johnston Hobbs, who earned a Master of Kinesiology degree from Indiana University, has been named as Kokomo head coach/manager for 2023.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder spent the summer of 2022 honing his game at PRP Baseball in Noblesville, Ind. He was briefly with the 2021 Quincy Gems of the Prospect League and spent 2020 with the Northwoods League’s Kalamazoo (Mich.) Mac Daddies.
Boynton was born in South Bend, Ind., and grew up on the south side of Osceola, Ind.
He started organized baseball at what is now Penn Park in Osceola through 12U and moved on to Harris Township Black, the Granger Irish (coached by father Brad Boynton and Rick Berg) and then in high school the South Bend Cubs Elite.
“There were all the same faces in high school and travel ball which is awesome,” says Boynton.
A stint with the Illinois-based 29ers (now Midwest Hitmen) for a tournament in Georgia is how he got connected to Quincy.
At Penn, Boynton played for Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Greg Dikos.
“Coach Dikos will go down as one of the best baseball coaches I’ve ever had in my life,” says Boynton. “That man means the world to me.
“He’s a Founding Father of 574 Baseball in my opinion. There’s no other coach in (north central) Indiana that has the accolades that man has.”
Besides all the rings, Dikos has amassed more than 800 career victories.
A memory for Boynton is Dikos bringing out a training device when he wanted the Kingsmen — on the way to a school record number of home runs — to level out their upper-cut swings.
“We were hitting too many pop flies,” says Boynton. “With this flat red tee if you didn’t have a flat swing you were busting your bat or you were busting this tee. You either hit the ball on the ground or it became a line drive.”
Guess what Quincy, a team that has D-II-leading 118 home runs, uses?
“Every single day here we use that flat red tee,” says Boynton. “I thought I’d never see it again since leaving high school.”
Boynton also shined for Penn on the gridiron. He caught a game-winning touchdown at Elkhart Central and was featured on ESPN and saluted by Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss during his “You Got Mossed!” segment in October 2018. The same fall, Boynton committed to Quincy for baseball.
He was invited to play football at QU as a receiver/kick returner but decided to focus on the diamond.
“I love football,” says Boynton. “That is a different side of me. I had a lot more offers for baseball. The fact that my parents don’t have to pay a single cent for me to go to school here is the cherry on top.”
Even though it’s a 770-mile roundtrip from Osceola to Quincy and back and closest GLVC school (Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill.) is 117 miles one-way, Brad and Stephanie Boynton are able to get to all of Brock’s games.
Brad Boynton was a sophomore starting center fielder on the Kingsmen’s first state championship team in 1994. He now works at Hoosier Spring Company in South Bend. Stephanie Boynton owns Artistic Hair in South Bend.
Younger brother Hunter Boynton (Penn Class of 2021) was a high school wrestler and is now an electrician for Weaver Electric & Heating Corp., in Mishawaka.

Brock Boynton. (Quincy University Photo)

Brock Boynton. (Quincy University Photo)

Brock Boynton. (Quincy University Photo)

Brock Boynton. (Quincy University Photo)

Brock Boynton. (Quincy University Photo)

Brock Boynton. (Quincy University Photo)