Dave Griffin is heading into his 10th season of coaching college baseball in northwest Indiana in 2023. After six seasons in charge at Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond (the Warriors won an IHSAA Class 2A state title in 2004 and were 2A state runner-up in 2006), Griffin established the Purdue Calumet program and coached the Peregrines for three seasons (2014-16). Purdue Calumet and Purdue North Central merged to form Purdue Northwest and Griffin has led the Pride since the 2017 season. The first alumni game was played in October 2022. “Overall it’s gone pretty well,” says Griffin of the merger. “The big challenge was you had a couple of coaching staffs and a lot of players you had to mold into one. “Taking the program to (NCAA) Division II was another challenge.” The 2018 campaign marked PNW’s first in D-II after starting out as an NAIA member. The Pride are part of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. “If you’re an established program it won’t take as long, but we hadn’t been that long so it took a little time,” says Griffin of the level change. “It’s been a journey to say the least.” The 2017 team went 30-18. PNW posted a 18-25 mark in 2018, 21-24 in 2019, 4-5 in 2020 (a season shortened by COVID-19), 11-22 in 2021 and 21-23 in 2022. For 31 years, the coach has operated Dave Griffin Baseball School. The past 25 years it has been located in Griffith. The organization will field 11 travel ball squads — the Indiana Playmakers — in 2023. Griffin coaches the 17U/18U squad, which helps him with recruiting. “I get to go out and see kids play,” says Griffin. “That’s always been a good formula for me.” Griffin says when it comes to recruiting, there’s more to it than the numbers hyped on social media. “When you say velocity that doesn’t equate to being a good pitcher,” says Griffin. “When you say exit velocity that doesn’t equate to being a good hitter. At some point you’ve got to be able to play. “It think they tried the same thing in football at the (NFL) Combine. If he ran real well or lifted real well they drafted him high. A lot of times those didn’t work out too well. “Nobody cares about how they perform. What are their metrics? Don’t get me wrong. Metrics are good, but you’ve got to be able to perform. The challenge we all encounter is finding kids that have metrics that match the ability on the field.” Griffin notes that even professional scouts often get player evaluations wrong. “You try to do your homework on a kid as much as you can. We’re talking about scholarship kids,” says Griffin. “On walk-on kids you might take a flier. He might not be fully-mature physically. He might be a late bloomer. Those kids come along, too.” More 1,500 DGB alums have gone on to college baseball and over 70 have been selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, including Sean Manaea, Kody Hoese, Ryan Basham and Nick Podkul. Chad Patrick pitched for PNW and is now in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. “I’ve put a lot of time into both jobs,” says Griffin. “I wake up early and I come home late. “It’s fun. I like watching the development of players.” Because of the talent in The Region and the low cost of education at the school where most student takes classes on the Hammond campus (there is a Westville site), PNW gets some bounce-backs from other institutions. “Kids see that we are starting to build a solid program here,” says Griffin. “It checks a lot of boxes for them.” The bulk of the current roster comes from Indiana and Illinois. There are players from Michigan, California, Iowa and Texas. D-II teams are allowed to give up to nine scholarships. PNW is short of that number. “We’re working our way up,” says Griffin, who currently has 47 players on his roster. Of that number, 35 will be on the travel squad. As well as overseeing the whole team, Griffin works primarily with hitters and defense. Hobart (Ind.) High School graduate and former University of South Carolina hurler Brandon Murray is the pitching coach. Former PNW player Anthony Agne is in charge of infielders and former Robert Morris University (Lansing, Ill.) assistant Adam Pasko outfielders. PNW plays its home games at Laborers’ Local 41 Field in Hammond’s Dowling Park. “I like the turf and the ambiance of it, being in a neighborhood,” says Griffin. “It’s a good place to play. The sight lines are tremendous.”
The draw was made Sunday, May 2 for an event that begins with sectional games on Wednesday, May 26. Regionals are Saturday, June 5, semistates Saturday, June 12 and the State Finals Monday and Tuesday, June 21-22.
Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 season so this is the first state tournament series since 2019.
IHSAA BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
(2021)
Sectionals
Wednesday-Monday, May 26-31
Class 4A
Merrillville
Game 1: Munster vs. Highland. Game 2: Merrillville vs. East Chicago Central.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Hammond Morton vs. Lake Central.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Lake Central 20 (2019), Merrillville 13 (2001), Highland 12 (2000), Munster 12 (2016), Hammond Morton 10 (2015), East Chicago Central (0).
Chesterton
Game 1: Valparaiso vs. Portage. Game 2: Hobart vs. Andrean. Game 3: Lowell vs. Crown Point. Game 4: Chesterton vs. Game 1 winner. Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Game 1: Plymouth vs. Mishawaka. Game 2: LaPorte vs. South Bend Riley. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Michigan City vs. South Bend Adams.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): LaPorte 36 (2017), Plymouth 23 (2006), Mishawaka 8 (2019), South Bend Adams 6 (2009), South Bend Riley 2 (1991), Michigan City 1 (2002).
Northridge
Game 1: Goshen vs. Penn. Game 2: Elkhart vs. Concord. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Northridge vs. Warsaw Community.
Game 2: Richmond vs. Anderson. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Mt. Vernon (Fortville) vs. Muncie Central.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Richmond 29 (2011), Pendleton Heights 17 (2018), Greenfield-Central 14 (2019), Muncie Central 14 (2000), Anderson 7 (2012), Mt. Vernon 7 (2011).
Ben Davis
Game 1: Indianapolis Cathedral vs. Indianapolis Crispus Attucks.
Game 2: Pike vs. Indianapolis Arsenal Tech. Game 3: Lawrence Central vs. Ben Davis. Game 4: North Central (Indianapolis) vs. Lawrence North.
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Indianapolis Cathedral 23 (2019), Ben Davis 12 (2014), North Central 11 (2006), Pike 10 (2010), Lawrence Central 8 (2004), Lawrence North 8 (2016), Arsenal Tech 1 (1970), Crispus Attucks 0.
Franklin Central
Game 1: Southport vs. Roncalli. Game 2: Perry Meridian vs. Franklin Central.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: New Palestine vs. Warren Central.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): New Palestine 16 (2015), Roncalli 14 (2018), Southport 13 (2008), Warren Central 9 (1991), Franklin Central 8 (2018), Perry Meridian 8 (2007).
Plainfield
Game 1: Terre Haute North Vigo vs. Decatur Central.
Game 2: Plainfield vs. Terre Haute South Vigo. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Brownsburg vs. Avon.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): North Vigo 19 (2015), Decatur Central 16 (2019), Brownsburg 14 (2013), South Vigo 14 (2018), Plainfield 8 (1997), Avon 5 (2019).
Mooresville
Game 1: Center Grove vs. Martinsville. Game 2: Franklin Community vs. Mooresville. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Whiteland Community vs. Greenwood Community.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Center Grove 19 (2016), Martinsville 15 (2019), Mooresville 10 (2004), Whiteland 10 (2014), Greenwood 8 (1984), Franklin 5 (2013).
Bloomington North
Game 1: East Central vs. Columbus North. Game 2: Shelbyville vs. Columbus East. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Bloomington South vs. Bloomington North.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Columbus East 19 (2019), Bloomington South 18 (2016), Bloomington North 17 (2013), Shelbyville 10 (2005), Columbus North 13 (2017), East Central 6 (2006).
Floyd Central
Game 1: New Albany vs. Jennings County. Game 2: Seymour vs. Floyd Central. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Jeffersonville vs. Bedford North Lawrence.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Jeffersonville 26 (2019), New Albany 22 (2016), Bedford North Lawrence 14 (2017), Seymour 14 (1995), Floyd Central 13 (2015), Jennings County 11 (2006).
Evansville Reitz
Game 1: Jasper vs. Castle. Game 2: Evansville North vs. Evansville Harrison.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Evansville Reitz vs. Evansville Central.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Jasper 38 (2017), Castle 15 (2019), Central 9 (2017), Harrison 7 (2016), North 5 (2013), Reitz 5 (2015).
Class 3A
Griffith
Game 1: Hammond Gavit vs. Hammond Clark.
Game 2: Calumet vs. Griffith. Game 3: Hammond vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Griffith 17 (2019), Clark 9 (2011), Hammond 7 (1999), Gavit 5 (1997), Calumet 3 (1990).
Kankakee Valley
Game 1: Knox vs. Culver Academies. Game 2: Hanover Central vs. Kankakee Valley.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: River Forest vs. Glenn.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Glenn 9 (2017), Culver Academies 4 (1997), Kankakee Valley 4 (1999), Hanover Central 1 (2011), Knox 1 (1996), River Forest 0.
South Bend Clay
Game 1: South Bend Clay vs. South Bend St. Joseph.
Game 2: Mishawaka Marian vs. New Prairie.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): St. Joseph 15 (2019), Clay 12 (2013), Mishawaka Marian 9 (2016), New Prairie 3 (2005).
Northwestern
Game 1: Peru vs. Western. Game 2: Twin Lakes vs. Benton Central. Game 3: West Lafayette vs. Maconaquah.
Game 4: Northwestern vs. Game 1 winner. Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Benton Central 25 (2009), Western 20 (2019), Twin Lakes 12 (1993), Northwestern 9 (2014), West Lafayette 9 (2011), Peru 5 (2018), Maconaquah 3 (1994).
Wawasee
Game 1: Jimtown vs. Tippecanoe Valley. Game 2: Lakeland vs. Wawasee. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: West Noble vs. NorthWood.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): NorthWood 12 (2018), Lakeland 11 (2008), Jimtown 9 (2007), West Noble 8 (2006), Wawasee 6 (1997), Tippecanoe Valley 5 (2012).
Garrett
Game 1: Angola vs. Fort Wayne Bishop Luers. Game 2: Garrett vs. Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran.
Game 3: Leo vs. Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger. Game 4: New Haven vs. Game 1 winner. Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): New Haven 13 (2019), Dwenger 11 (2016), Concordia 8 (2018), Leo 8 (2012), Luers 7 (2012), Angola 5 (2019), Garrett 3 (1973).
Bellmont
Game 1: Marion vs. Norwell. Game 2: Mississinewa vs. Heritage. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Bellmont vs. Oak Hill.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Marion 20 (1998), Bellmont 19 (2016), Norwell 16 (2017), Heritage 9 (2015), Mississinewa 3 (2006), Oak Hill 3 (2006).
Yorktown
Game 1: Hamilton Heights vs. Delta. Game 2: Jay County vs. Guerin Catholic. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: New Castle vs. Yorktown.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Yorktown 17 (2019), Delta 13 (2016), New Castle 13 (2014), Jay County 9 (2019), Hamilton Heights 2 (2012), Guerin 0.
North Montgomery
Game 1: Crawfordsville vs. Lebanon. Game 2: North Montgomery vs. South Vermillion.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Northview vs. Frankfort. Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Crawfordsville 17 (2013), Frankfort 13 (2019), North Montgomery 12 (2018), Lebanon 11 (2014), South Vermillion 10 (2019), Northview 9 (2017).
Brebeuf Jesuit
Game 1: Greencastle vs. Danville Community. Game 2: Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter vs. Tri-West Hendricks.
Game 3: Brebeuf Jesuit vs. Game 1 winner. Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Game 1: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard vs. Beech Grove.
Game 2: Indianapolis Shortridge vs. Herron. Game 3: Indianapolis George Washington vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 11 (2007), Beech Grove 6 (2014), Indianapolis Washington 2 (1978), Herron 0, Shortridge 0.
Owen Valley
Game 1: West Vigo vs. Owen Valley. Game 2: Edgewood vs. Indian Creek. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Sullivan vs. Brown County.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Sullivan 16 (2015), West Vigo 14 (2018), Edgewood 12 (2019), Indian Creek 6 (2019), Brown County 1 (1993), Owen Valley 1 (1975).
Lawrenceburg
Game 1: South Dearborn vs. Batesville. Game 2: Greensburg vs. Connersville. Game 3: Rushville Consolidated vs. Lawrenceburg.
Game 4: Franklin County vs. Game 1 winner. Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Lawrenceburg 20 (2017), Connersville 18 (2010), Batesville 12 (2018), South Dearborn 12 (2019), Greensburg 9 (2016), Franklin County 7 (2013), Rushville 5 (1999).
Silver Creek
Game 1: Silver Creek vs. Charlestown. Game 2: Scottsburg vs. Corydon Central. Game 3: Brownstown Central vs. Salem. Game 4: Madison Consolidated vs. North Harrison.
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Madison 22 (2009), North Harrison 9 (2015), Silver Creek 9 (2019), Scottsburg 6 (1996). Salem 3 (1996), Brownstown Central 2 (2016). Charlestown 2 (2009), Corydon Central 2 (2010).
Southridge
Game 1: Washington vs. Princeton Community.
Game 2: Gibson Southern vs. Vincennes Lincoln.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Pike Central vs. Southridge.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Vincennes Lincoln 17 (2019), Gibson Southern 9 (2014), Washington 9 (2018), Princeton 6 (1991), Southridge 5 (2019), Pike Central 1 (1989).
Evansville Bosse
Game 1: Evansville Bosse vs. Evansville Memorial.
Game 2: Heritage Hills vs. Boonville. Game 3: Mt. Vernon vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Memorial 29 (2019), Mount Vernon 17 (2015), Boonville 12 (2017), Heritage Hills 7 (2011), Bosse 3 (2010).
Class 2A
Whiting
Game 1: Wheeler vs. Bowman Academy. Game 2: Lake Station Edison vs. Whiting. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Illiana Christian vs. Hammond Bishop Noll.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Noll 27 (2018), Wheeler 5 (2008), Lake Station Edison 4 (2005), Whiting 4 (2019), Bowman Academy 0, Illiana Christian 0.
Hebron
Game 1: North Newton vs. Hebron. Game 2: North Judson-San Pierre vs. Rensselaer Central.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Boone Grove vs. Winamac Community.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Boone Grove 13 (2018), North Newton 12 (2019), North Judson 8 (2006), Rensselaer Central 7 (2003), Hebron 4 (2017), Winamac 3 (1999).
Westview
Game 1: LaVille vs. Bremen. Game 2: Central Noble vs. Prairie Heights.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Fairfield vs. Westview.
Game 1: Muncie Burris vs. Lapel. Game 2: Monroe Central vs. Frankton. Game 3: Alexandria Monroe vs. Winchester Community.
Game 4: Wapahani vs. Elwood Community. Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Wapahani 16 (2019), Alexandria 9 (2019), Elwood 8 (2014), Frankton 7 (2018), Lapel 7 (2015), Monroe Central 1 (2014), Muncie Burris 1 (1982), Winchester 1 (1986).
Centerville
Game 1: Union County vs. Centerville. Game 2: Shenandoah vs. Northeastern. Game 3: Hagerstown vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Shenandoah 12 (2006), Hagerstown 11 (2019), Union County 8 (2018), Centerville 7 (2011), Northeastern 4 (2004).
Heritage Christian
Game 1: Triton Central vs. Indianapolis Scecina.
Game 2: Eastern Hancock vs. Heritage Christian.
Game 3: Knightstown vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Scecina 9 (2019), Heritage Christian 8 (2017), Knightstown 6 (2016), Triton Central 3 (2012), Eastern Hancock 1 (1976).
Cascade
Game 1: Monrovia vs. Park Tudor. Game 2: Speedway vs. Cascade. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: University vs. Covenant Christian (Indianapolis).
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Speedway 9 (2019), Park Tudor 7 (2013), Cascade 6 (2005), University 4 (2019), Covenant Christian 2 (2018), Monrovia 0.
Southmont
Game 1: South Putnam vs. Parke Heritage.
Game 2: Cloverdale vs. North Putnam. Game 3: Southmont vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Southmont 6 (2017), Cloverdale 4 (1984), North Putnam 4 (2007), South Putnam 4 (2010), Parke Heritage 0.
South Ripley
Game 1: Switzerland County vs. Milan. Game 2: North Decatur vs. South Ripley. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: South Decatur vs. Southwestern (Hanover).
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): South Ripley 7 (2008), Switzerland County 4 (2018), Milan 3 (2015), South Decatur 2 (1976), North Decatur 1 (2011), Southwestern 1 (1999).
Eastern (Pekin)
Game 1: Henryville vs. Providence. Game 2: Clarksville vs. Eastern (Pekin). Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Austin vs. Crawford County.
Game 1: South Knox vs. Linton-Stockton. Game 2: Paoli vs. Mitchell. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: North Knox vs. Eastern Greene.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Mitchell 10 (2006), Linton-Stockton 9 (2017), Paoli 8 (1995), North Knox 6 (1998), Eastern Greene 5 (2013), South Knox 3 (2007).
Tell City
Game 1: Tell City vs. Forest Park. Game 2: Perry Central vs. South Spencer. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: North Posey vs. Evansville Mater Dei.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): South Spencer 23 (2017), Tell City 16 (1997), Evansville Mater Dei 12 (2014), North Posey 9 (2019), Forest Park 4 (2002), Perry Central 0.
Class 1A
Washington Township
Game 1: Westville vs. Covenant Christian (DeMotte).
Game 2: Kouts vs. Washington Township. Game 3: Marquette Catholic vs. Morgan Township.
Game 4: Hammond Academy of Science & Technology vs. 21st Century Gary.
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Washington Township 9 (2019), Kouts 5 (2011), Morgan Township 4 (2018), Marquette Catholic 3 (2007), Covenant Christian 0, HAST 0, 21st Century 0, Westville 0.
LaCrosse
Game 1: South Central (Union Mills) vs. Culver Community.
Game 2: LaCrosse vs. Argos. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Oregon-Davis vs. Triton.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): South Central (Union Mills) 16 (2019), Culver Community 8 (2013), Triton 4 (2015), LaCrosse 3 (2002), Argos 1 (1998), Oregon-Davis 1 (1976).
Fremont
Game 1: Fort Wayne Canterbury vs. Bethany Christian. Game 2: Elkhart Christian Academy vs. Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Fremont vs. Lakewood Park Christian. Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian 14 (2017), Fremont 7 (2019), Canterbury 2 (2014), Bethany Christian 1 (1987), Elkhart Christian 1 (2013), Lakewood Park Christian 0.
Caston
Game 1: Southwood vs. Northfield.
Game 2: West Central vs. Pioneer. Game 3: North White vs. North Miami.
Game 4: Caston vs. Game 1 winner.
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Northfield 10 (2018), North White 10 (2016), Southwood 4 (2014), Caston 1 (2012), North Miami 1 (2019), Pioneer 1 (2016), West Central 1 (1975).
Riverton Parke
Game 1: Covington vs. Attica. Game 2: Faith Christian vs. North Vermillion.
Game 3: Riverton Parke vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Covington 12 (2018), Riverton Parke 9 (2019), Attica 8 (2017), North Vermillion 5 (1997), Faith Christian 0.
Frontier
Game 1: Rossville vs. Frontier. Game 2: Sheridan vs. South Newton. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Tri-County vs. Clinton Central.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): South Newton 8 (2017), Frontier 7 (2014), Rossville 6 (2019), Tri-County 6 (2011), Clinton Central 1 (2005), Sheridan 1 (2004).
Liberty Christian
Game 1: Liberty Christian vs. Wes-Del. Game 2: Daleville vs. Tri-Central. Game 3: Southern Wells vs. Anderson Preparatory.
Game 4: Cowan vs. Game 1 winner. Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Daleville 11 (2019), Cowan 6 (2010), Wes-Del 5 (2011), Tri-Central 3 (2004), Anderson Prep 0, Liberty Christian 0, Southern Wells 0.
Seton Catholic
Game 1: Union City vs. Tri. Game 2: Seton Catholic vs. Randolph Southern. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Blue River Valley vs. Cambridge City Lincoln.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Tri 4 (2007), Blue River Valley 3 (2019), Seton Catholic 3 (2014), Cambridge City Lincoln 2 (1994), Union City 2 (2018), Randolph Southern 1 (2010).
White River Valley
Game 1: Clay City vs. Eminence. Game 2: Shakamak vs. White River Valley. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: North Central (Farmersburg) vs. Bloomfield.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Shakamak 25 (2019), North Central (Farmersburg) 8 (2011), Bloomfield 2 (1971), Clay City 2 (2016), Eminence 1 (2005), White River Valley 1 (2014).
Bethesda Christian
Game 1: Bethesda Christian vs. Providence Cristo Rey.
Game 2: Tindley vs. Traders Point Christian. Game 3: Indiana Deaf vs. Game 1 winner. Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Bethesda Christian 2 (2011), Indiana Deaf 0, Providence Cristo Rey 0, Tindley 0, Traders Point 0,
Morristown
Game 1: Southwestern (Shelbyville) vs. Indianapolis Lutheran.
Game 2: Greenwood Christian Academy vs. Edinburgh. Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. Game 4: Waldron vs. Morristown.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Indianapolis Lutheran 13 (2019), Edinburgh 4 (2017), Greenwood Christian 3 (2016), Morristown 2 (2008), Southwestern 1 (1999), Waldron 1 (2001).
Jac-Cen-Del
Game 1: Oldenburg Academy vs. Trinity Lutheran.
Game 2: Jac-Cen-Del vs. Rising Sun. Game 3: Hauser vs. Game 1 winner. Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Jac-Cen-Del 8 (2016), Rising Sun 7 (2019), Trinity Lutheran 6 (2019), Hauser 5 (2018), Oldenburg Academy 4 (2010).
South Central (Elizabeth)
Game 1: Lanesville vs. Christian Academy of Indiana.
Game 2: Orleans vs. South Central (Elizabeth). Game 3: Borden vs. Game 1 winner. Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Orleans 9 (2018), South Central (Elizabeth) 7 (2019), Lanesville 5 (2019), Borden 4 (2018), Christian Academy 2 (2009).
West Washington
Game 1: Crothersville vs. New Washington. Game 2: Shawe Memorial vs. West Washington.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Shawe Memorial 3 (2001), New Washington 1 (1998), Crothersville 0, West Washington 0,
North Daviess
Game 1: Shoals vs. Loogootee. Game 2: Vincennes Rivet vs. North Daviess.
Game 3: Barr-Reeve vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Loogootee 21 (1994), Barr-Reeve 12 (2019), North Daviess 7 (2015), Vincennes Rivet 9 (2014), Shoals 0.
Northeast Dubois
Game 1: Northeast Dubois vs. Tecumseh. Game 2: Wood Memorial vs. Cannelton. Game 3: Springs Valley vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Titles Won (Most Recent): Springs Valley 17 (2004), Tecumseh 15 (2019), Northeast Dubois 10 (2017), Cannelton 5 (1993), Wood Memorial 3 (2011).
Regionals
Saturday, June 5
Class 4A
LaPorte
Game 1: Chesterton winner vs. Merrillville winner.
Game 2: Northridge winner vs. Plymouth winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Kokomo
Game 1: Carroll (Fort Wayne) winner vs. Lafayette Jefferson winner.
Game 2: Huntington North winner vs. Westfield winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Plainfield
Game 1: Pendleton Heights winner vs. Franklin Central winner.
Game 2: Ben Davis winner vs. Plainfield winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Jasper
Game 1: Mooresville winner vs. Bloomington North winner.
Game 2: New Albany winner vs. Evansville Reitz winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Class 3A
Griffith
Game 1: Griffith winner vs. Northwestern winner. Game 2: Kankakee Valley winner vs. South Bend Clay winner. Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Bellmont
Game 1: Garrett winner vs. Yorktown winner.
Game 2: Bellmont winner vs. Wawasee winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Danville
Game 1: North Montgomery winner vs. Owen Valley winner.
Game 2: Beech Grove winner vs. Brebeuf Jesuit winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Southridge
Game 1: Silver Creek winner vs. Southridge winner. Game 2: Evansville Bosse winner vs. Lawrenceburg winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Class 2A
Whiting
Game 1: Eastside winner vs. Whiting winner.
Game 2: Hebron winner vs. Westview winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Lafayette Central Catholic
Game 1: Lapel winner vs. Eastern (Greentown) winner.
Game 2: Delphi Community winner vs. Wabash winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Cascade
Game 1: Cascade winner vs. Centerville winner. Game 2: Heritage Christian winner vs. Southmont winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Evansville Mater Dei (Bosse Field)
Game 1: South Ripley winner vs. Eastern (Pekin) winner.
Game 2: Mitchell winner vs. Tell City winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Class 1A
South Bend Washington (Four Winds Field)
Game 1: LaCrosse winner vs. Washington Township winner.
Game 2: Caston winner vs. Fremont winner. Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Carroll (Flora)
Game 1: Seton Catholic winner vs. Liberty Christian winner.
Game 2: Riverton Parke winner vs. Frontier winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Morristown
Game 1: White River Valley winner vs. Morristown winner.
Game 2: Jac-Cen-Del winner vs. Bethesda Christian winner. Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Lanesville
Game 1: North Daviess winner vs. Northeast Dubois winner. Game 2: South Central (Elizabeth) winner vs. West Washington winner. Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Semistates
(Teams TBD)
Saturday, June 12
North
LaPorte Kokomo (Municipal Stadium)
South
Mooresville Jasper (Ruxer Field)
State Finals
Monday, June 21 Class TBA — North Semi-State winner vs. South Semi-State winner, 5 p.m. ET /4 p.m. CT.
Class TBA — North Semi-State winner vs. South Semi-State winner, 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT.
Tuesday, June 22 Class TBA — North Semi-State winner vs. South Semi-State winner, 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT.
Class TBA — North Semi-State winner vs. South Semi-State winner, 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
The first-year head coach and the veteran will both have their teams in the IHSAA State Finals Saturday, June 16 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
Antone takes his Boone Grove Wolves into the Class 2A title game against Southridge. It will be the day’s second contest (Game 1 pits Daleville against University for the 1A crown at 11 a.m.).
“It’ll be nice for us to communicate during the week,” says Pishkur.
“I talked to him (Sunday) night and asked him what to expect,” says Antone. “I’m sure we’ll talk more as the week goes on.
“One thing I’ve learned from (Pishkur) is to be a life-long learner. I also like doing my own research.”
A 2009 Chesterton High School graduate, Antone played his first two high school seasons for Pishkur at Andrean and his last two for IHSBCA Hall of Famer Jack Campbell at Chesterton.
Antone was an assistant coach for Campbell’s Trojans in 2015 and Pishkur’s 59ers in 2016 and 2017. He was also a teacher at Andrean those two years.
Pishkur has his program in the state championship game for the seventh time by improving at the most-important time of the season.
Boone Grove will be making its first state championship game appearance.
But finishing the year at Victory Field comes does not come as a shock to Antone and his team.
“That was a our goal from Day 1 when we set our team goals last fall,” says Antone. “We’ve done everything we possibly could to get there. We’re not totally surprised by it.”
“Our guys have bought into the concept of ‘the team, the team, the team,’” says Antone. “They work at being good teammates.”
The Wolves put in off-season work in the weight room and at Saint Anthony Sports Medicine Institute in Crown Point, where trainer Kevin Devine took them through agility, endurance, flexibility, speed and strength workouts.
Antone also introduced the HitTrax Baseball hitting simulator at Boone Grove. He says they are the second high school in Indiana to get one (Andrean is the other).
The Wolves also started doing Driveline Baseball throwing and hitting programs. The throwing program is individualized for ages and positions and there are an in-season and off-season routines.
The hitting program involves a series of different-sized bats for overload/underload training.
“(These tools) allow us to measure everything and that’s huge,” says Antone. “If it’s important, we measure it. We want to see what progress is being made.
“We’ve been working hard and competing.”
Antone models his program on some of the things Pishkur does at Andrean, including practice plans, and also adds his own twist.
The Wolves and 59ers both employ the number system for signs.
Pishkur has been using it at least as far back as a his first state championship team in 2005. The coach has a list of numbered plays and players wear a wristband with the same information.
“It might say HR for hit-and-run or S1 for a sacrifice down the first base line,” says Pishkur, who picked up the sign system at a clinic from the Texas A&M staff. “There must be 30 things we can do. We are able to expand our offense.
“I couldn’t remember all the signs the other way.”
Some of the numbers mean nothing. Some of the plays may lie dormant until just the right moment.
“If we need them, they’re there for us,” says Pishkur.
Antone favors the system because it makes thing simpler for himself and his players and is more efficient.
“Besides, I like doing things a little differently than everybody else,” says Antone.
Certified as a physical education and health teacher, Antone was hired to coach at Boone Grove with no openings in that area. Instead, he taught in the alternative school in 2017-18.
“It was a challenge,” says Antone. “But I grew a lot as an educator and as a person, too.”
Another link between Andrean and Boone Grove is a family one.
Joe Plesac Sr., brother of former big league pitcher Dan Plesac, is Pishkur’s pitching coach at Andrean and his brother-in-law.
Joey Plesac Jr., Joe’s son and Dave’s nephew, is Antone’s pitching coach at BG.
Joey Plesac played at Andrean and then DePauw University.
“I’m really glad to have him on staff,” says Antone of Plesac. “He’s done a good job calling the games for us this year.”
Andrean beat Jay County for the Kokomo Semistate crown by frequently using a familiar postseason strategy — the bunt.
“I couldn’t manage in the major leagues because they don’t allow that,” says Pishkur. “But in high school, it’s a pretty good weapon. And at the college level, it’s a pretty good weapon.
“It’s a weapon for us and we have to take advantage of it.”
Gordie Gillespie, who won more than 2,400 games in four sports including baseball, was a big proponent of the bunt.
“He said, in the tournament, the team that executes the bunt and defends the bunt is going to win,” Pishkur says of Gillespie, who died in 2015 in Joliet, Ill. “We’ve taken that to heart and we’ve done a really good job in the tournament with that.”
Class 2A: Boone Grove (21-5) vs. Southridge (25-6), 2 p.m.
Class 3A: Andrean (30-6) vs. Silver Creek (26-3), 5 p.m.
In his first year as a head coach, Pat Antone has Boone Grove High School in the IHSAA Class 2A State Finals. The 2009 Chesterton graduate was on the Andrean staff in 2016 and 2017. The 59ers will be going for a 3A state crown Saturday, June 9 in Indianapolis.
The 2017 Panthers will meet South Bend St. Joseph in the first game of the Class 3A Griffith Regional Saturday, June 3. The second semifinal pits Western against Glenn with the final at night.
Jennings respects St. Joe, coached by John Gumpf. The two met years ago when Jennings was working Notre Dame baseball camps and Gumpf was an Irish assistant to Paul Mainieri.
This Griffith squad is a mix of experience and youth with four seniors and three or four sophomores in the mix.
These players understand their roles, strengths and weaknesses.
“We know what we are and what we aren’t,” says Jennings.
Griffith is a team that plays a tough schedule. The Panthers (15-14) went 7-5 in finishing third behind Andrean (11-1) and Highland (8-4) in the Northwest Crossroads Conference (which also includes Hobart, Kankakee Valley, Lowell and Munster). Griffith split a pair of NCC games with Highland and Munster.
“We’re around .500, but we’ve lost a lot of games by one run,” says Jennings. “We play a lot of 4A schools. That prepares you for the postseason.”
Because of the IHSAA success factor, five-time state champion Andrean is playing “up” in the tournament and will be in Saturday’s Class 4A LaPorte Regional as will Griffith regular-season opponent Lake Central.
Knowing that postseason runs often come at a premium, Jennings says he expects the team that advances from the regional to be the one that has the best defense, pitching and execution.
As a 3A regional host, the Panthers will get to show off their on-campus field.
“We’re really proud of what we’ve got here,” says Jennings of a facility that had lights added a few years ago and houses a clubhouse with individual player lockers. “We do our own work.”
When Jennings says “we” he is referring to the whole Griffith baseball community.
“I’m not arrogant enough to think it’s all ‘me,’” says Jennings. “It’s been a total effort.”
A parent group — the Griffith Diamond Club — has raised the money to make the improvements.
Jennings has a long list of things he wants to upgrade. It’s an idea he got at a clinic from then-LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman.
“It makes kids proud,” says Jennings of the steady program improvements. “It makes the parents and the community proud.”
Jennings works with coaching staff carrying plenty of experience, including Drew Martin, Todd Iwema (former Griffith and Lake Central head coach) and John Novosel (former Hammond Noll assistant) at the varsity level and Jeff Kawa with the junior varsity.
“I’ve surrounded myself with baseball guys,” says Jennings. “It makes my life a lot easier.
“I’m very lucky and fortunate to be the baseball coach here at Griffith.”
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