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.)

Carmel alum Williams contributes for Michigan State

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Christian Williams was in the mix Friday, May 3 as Michigan State University edged visiting rival Michigan 3-2 in Big Ten Conference baseball.

The righty-swinging redshirt junior occupied the No. 6 slot in the Spartans lineup.

Another Williams — Nick — lofted a 10th-inning sacrifice fly that won the game and was mobbed by his teammates.

Heading into Game 2 of the three-game Saturday, May 4 at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field in East Lansing, Mich., Christian Williams has played in 39 contests (37 starts) and is hitting .280 (37-of-132) with three home runs, no triples, eight doubles, 24 runs batted in, 28 runs scored and an .831 OPS (.422 on-base percentage plus .409 slugging average). The designated hitter has eight multi-hit games with four safeties Feb. 24 against Marshall and three Feb. 28 at Georgia.

“I just like to see the ball in the heart of the plate,” says Williams of his offensive approach. “I look for something middle-middle with the fastball and use my athleticism to adjust from there.”

Williams was red-shirted for the 2021 season. In 2022, he played in 24 games (18 starts) and hit .258 (17-of-66) with two homers, two triples, four doubles, 16 RBIs, 14 runs and a .816 OPS (.346/.470). As a catcher, he made 84 putouts with six assists and posted a .978 fielding percentage.

A broken hamate bone in his hand suffered while swinging the bat limited Williams to just two games for the 2023 Spartans. 

He was with the Midwest Collegiate League’s Northwest Indiana Oilmen (the MCL is now the Northern League) in the summer of 2021, the champion Bag Bandits in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., in 2022, missed 2023 while rehabbing from his hamate surgery and plans to go this summer with the Coastal Plain League’s Lexington County (S.C.) Blowfish. He is to be be joined by MSU teammate Sam Busch.

Williams, 22, has at least one year of remaining eligibility and could have two if he seeks and is granted a medical redshirt for ’23. He graduated April 29 with a Kinesiology degree. He plans to pursue a certificate in Coaching, Leadership and Administration while playing in 2024-25. 

What about his defensive keys while behind the plate?

“Catching’s a tough position. You’re seeing the whole field. You’re kind of the unsung hero at times. Good catchers go unnoticed. 

“When I’m back there I try to help my pitchers as best as I can and be a leader on the field — stay calm, cool, collected and athletic and try to help the team win.”

It was at about age 12 that Williams became a catcher.

“When I was younger I liked the gear,” says Williams of why he decided to be a backstop. “I just stuck with it.”

Born in Tampa, Fla., Williams moved to Indiana at about 3 months. I’ve been in Indiana for most of my life. He played rec ball in Pike Township in Indianapolis until 12.

There was followed by a four-year stint in Michigan where he earned two baseball letters at Northville High School playing for head coach John Kostrzewa and played travel ball for the Michigan Bulls.

When he returned to the Hoosier State, Williams went with the Indiana Bulls for his 17U summer and earned two baseball letters at Carmel (Ind.) High School with his 2020 senior season taken away by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Greyhounds head coach was Matt Buczkowski.

“He was a great coach,” says Williams of Buczkowski. “He’s a great leader and a great guy. He led us in the right direction. He let us have fun — but at the same time — kept us on the straight and narrow.

“He kept us serious when we needed to be. We won a lot of games.”

Christian is the son of Alan and Lisa Williams. Dad played football at Williams & Mary University and mom soccer at Slippery Rock University. 

Among his football-coaching father’s teams have been the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears. He is taking the year off.

Two brothers — Solomon Williams (Carmel Class of 2022 now a safety at Princeton University) and Nathan Williams (Carmel Class of 2025 and exploring college options) — are football players.

At Carmel (Ind.) High School, Christian was a quarterback, receiver and kick returner and considered football as his collegiate route. 

“I had a strong thought,” says Williams, who won four football letters as a high schooler and helped Carmel to a 2019 Class 6A state runner-up finish with 118 all-purpose yards in the title game. “I was being recruited in both (baseball and football) until just before my senior year. Ultimately, I decided on baseball. I couldn’t forgive myself if I wasn’t able to swing a bat again.

“I hit the recruiting process hard and ended up here at Michigan State.”

MSU counts Jake Boss Jr., as head coach.

“He’s a great leader and a strong Christian guy,” says Williams of Boss. “He’s an awesome guy to play for. He lets us do our thing and have fun.”

Spartans hitting coach duties fall to former Western Michigan University shortstop Andrew Stone.

“He’s taught me how to be a good, mature hitter, stay inside the baseball, take good swings and work on my mechanics,” says Williams of Stone. “I work on my approach at the plate and the mental side and being confident and collected.”

Adam Eaton, who logged 10 Major League Baseball seasons, is Michigan State’s director of player development.

“Just learning from a big leaguer has been amazing,” says Williams of Eaton. “He just has a different mentality and approach to the game. To pick up on little things that he teaches us has been huge for me.

“It’s really the mental side and how to be a good baseball player as much as the X’s and O’s and swing techniques. How do I approach baseball on a day-to-day basis? How do I show up and play hard? What do coaches look for?”

The rest of the MSU coaching staff includes Graham Sikes and Mark Van Ameyde plus director of baseball operations Tommy Merlo.

Williams’ favorite MLB team is the Boston Red Sox. He picked that up from his mother who grew up in New England and her side of the family.

Former Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was a special player to Williams.

“He was a smaller player and I’ve always a shorter guy,” says Williams, who is 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds. “I liked how he played the game hard and well at his size.”

Christian Williams. (Michigan State University Photo)

Christian Williams. (Michigan State University Photo)

Christian Williams. (Michigan State University Photo)

Christian Williams. (Michigan State University Photo)

Christian Williams. (Michigan State University Photo)

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)

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

Indianapolis, IU-Kokomo hottest baseball teams in state

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

NCAA Division II Indianapolis and NAIA Indiana University-Kokomo are both coming off the winter portion of the 2024 college baseball season blazing hot.

At the close of the Week of March 11-17, the Al Ready-coached UIndy Greyhounds (11-7 overall) and Drew Brantley-coached Cougars (18-11) were both on nine-game win streaks.

Indianapolis is off to a 8-0 start in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Easton Good is hitting .400 with four home runs and 28 runs batted in. The Hounds’ next nine scheduled contests are home games.

IUK is 7-2 in the River States Conference and tied atop the West Division with Andy Lasher-coached Oakland City (23-8) and Brett Neffendorf-coached Indiana University Southeast (14-12). 

Jack Leverenz is hitting .388 with two home runs and 14 RBIs for IU-Kokomo.

Oakland City’s Leyton Ivers is hitting .389 with three homers and 17 RBIs.

IU Southeast’s Mason White (Evansville Central Class of 2018) is hitting .444 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs.

OCU is on a three-game victory streak. The Mighty Oaks are to visit IU-Kokomo Friday and Saturday, March 22-23.

Also in NAIA, Kyle Gould-coached Taylor (17-9) has won its last six and Todd Bacon-coached Marian (12-11) its last four.

At 10-2, Taylor and Ian MacDonald-coached Indiana Wesleyan (15-6) are tied for first place in the Crossroads League.

The best current win streak among the state’s NCAA Division III teams belongs to Lance Marshall-coached Franklin (9-4) at four. Tysen Lipscomb (Wapahani Class of 2019) is hitting .442 with four homers and 20 RBIs.

Win leaders among NCAA D-I teams are Greg Goff-coached Purdue (15-6) and Mitch Hannahs-coached Indiana State (14-4).

Through 20 games, Purdue’s Luke Gaffney was hitting .436 with three homers and 24 RBIs.

Indiana State’s Luis Hernandez is hitting .368 with four homers and 19 RBIs.

Indiana (11-9) visits ISU Tuesday, March 19.

The first Big Ten Conference series are this weekend (Friday-Sunday) for Purdue (at home vs. Iowa) and Indiana (at home against Illinois).

Beginning Missouri Valley Conference play are Indiana State (at home vs. Missouri State), Wes Carroll-coached Evansville (at home against Murray State) and Brian Schmack-coached Valparaiso (at Southern Illinois).

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through March 17

NCAA D-I

Purdue 15-6 (0-0 Big Ten)

Indiana State 14-4 (0-0 MVC)

Notre Dame 11-8 (0-6 ACC)

Ball State 11-9 (1-5 MAC)

Indiana 11-9 (0-0 Big Ten)

Evansville 9-10 (0-0 MVC)

Butler 7-9 (0-0 Big East)

Valparaiso 7-11 (0-0 MVC)

Southern Indiana 8-9 (0-0 OVC)

Purdue Fort Wayne 8-13 (2-1 Horizon)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 11-7 (8-0 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 8-5 (0-0 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Franklin 9-4 (0-0 HCAC)

Hanover 9-5 (0-0 HCAC)

Anderson 9-6 (0-0 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 7-5 (0-0 HCAC)

Trine 7-6 (0-0 MIAA)

Earlham 6-6 (0-0 HCAC)

Wabash 6-5 (0-0 NCAC)

DePauw 5-5 (0-0 NCAC)

Manchester 5-9 (0-0 HCAC)

NAIA

Oakland City 23-8 (7-2 RSC) 

IU-Kokomo 18-11 (7-2 RSC)

Taylor 17-9 (10-2 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 15-6 (10-2 CL)

Saint Francis 14-10 (5-7 CL)

IU Southeast 14-12 (7-2 RSC)

Huntington 12-11 (7-5 CL)

Marian 12-11 (7-5 CL)

Calumet of St. Joseph 11-13 (4-2 CCAC)

Goshen 10-14 (5-7 CL)

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

Bethel 8-14 (3-9 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 8-19 (2-7 RSC)

Grace 7-15 (1-9 CL)

Indiana Tech 2-15 (0-4 WHAC)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 13-5 (0-0 MCCAA)

Vincennes 9-16 (3-5 MWAC)

Results Through March 17

NCAA D-I

Monday, March 11

Southern Indiana 8, Bellarmine 1

Southern Indiana 8, Bellarmine 4

Tuesday, March 12

Ball State 19, Purdue Fort Wayne 7

Vanderbilt 13, Indiana 5

Indiana State 7, Illinois 6

Notre Dame 10, Radford 3

Southern Indiana 12, Middle Tennessee State 9

Valparaiso 5, Gardner-Webb 2

Wednesday, March 13

Evansville 6, Southeast Missouri State 5 (10 inn.)

Illinois State 16, Indiana 6

Notre Dame 11, Radford 6

Purdue 11, Northern Illinois 1

Thursday, March 14

Bradley 18, Butler 5

Friday, March 15

Bowling Green State 5, Ball State 4

Butler 19, Bradley 13

Michigan State 11, Evansville 3

Belmont 9, Indiana 3

Indiana State 16, Xavier 5

Florida State 8, Notre Dame 4

Samford 5, Purdue 1

Youngstown State 4, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Illinois 2, Southern Indiana 1

Campbell 10, Valparaiso 9

Saturday, March 16

Bowling Green State 34, Ball State 8

Bradley 21, Butler 11

Evansville 5, Michigan State 3 (11 inn.)

Indiana 15, Belmont 10

Indiana State 10, Xavier 7

Florida State 4, Notre Dame 2

Purdue 6, Samford 1

Purdue 13, Samford 12 (10 inn.)

Purdue Fort Wayne 13, Youngstown State 3

Illinois 6, Southern Indiana 5

Campbell 13, Valparaiso 4

Sunday, March 17

Bowling Green State 15, Ball State 8

Michigan State 6, Evansville 5

Indiana 15, Belmont 7

Xavier 4, Indiana State 2

Florida State 4, Notre Dame 3

Samford 11, Purdue 10

Purdue Fort Wayne 18, Youngstown State 5

Southern Indiana 8, Illinois 3

Campbell 18, Valparaiso 7

NCAA D-II

Tuesday, March 12

Lake Erie 7, Indianapolis 6

Indianapolis 16, Lake Erie 9

Eckerd 13, Purdue Northwest 0

Wednesday, March 13

Saint Leo 11, Purdue Northwest 8

Thursday, March 14

Minnesota-Crookston 5, Purdue Northwest 1

Wayne State 4, Purdue Northwest 0

Friday, March 15

Indianapolis 7, McKendree 4

Purdue Northwest 7, Minnesota-Crookston 5

Saturday, March 16

Indianapolis 14, McKendree 9

Sunday, March 17

Indianapolis 18, McKendree 1

Indianapolis 8, McKendree 6

NCAA D-III

Monday, March 11

Earlham 11, Thiel 1

Tuesday, March 12

Anderson 4, Greenville 3 (10 inn.)

Lasell 6, Earlham 5

Franklin 20, Wilmington 9

Huntington 9, Manchester 8

Wednesday, March 13

Rutgers-Newark 9, Anderson 8

Rose-Hulman 8, DePauw 7

Earlham 13, Gettysburg 11

Hanover 6, Wilmington 2

Thursday, March 14

Earlham 20, Washington College (Md.) 17

Friday, March 15

Rose-Hulman 12, Calvin 2

Saturday, March 16

Franklin 12, Trine 7

Franklin 13, Trine 10

Wabash 8, Hanover 7

Hanover 11, Wabash 8

Manchester 11, Berea 4

Berea 7, Manchester 6

Rose-Hulman 11, Calvin 7

Calvin 13, Rose-Hulman 1

Sunday, March 17

Franklin 18, Trine 3

Wabash 6, Hanover 5

Manchester 15, Berea 7

NAIA

Monday, March 11

Goshen 13, Bethel 8

Goshen 19, Bethel 10

Mt. Vernon Nazarene 9, Grace 7

Mt. Vernon Nazarene 13, Grace 5

Point Park 12, IUPU-Columbus 6

Point Park 14, IUPU-Columbus 3

IU Southeast 16, Ohio Christian 1

Indiana Wesleyan 11, Marian 9

Indiana Wesleyan 7, Marian 5

Huntington 13, Saint Francis 11

Saint Francis 7, Huntington 2

Rio Grande 7, Oakland City 3

Oakland City 4, Rio Grande 3

Taylor 13, Spring Arbor 1

Taylor 12, Spring Arbor 2

Tuesday, March 12

Calumet of St. Joseph 9, Trinity International 1

Calumet of St. Joseph 12, Trinity International 6

Goshen 6, Concordia (Mich.) 5

IU-Kokomo 11 Grace 3

Huntington 9, Manchester 8

Judson 4, IU South Bend 0

IU South Bend 13, Judson 0

Tennessee Wesleyan 13, Indiana Tech 3

Wednesday, March 13

IUPU-Columbus 12, UC-Clermont 10

Campbellsville 18, IU Southeast 11

Tennessee Wesleyan 12, Indiana Tech 4

Oakland City 6, Thomas (Ga.) 2

Thomas (Ga.) 3, Oakland City 1

Friday, March 15

Bethel 6, Saint Francis 2

Bethel 4, Saint Francis 2

Calumet of St. Joseph 7, Olivet Nazarene 5

Olivet Nazarene 17, Calumet of St. Joseph 6

Indiana Wesleyan 25, Goshen 2

Goshen 8, Indiana Wesleyan 2

Taylor 9, Grace 4

Taylor 4, Grace 3

Mt. Vernon Nazarene 4, Huntington 3

Huntington 6, Mt. Vernon Nazarene 3

Saint Xavier 7, IU South Bend 3

Saint Xavier 9, IU South Bend 5

Marian 6, Spring Arbor 5

Marian 15, Spring Arbor 14

Saturday, March 16

Saint Francis 15, Bethel 6

Saint Francis 11, Bethel 2

Olivet Nazarene 5, Calumet of St. Joseph 3

Calumet of St. Joseph 13, Olivet Nazarene 7

Indiana Wesleyan 20, Goshen 5

Indiana Wesleyan 18, Goshen 7

Taylor 18, Grace 15

Taylor 5, Grace 4

Huntington 15, Mt. Vernon Nazarene 4

Mt. Vernon Nazarene 12, Huntington 3

IU-Kokomo 7, West Virginia Tech 5

IU-Kokomo 7, West Virginia Tech 2

Alice Lloyd 11, IUPU-Columbus 6

Alice Lloyd 3, IUPU-Columbus 1

Saint Xavier 16, IU South Bend 4

Saint Xavier 23, IU South Bend 13

IU Southeast 5, Rio Grande 2

IU Southeast 5, Rio Grande 3

Lawrence Tech 15, Indiana Tech 4

Lawrence Tech 11, Indiana Tech 6

Marian 5, Spring Arbor 4

Marian 11, Spring Arbor 8

Oakland City 11, Shawnee State 6

Oakland City 8, Shawnee State 2

Sunday, March 17

IU-Kokomo 6, West Virginia Tech 5

IUPU-Columbus 10, Alice Lloyd 6

IU Southeast 17, Rio Grande 0

Madonna 9, Indiana Tech 8

Madonna 14, Indiana Tech 5

Oakland City 7, Shawnee State 2

Junior College

Tuesday, March 12

Olney Central 15, Vincennes 5

Saturday, March 16

Community Christian at Marian’s Ancilla

Community Christian at Marian’s Ancilla

Illinois Central 7, Vincennes 3

Illinois Central 9, Vincennes 4

Sunday, March 17

Marian JV 13, Marian’s Ancilla 0

Marian’s Ancilla 13, Marian JV 12

Illinois Central 7, Vincennes 0

Illinois Central 11, Vincennes 5

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

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.

Carmel grad Richter making impact with NCAA-III Marietta

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Alex Richter says he only had a couple of serious offers to play baseball at the next level before graduating Carmel (Ind.) High School in 2021.

One of those was from perennial NCAA III power and tradition-rich Marietta (Ohio) College and Richter has made the most of the opportunity.

A third baseman in his one varsity season at Carmel (the 2020 season was taken away by the COVID-19 pandemic), Richter arrived with the Pioneers with an all-region/all-conference player — Damian Yenzi — minding the hot corner so he was moved to second base.

Richter started in 48 of his 49 appearances as a freshman and committed just three errors while fielding at a .986 clip.

“Our saying here is make the routine play 100 percent of the time,” says Richter.

As a left-handed hitter, he posted a batting mark of .353 (62-of-176) with one home run, five triples, 10 doubles, 37 runs batted in, 48 runs scored, a .921 OPS (.438 on-base percentage plus .483 slugging average) and six stolen bases from the 8-hole. 

He was named to American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings and D3baseball.com all-region first teams as the 2022 Etta Express went 44-7, won OAC tournament, regional, super regional championships and finished 1-2 at the D-III World Series (Marietta earned national titles in 2006, 2011 and 2012).

In 2023, Richter returned at second base with some time at shortstop and was bumped by head coach Brian Brewer to No. 2 in the batting order. 

“I was getting a lot more off-speed (pitches),” says Richter, who cut down his strikeouts from 28 in 2022 to 14 in 2023. “I could not fall into deep counts like I could later in the batting order.”

“I finally started listening to Coach, shortened up with two strikes and took the ball to the other side.

“I’d choke up and put it in-play.”

In 44 games (all starts), he hit .378 (62-of-164) with seven homers, nine triples, 10 doubles, 45 RBIs, 62 runs, a 1.165 OPS (.488/.677) and nine steals.

He made the D3Baseball.com all-region second team and was chosen as an ABCA/Rawlings All-American. Marietta went 37-13 in 2023, won a regional title and was eliminated in the super regional round.

He was selected for a D3Baseball.com Team of the Week in 2022 and Ohio Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week in 2023.

Richter, who is 6-foot-1 and 195-pounds, just arrived back at Marietta, a private school of about 1,300 located where the Ohio and Muskingum rivers meet near the Ohio/West Virginia line.

Fall practice begins at the end of the month. 

What’s it like playing for Brewer, a 1993 Marietta graduate and the Etta Express head coach since 2004?

“I’ve never had a coach like him before,” says Richter. “He’s kind of hard on you. 

“He tells you what you don’t want to hear a lot. But he’s a good one.”

Long-held values rank high in the Pioneers program.

“We’ve been doing the same things since the ‘80s and ‘90s,” says Richter. “We do these things call the ‘Tradition Runs,’” says Richter of four hard runs on around the hills of Marietta. “It keeps everyone close-knit and the alumni talking.”

After fall practice concludes with the coaching staff (Brewer, itching coach Mike Mulvey, assistant Chris Tekulve and volunteer Evan Brockmeier) not having direct daily contact, players gather to work out at Dyson Baudo Recreation Center.

“We hit every single day in the winter time,” says Richter.

Born and raised in Carmel, a young Richter played travel ball for the Indiana Mustangs and Indiana Baseball Club. He finished with the Chris Holick-coached 17U Indiana Mustangs.

“Playing summer ball for him was great,” says Richter. “His big thing is we could only use wood bats to get looked at by colleges.

“Our summer team was using wood while others were using metal all (season).”

Matt Buczkowski was Carmel’s head coach during Richter’s prep career.

These days, Richter enjoys following Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson.

“The Cubs are my favorite team,” says Richter. “I also love the way he plays.”

Alex is the youngest of roofer Cameron and hair stylist Stacey Richter’s two sons.

Lefty-swinging outfielder Will Richter (Carmel Class of 2018) finished up his college baseball career at Indiana University-Kokomo in 2023.

Alex Richter, who turns 21 in November, has two two remaining years of eligibility and is a Marketing major and Business minor.

Alex Richter. (Marietta College Image)

Marietta College’s Alex Richter. (Wheeler Photography Photo)

Alex Richter. (Marietta College Photo)

Finally playing again, Good enjoys 2023 with UIndy Greyhounds

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

It might not be the way Easton Good would have drawn it up, but his roller-coaster baseball ride has been going up in the past year.

Good, a lefty-swinging shortstop who was born in Kokomo, Ind., lived there and in nearby Galveston, Ind., growing up.

In the minors at Northwestern Little League, his first team was Merrill Brothers. He played for Expressions in the majors.

At 12, Good went with the traveling Russiaville-based Indiana Flyers then the Indiana Bulls for his 14U through 17U summers.

His two favorite MLB players were eventual Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Ken Griffey Jr.

“Derek Jeter was about the coolest person,” says Good. “I wanted to be Derek Jeter probably more than he wanted to be Derek Jeter.

“I liked Ken Griffey Jr.’s swag and everything that came with it.

“I like the way he played the game and made it fun.”

Good was a varsity player at Lewis Cass High School in Walton, Ind., under the guidance of Greg Marschand.

“I admire the loyalty that he has for Lewis Cass and the commitment and passion,” says Good of Marschand, the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer. “Greg Marschand taught me more about life than he could have about baseball.

“Ever since we stepped on the field he taught us we’re Lewis Cass baseball players and that comes with a price and you need to show your pride and loyalty to the school.”

Easton’s father — Matthew Good — played for Marschand before a brief stint at Chattahoochee Valley Community College (Phenix City, Ala.).

Matthew Good and sons Easton and Tyson all played football, basketball and baseball at Lewis Cass. All three have been cheered on by wife and mother and Lewis Cass alum Jessica.

Matthew quarterbacked the Kings’ football team to many victories.

Easton and 6-foot-6 Tyson Good (Lewis Cass Class of 2023) played basketball together. Tyson is now pursuing a career as an electrician.

The COVID-19 pandemic took away Easton’s senior prep season of 2020.

That summer he started at second base for the Brent McNeil-managed Turf Monsters of the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. The team won the league title at Victory Field in Indianapolis. 

Good found what he was up against going from high school to a college summer loop that featured Sam Bachman and Henry Davis — both now in the majors.

“I had about the worst possible baseball season you can imagine,” says Good. “I was just behind the competition. The college guys were a lot better than I was. 

“(The summer of) 2020 shaped me into the mentality I needed. I don’t know that I got better as a player but my mind changed and I became mentally tough.”

Good’s next move was to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He redshirted his freshman year with the RedHawks (2020-21). In the summer, he played five games for the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League’s Chillicothe (Ohio) Paints before coming back to train and work.

In the spring 2022, Good got into 16 games for Miami — mostly as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement — and collected two hits in 16 at-bats.

He went back to the CSL in the summer of 2022 and played for the Adam Cornwell-managed Local Legends and made the league all-star and all-defensive teams. 

Once Good entered the Transfer Portal, Cornwell (the pitching coach at the University of Indianapolis) was in Good’s ear daily about considering UIndy as his landing place.

“It all happened for a reason,” says Good. “God works how He works — in mysterious ways.”

A Sports Leadership & Management major at Miami, Good became a Business Administration major at UIndy and joined the Al Ready-coached Greyhounds baseball team.

With Drew Donaldson at second base, Good played shortstop.

“I had about the best baseball season you can imagine,” says Good. “I didn’t care about the individual numbers for me because I was just happy to play every single game. 

“I didn’t have a season my senior year of high school because of COVID. I didn’t play in a single game my freshman year of college. I didn’t start but three games my sophomore year.”

While playing through a sports hernia and sprained wrist, Good started all of 60 games in 2023 and hit .296 (60-of-203) with two home runs, three triples, 12 doubles, 35 runs batted in, 39 runs scored, an .802 OPS (.388 on-base percentage plus .414 slugging average) and 25 stolen bases for a squad that made it to the NCAA Division II World Series in Cary, N.C.

Good, a 6-foot, 185-pounder, uses his left-handedness to his advantage.

“I’m a speed guy,” says Good. “I’m not a lefty power guy. You’ve got an extra three or four steps (toward first base) being on that left side. 

“I use (those) to get down to first base faster and drop down a drag bunt every once in awhile.”

Easton credits his father.

“He wanted me to a be a left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower and I’m very happy with that,” says Good. “I had my dad as my coach for all of youth baseball. I think that’s really what shaped me into the dream of playing college baseball.

“Having my dad as my coach and always pushing me really benefited me.”

Good, who turned 22 in March, has two remaining years of eligibility. He has been using this summer for getting his body healthy and strength training while also working for Blake Marschand of Marschand’s Athletic Field Service. Greg Marschand’s son also played at Chattahoochee Valley.

And Good is looking forward to 2024.

“The UIndy Greyhounds made a College World Series run last season,” says Good. “I think we’re going to be even better next season.

“We’re coming back. We’re going to be at that College World Series next year.”

Easton Good. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Easton Good. (Miami University Photo)

Easton Good. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Easton Good. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Easton Good. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Easton Good.

Easton Good. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Easton Good. (University of Indianapolis Photo)

Easton Good. (Miami University Photo)

Easton Good. (University of Indianapolis Photo)