Payton in second year of return to Paoli Rams dugout

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

Jeremy Payton took over the baseball program at alma mater Paoli (Ind.) Junior-Senior High School on the second day of official practice in 2022 and was soon coaching the Rams in games.
As the 1994 Paoli graduate approaches his second season in 2023, Payton has been able to actually prepare.
“We didn’t have a lot of time to break things down,” says Payton. “We’re way ahead of the curve.
“We’re already way ahead of where we were last year. I didn’t know where kids played when I took over.”
Players — mostly pitchers — who are not involved in basketball have been attending IHSAA Limited Contact Period sessions and preparing their arms and bodies for the season.
“They been throwing 30 to 45 minutes two days a week,” says Payton. “They come in tired from doing weights and conditioning.”
The first official day of IHSAA practice is March 13.
Coming back to high school baseball Payton had to familiarize himself with the pitch count rule (1 to 35 pitches requires 0 days rest; 36 to 60 requires 1 day; 61 to 80 requires 2 days; 81 to 100 requires 3 days; and 101 to 120 requires 4 days). When he last coached the limit was based on innings.
“That was definitely learning curve last year,” says Payton. “The kids didn’t have the endurance and the ability to cover more than 40 or 50 pitches early and that was different than what I was used to.”
Payton’s coaching staff includes varsity assistant Jeremy Reynolds, volunteer Davis Minton (Class of 2020) and junior varsity coach Ashton Minton (Class of 2019).
In a group of about 24 players for varsity and junior varsity squads, there are three seniors and eight or nine freshmen.
Among returnees is junior Trey Rominger, who only struck out three times in 65 plate appearances while hitting .327 with a .431 on-base percentage, in 2022 has been drawing college interest. He is already the school’s all-time leading rusher in football.
There are also a number of travel ball players.
“We’ve got a lot of good things coming,” says Payton. “It’s just a matter of getting all the pieces in the right spot.”
Aron Busick (Class of 2020) is on the baseball team at Oakland City (Ind.) University.
Paoli (enrollment around 400) is a member of the Patoka Lake Athletic Conference (with Crawford County, Mitchell, Orleans, Perry Central, Springs Valley and West Washington).
The Rams are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Clarksville, Crawford County, Eastern (Pekin) and Providence. Paoli has won eight sectional titles — the last in 1995.
Paoli plays on Trinkle Field (named for Ken Trinkle, who pitched in 216 big league games for the New York Giants in 1943, 1946-48 and Philadelphia Phillies in 1949).
As a U.S. Army Corporal during World War II, Trinkle saw action in the “Battle of the Bulge” and was awarded a Bronze Star.
The on-campus facility recently got upgrades to sod, dirt and warning track and an updated seating area and locker room. The old press box was torn down and a storage room was put in its place.
As a feeder system there is Paoli Youth Diamond Sports (T-ball to 12U) and a school-affiliated junior high program for Grades 6-8. That team has 18 games scheduled April 4-May 22 with home dates at Trinkle Field. The team plays PLAC and non-conference opponents.
Payton’s baseball coach at Paoli was Tom Stuckwisch.
“He was a mentor,” says Payton of Stuckwisch. “He was our baseball coach, math teacher and assistant football coach.
“He was easy to approach. He was very laid-back.
“You didn’t have to make the game real complicated. Just go out and play and relax. Do the little things right and good things happen.”
During Payton’s prep career, the Rams were won about three quarters of their games. The 1993 team won a sectional then lost to Jasper and Scott Rolen in the regional. The 1994 team — ranked among the state’s Top 20 — was edged 2-1 by Springs Valley in the sectional championship game.
Payton graduated from the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville.
He moved back to town in 2000 and was a Rams baseball assistant for four years in the mid-2000’s on the staffs of John Hahn and Kyle DeSpain.
Hahn played baseball at Butler University in Indianapolis. DeSpain holds the Hanover (Ind.) College single-season record for doubles with 25 in 2001.
After his baseball stint, Payton served as head softball coach at Paoli through 2012.
Outside of coaching, he is an independent financial advisor in town. Jeremy and wife Marci have two children — Addie (13) and Collier (9) — in Paoli schools.
“My son loves baseball,” says Payton. “He’s been coming to practices and throwing and hitting.”

Jeremy Payton.

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Bednarek in first year guiding Hammond Morton Governors

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

Adam Bednarek is taking lessons he learned in high school, college and on the travel ball circuit and applying them in his first season as head baseball coach at Hammond (Ind.) Morton High School.
Bednarek was hired to head the Governors program at the end of the summer of 2022 and began his first year of teaching (U.S. History) and Morton in the fall.
Morton (enrollment around 1,675) is a member of the Great Lakes Athletic Conference (with East Chicago Central, Gary West Side and Hammond Central).
The Governors are part of an IHSAA Class 4A sectional grouping in 2023 with East Chicago Central, Gary West Side, Hammond Central, Hobart, Lake Central, Merrillville and Munster. Morton has won 10 sectional titles — the last in 2015.
Born in Illinois and raised in Dyer, Ind., Bednarek went to Andrean High School in nearby Merrillville, and played for Indiana High School Baseball Association Hall of Famer Dave Pishkur, who has eight state titles and more than 1,000 victories to his credit.
Bednarek was in the program from 2014 to 2017. He was rostered as a sophomore but did not dress for the 2015 IHSAA Class 3A State Finals. He was a second baseman on the varsity in 2016 and moved to third base in 2017 after tearing a meniscus.
What does Bednarek, who wore No. 16 in Red and Gold, remember most about time spent with the veteran 59ers skipper?
“Coach Pishkur is unbelievable at teaching all sorts of baserunning things — especially stealing third base,” says Bednarek. “I became a much better baserunner during my time at Andrean.”
Three of Bednarek’s four Morton assistants — Danny Murray, Eric Mularski and Sawyer Allen — played with him in high school. Only longtime Governors assistant and Babe Ruth League coach Vern Jefferson did not.
Bednarek and company led Morton players who were able to attend fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period sessions with an emphasis on fundamentals and defensive situations.
A drill he learned from Pishkur — The Runs Game — was part of the twice-a-week workouts.
It’s essentially living batting practice on the clock. The offensive team might get 10 minutes to score as many runs in that time.
The catch is there are four live balls and the hitting team has to track down the foul balls and get them back into the game before the next pitch can be thrown.
“We create fun chaos,” says Bednarek. “It’s a really fast pace and there’s a lot of conditioning.”
Winter has been dedicated mostly arm conditioning and strength training with players in the weight room about three times a week.
Bednarek has had 26 players sign up for baseball and he might gain a few once the varsity boys basketball season ends.
The plan calls for Morton to field varsity and junior varsity teams in the spring, playing home games on Georgas Field (named for former coach Jack Georgas).
After high school, Bednarek spent one fall with the baseball team at Quincy (Ill.) University then transferred to Indiana University-Bloomington and earned a degree in Secondary Education focused on Social Studies. That’s when he began coaching in the summer — two with Bobby Morris and 5 Star National Great Lakes and one with the Indiana Playmakers.

Hammond Morton Governors Baseball.

Adam Bednarek.

Smith gets opportunity to lead Prairie Heights baseball

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

Gene Smith has been coaching baseball in the community for more than three decades.
Now he’s the head coach at alma mater Prairie Heights Senior High School near LaGrange, Ind.
A 1991 Prairie Heights graduate, Smith played for Craig Reece.
“He was down-to-earth and he would teach you baseball,” says Smith of Reece. “He understood the game.
“He’s a good friend and a good leader.”
Reece instilled the desire in Smith to become a coach at Stroh Youth League at 18. He spent 28 years in that organization in various roles, including vice president.
The high school feeder system consists of SYL, Ashley-Hudson Ball League, Orland Tigers Youth League and South Milford Little League.
Smith was a junior varsity coach on T.J. Guthrie’s Prairie Heights staff in 2022 and was approved as head coach at the January school board meeting.
While some athletes have been involved with wrestling and basketball, Smith has been able to work with some baseball players during the winter IHSAA Limited Contact Period.
“They’re eager,” says Smith. “They’re really listening. They ask questions.
“I’m pretty happy with it.”
Prairie Heights (enrollment around 425) is a member of the Northeast Corner Conference (with Angola, Central Noble, Churubusco, Eastside, Fairfield, Fremont, Garrett, Hamilton, Lakeland, West Noble and Westview).
Hamilton is expected to play a JV schedule in 2023. The NECC tournament is April 24-29.
The Panthers are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Central Noble, Churubusco, Eastside, Westview and Whitko. Prairie Heights has won two sectional titles — 1977 and 1984.
Smith’s staff in 2023 features pitching coach/varsity assistant Dave Priestly, junior varsity head coach Bodie Rice and JV assistant Reese Smith (Gene’s son and a 2018 Prairie Heights graduate).
The Panthers play and practice on Kellet Field. A few years back, the field was overhauled while Prairie Heights played all its games on the road.
“It’s one of the best playing surfaces in the NECC,” says Smith. “We would like to upgrade the dugouts.”
In April, Smith will hit the 24-year mark working maintenance at maintenance at Cold Heading Company in Hudson, Ind.
Gene and wife Stacy Smith have eight children between them. From oldest to youngest there’s Shayntel Smith, Reese Smith, Malachi Malone, Courtney Smith, Jerica Malone, Isaiah Malone and Cheyenne Smith (Prairie Heights Class of 2023).
Elijah Malone is a junior on the men’s basketball team at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind. Prairie Heights senior Isaiah Malone recently signed to play basketball at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne.

Family members (from left): Cheyenne Smith, Reese Smith (in back), Courtney Smith, Jerica Malone, Isaiah Malone (back), Malachi Malone, Elijah Malone (back), Stacy Smith, Gene Smith, Shayntel Smith and granddaughter Zendaya Smith (front).

Alum Bube stressing defense as new Lanesville head coach

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

Brenden Bube got to represent Lanesville (Ind.) Junior-Senior High School at the IHSAA State Finals his junior and senior years.
The Swingin’ Eagles were Class 1A state runners-up in 2016 and 1A state champions in 2017 with Zach Payne as head coach. Bube was the starting pitcher, 2-hole hitter and also played shortstop in 2016.
Many of the players on the current Lanesville team were in the fifth and sixth grade at the time.
Now they have Bube as their head coach.
“I’ve got a real cool group,” says Bube. “They got to see our success in high school which is really cool.”
He began college at Taylor University in Upland, Ind., and graduated from Indiana University Southeast in New Albany as an Occupational Safety major and right-handed pitcher for the Grenadiers baseball team last summer.
Bube (pronounced Boo-Bee) was hired last fall to lead the program at his prep alma mater.
The fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period was devoted to reps, especially on defense, and its been more of the same this winter with those who can make it.
“Defense is going to win ball games for us,” says Bube. “We’re going to make the routine plays look easy.
“That’s where they struggled last year. They lost a lot of close games just from making errors.”
Lanesville (enrollment around 260) is a member of the Southern Athletic Conference (with Borden, Crothersville, Henryville, New Washington and South Central of Elizabeth).
The Eagles are part of an IHSAA Class 1A sectional grouping in 2023 with Borden, Christian Academy of Indiana, Rock Creek Academy, South Central (Elizabeth) and West Washington. Lanesville has won five sectional crowns — the last in 2019.
As a small school, multi-sport athletes are the rule rather than the exception.
“You don’t get your (whole) baseball team until the spring,” says Bube, who welcomes back a core with many sophomores.
Third baseman/first baseman Matt Compton (Class of 2023) has been drawing college baseball interest.
Corner infielder/pitcher Brandon Gibson Class of 2022) is at Brescia University in Owensboro, Ky.
Besides Bube, right-hander Cameron Harvey (Class of 2017) began at Indiana Wesleyan University and finished at IU Southeast.
Bube’s Lanesville coaching staff includes Chris Guffey and Stephen Shaffer. Guffey played at Colorado State University. Shaffer (Class of 2015) played at Oakland City University.
Ed Jaegers Memorial Field is on the east side of the Lanesville campus. Bube says the facility is getting new wind screens and the program is receiving some new equipment.
“It’s one of the nicest fields in our area,” says Bube. “For a small 1A field our field is really, really nice.”
Lanesville Youth League fields (T-ball through eighth grade) are located two miles from the school and feeds the high school program.
Bube teaches Physical Education at Fairmont Elementary School — part of New Albany Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation.
Brenden and fiancee Brooklyn Gibbs, of Mount Vernon, Ind., have planned a September 2023 wedding.
Born in Louisville, Brenden grew up in Corydon, Ind., and was there until he started high school.
The youngest of Joe and Debbie Bube’s three children, Brenden has an older sister named Joshlyn Thatcher (Corydon Central High School Class of 2007) and older brother named Tyler Bube (Corydon Central Class of 2009).

Tyler Bube (left), Brenden Bube and Joshlyn Thatcher.

Joe (left), Brenden and Debbie Bube.

Brenden Bube (left) and Brooklyn Gibbs.

New coach Cushenberry sees grit, determination at Lawrence Central

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

Jaylon Cushenberry is now in charge of the baseball program at Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis.
His hiring was finalized in November and he went about establishing the culture for the Bears.
“At LC we’ve padded our schedule. It’s a lot tougher than it’s ever been,” says Cushenberry, who won IHSAA Class 1A sectionals in both his seasons as head coach at Traders Point Christian in Whitestown, Ind. “We play teams like Zionsville, Western, Westfield, University and a couple of other teams.
“Our goal with our regular season is to play as many championship caliber teams as we can and see how we stack up.
“When you think of LC Baseball from here on out you’re going to see blue collar workers who won’t quit. We have a lot of grit and determination. “They’ve all bought into the plan — play very, very hard for seven-plus innings.”
Lawrence Central (enrollment around 2,365) is a member of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (with Ben Davis, Indianapolis North Central, Lawrence North, Pike and Warren Central).
MIC teams play home-and-home series on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The Bears are part of an IHSAA Class 4A sectional grouping in 2023 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.
Cushenberry, a graduate of Avon (Ind.) High School and Marian University in Indianapolis, is a Special Education Paraprofessional at Zionsville (Ind.) Community High School, where he is also defensive line coach for the football team.
Because of the timing of his hiring he was not there to guide IHSAA Limited Contact Period sessions in the fall, but Cushenberry has regularly had 35 to 40 as winter activities and expects 10 to 15 more when winter sports are complete.
The focus so far has been on getting to know one another while also teaching the game.
“We want to build a great relationship with our players,” says Cushenberry. “We’re trying to get our guys to buy into who we are.
“We want to build that mindset to be aggressive and not be passive and look for the easy way out.”
A year ago, the Bears fielded varsity and junior varsity teams. Cushenberry says if there are enough quality players LC may have three teams this spring.
Three of Cushenberry’s 2023 assistants — Conner Madding, Nolan Nihiser and Ernie Mudis — were on his Traders Point staff.
At Lawrence Central, Madding is the pitching coach, Nihiser the outfield coordinator and Mudis a varsity assistant.
In addition, there varsity assistant Jack Johnson, varsity assistant/junior varsity head coach Davon Hardy, JV assistant C.J. Wilson and infield coordinator Uriak Marquez. The Venezuelan played several years in professional baseball, including two in the Chicago Cubs system.
Cushenberry is hitting and baserunning coordinator. He will be helped on the hitting side by Nihiser and Marquez.
“Traders Point taught me how to coach,” says Cushenberry. “It taught me patience and understanding how to work with kids of lesser talent and also how to develop players at a high level.
“It also taught me how to be humbled. With every high there’s a low. Our kids found that out very quickly. You win back-to-back sectionals and are a couple or runs or mistakes from being in the regional championship.
“Baseball is a humbling game and teaches you so many life lessons.”
The Bears play on-campus on Community Health Field. Plans call for a new all-turf field with lights next to the current one in 2024.
Like Lawrence Central, Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township partner Lawrence Central is also due to get turf fields for baseball and softball, according to Cushenberry.
Rainouts — which take away game and practice time — are significantly lessened with turf and a major reason so many schools are going to it.
“Turf is a necessity item for us,” says Cushenberry.
The Lawrence Central program is fed by Belzer and Fall Creek Valley middle schools and Fall Creek Softball & Baseball.
Among Lawrence Central graduates in college baseball there’s Class of 2019’s Zach Lane (Ball State University) and Class of 2022’s Charlie Hawk (Purdue Fort Wayne).
Class of 2024’s Ahmaad Duff is committed to the University of Alabama. Two others from that class — Nick Johnson and Bryson Luter — have been getting looks from collegiate baseball programs.
Cushenberry, who has coach with the Indiana Mustangs travel organization in the summer, was among the many Indiana high school coaches attending the 2023 American Baseball Coaches Convention in Nashville.
“It was so much fun and we learned so much,” says Cushenberry.

Jaylen Cushenberry. (Lawrence Central High School Photo)

Jones measuring what Eastern Musketeers can do

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

Eastern High School in Pekin, Ind., is less than two months away from its 2023 baseball season.
While also assisting with the school’s varsity boys basketball team, Lincoln Jones is getting ready for his second season as head baseball coach.
During the fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period, Jones had high school and junior high athletes in simulated game-like situations. He recorded things like first-to-time, stolen base and POP times and exit velocity off the tee.
“We wanted to get measurable data points so we could see that growth or lack there of,” says Jones. “Sometimes it’s just as motivating to see a lack of growth compared to your peers as it is to see your numbers jump.
“Numbers speak to the kids today. They resonate.”
Eastern (enrollment around 420) is a member of the Mid-Southern Conference (with Austin, Brownstown Central, Charlestown, Corydon Central, North Harrison, Salem, Scottsburg and Silver Creek).
The Musketeers are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Clarksville, Crawford County, Paoli and Providence. Eastern has won four sectional titles — the last in 2012.
Eastern players began throwing Feb 2. A Limited Contact Period devoted an hour to throwing and an hour to hitting. Most of the weight training takes place during the school day.
Jones, who teaches at EHS, says the participation across Eastern athletics is in a down cycle. The Musketeers wound up with 13 players in the program at the end of the 2022 baseball season and none of them were seniors.
The only player gone from that group — Martin Lewen —  transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
It was not usual for four or five freshmen to be in the starting lineup. The bulk of the expected returnees for 2023 will be in the Class of 2025.
“We’re spending some time down at our youth levels — the fifth through eighth grade ranks,” says Jones. “We’re trying to drive some interest there and get our numbers back to where you’d like to see them in the 24 range where you could split into a JV and varsity on a given night and send 12 both ways.”
Jones has the Musketeers employing a “pressure offense.”
“We’re probably not going to have a bunch of guys hitting the ball out of the yard and you can’t really rely on that year in and year out. I want to put pressure on the defense and put the ball in-play, bunt the ball, steal bases. We want to have high (Baseball) I.Q. guys who can read situations like dirt ball reads. You can really take advantage of the next 90 feet.
“Defensively, you don’t have to make the flashy plays. If you field the ball that comes to you and catch the ball that’s in the air you’re going to have success.
The metric that Jones tracks for moundsmen is 67 percent strikes.
“My pitching philosophy has always been ‘9 vs. 1,’” says Jones. “There’s nine guys on defense vs. one hitter. You’re at an advantage if you can get it across the plate and give your defense a chance to do some work.”
Faith plays a major part in why Jones is a coach.
“Baseball is cool,” says Jones. “Ultimately, it’s an avenue to teach kids and have an impact. From a great picture, my biggest mission is to make Jesus known.”
Jones’ 2023 assistants are Mike Lawson with volunteers Rick Snelling, Shane Miller and Landon Snelling.
Eastern plays and practices on-campus on Larry Ingram Field. The facility is named after the longtime coach. Three years ago, the infield was resurfaced and leveled. A turf halo was placed around the plate area.
“The field is kind of unique,” says Jones. “It’s cut into the side of a hill. People sit on the berm to watch the game. It drains pretty well.”
There is a junior high baseball program in the Eastern community. Seventh and eighth graders play in the spring and summer.
Younger players learn the game at East Washington Baseball/Softball Association.
Recent Eastern graduates who went on to college baseball include the Class of 2020’s Rhett Pennington (Greenville University) and the Class of 2021’s Snyder Pennington (Franklin College) and Cauy Motsinger (Vincennes University).
Jones is a 2011 graduate of North Harrison High School in Ramsey, Ind., and played four years of baseball, four years of basketball and three years of tennis. The Cougars head baseball coach was former University of Southern Indiana player Gregg Oppel.
“He instilled a work ethic in us that was second to none,” says Jones of Oppel. “He brought that old school grit. He was more discipline-oriented and wanted to make his presence known. He was an authority figure.
“I learned a lot in my four years under him.”
Bart Bigham coached Jones on the tennis court and was also his junior varsity basketball coach.
“My coaching style probably mimics his more closely than anybody else,” says Jones. “I always appreciated the way he handled his business. He was very laid-back and mild-mannered. He expected you to get your work done. That’s the environment I work well under. I was going to push myself more so than any coach was going to push me.”
Jones played baseball at Franklin (Ind.) College for head coach Lance Marshall. Grant Bellak (now head coach at Hanover, Ind., College) was an assistant. Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Phil Webster was Grizzlies pitching coach Jones’ freshman year. Former Vanderbilt University/Libscomb University player Richie Goodenow was in that role for his sophomore through senior seasons.
After earning a Business degree from Franklin in 2015, Jones worked for four years at his father’s shop — Jones Machine & Tool — while also coaching at North Harrison. He was with junior high basketball and baseball teams and then baseball squads at the high school.
He earned transition to teaching certification online from Taylor University and taught and coached on former college roommate Brent Ingram’s staff at West Washington before going to Eastern and assisting Jeff Pennington for one season before taking over the Musketeers program.
On the boys basketball side, Jones has coached the eighth grade and junior varsity and is now a varsity assistant to Ray Weatherford.
Lincoln and wife Dallas (a University of South Carolina graduate) were wed in 2017 and had their daughter — Raleigh — in 2020. The couple met while she was doing an internship with the 2014 Louisville Bats. The Jones family has long been Louisville Redbirds/Bats season ticket holders.

Lincoln Jones (24).

Lincoln Jones (24).

Dallas, Lincoln and Raleigh Jones.

Dallas, Lincoln and Raleigh Jones.

Hoover now steering Perry Central Commodores

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

Ryan Hoover is now in charge of the baseball program at Perry Central Junior-Senior High School in Leopold, Ind.
The 2023 season will be Hoover’s first as a varsity head coach.
The past two years Hoover coached Evansville North’s middle school team. He has been a travel ball coach the past four or five years, including with the Evansville-based and Jeremy Johnson-run Razorback Baseball Club and an assistant on Adam Hines’ staff at Henderson (Ky.) County High School.
Perry Central (enrollment around 400) is a member of the Patoka Lake Athletic Conference (with Crawford County, Mitchell, Orleans, Paoli, Springs Valley and West Washington).
The Commodores are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Evansville Mater Dei, Forest Park, North Posey, South Spencer and Tell City. Perry Central has not yet won a sectional title.
During the fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period, Hoover had Perry Central players working two days a week for two hours. Most of the time was spent on defense with hitting at the end of the sessions.
This winter has been mostly two days a week of weight training and two days of hitting and arm care (with weighted baseballs).
Hoover pays attention to his pitchers and has paid attention to pitch counts even before experiencing the rule set in place by the IHSAA (1 to 35 pitches requires 0 days rest; 36 to 60 requires 1 day; 61 to 80 requires 2 days; 81 to 100 requires 3 days; and 101 to 120 requires 4 days).
“I make sure they’re getting proper rest, proper stretching and getting loose the proper way before they go out and (throw) 100 percent and really hurt their arm,” says Hoover, who wants to make sure those who might go on to college baseball are ready for the rigors of throwing which that entails.
Recent Perry Central graduates who went on to college diamonds include the Class of 2021’s Brayden Stowe (Brescia University in Owensboro, Ky. before arm injury), Reece Davis (Southeastern Illinois College) and 2021’s Wes Scamahorn (Oakland City).
Class of 2023’s Garrett Scamahorn — brother of Wes — has committed to Oakland City. Class of 2024’s Travis Kellems — a lefty pitcher and outfielder — has been receiving collegiate interest.
A 2016 graduate of Morristown (Ind.) Junior-Senior High School, Hoover was a four-year varsity baseball starter for three head coaches — Tim Hancock in 2013, Royce Carlton in 2014 and Josh Bassett in 2015 and 2016.
“(Carlton) did a real good job of teaching me about being a family as a program,” says Hoover. “The more you treat you treat your teammates as family, the harder you’re going to play for each other.
“(Bassett) put a lot of responsibility on me. When he came in I was the only returning starter. He taught me how to be a leader.”
Hoover played all over the diamond for the Yellow Jackets, but mostly at third base.
In two seasons at Vincennes (Ind.) University, Hoover was also a utility player though most of his time was spent at second base.
Chris Barney is the Trailblazers head coach.
“He taught me how to come in and get your business done,” says Hoover of Barney. “You go in, work hard and understand who you are as a player.”
Hoover did not play past VU. He transferred and earned an Information Technology degree at Indiana University-Bloomington in 2019. He now has a daytime job as an IT professional, part of the time for Perry Central.
The Commodores play and practice on-campus. On Hoover’s wish list is the leveling of the playing surface.
Hoover’s assistant coaches include Jason Hubert (who helped Hoover with the Razorbacks last summer), Andrew Harpenau and Chad Hubert at the high school. Guiding the junior high team (a mix of seventh and eighth graders which play in the spring and use the varsity field) is Brayden Stowe (son of former Perry Central head coach Adam Stowe) and Zander Poole.
Besides the junior high team, which plays in the spring against mostly Pocket Athletic Conference schools plus Owensboro Catholic another feeder is Perry Central Youth Baseball for ages 7 to 12.
“I’m pretty involved making sure we get as much participation as possible,” says Hoover. “It’s exciting for the future.”
Hoover has committed to coach a Razorbacks 14U team this summer.
Ryan and Stephanie Hoover were married in October 2022. She is a University of Evansville graduate and a physical therapist in Princeton, Ind.

Ryan Hoover.

Ryan and Stephanie Hoover.

Seeger’s Turner stresses pitching, defense, hard contact

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

“Putting the ball in-play and running like the dickens.”
In simplified terms, that’s the offensive philosophy Shawn Turner has as head baseball coach at Seeger Memorial Junior-Senior High School in West Lebanon, Ind.
“We try to put the ball in-play and in the middle of the diamond as best we can,” says Turner. “We want to put the onus on the defense to have to make plays.
“We’re not focused on launch angle. We’re not focused on things 15- to 19-year-old kids typically aren’t ready for.
“Contact and hard contact is the most-important thing.”
Turner led the Warren County-based Patriots to a 23-5 mark in 2022. Seeger hit .379 as a team with five home runs and 300 runs (10.7 per game). The pitching staff posted a 2.42 earned run average. The team committed 44 errors (1.5 per game).
“Pitching and defense is what we focus on more than anything else,” says Turner. “We don’t have the capabilities — year in and year out — to go out there and rely on the three-run home run. We have to manufacture runs. We’re going to try to be smart on the base paths and move runners by putting the ball in play.
“Once you get to tournament time and as you’re playing better teams, you face better pitching. Our kids recognize that they’re pretty good at hitting the ball when the pitcher’s not very solid. When he is that makes it a little more challenging so it’s easier for them to buy into what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Turner calls the The groundout to the second baseman — which can move a runner from from second to third or score a runner from third —  the most-overlooked play in baseball.
Seeger (enrollment around 400) is a member of the Wabash River Conference (with Attica, Covington, Fountain Central, North Vermillion, Parke Heritage, Riverton Parke and South Vermillion).
WRC teams meet twice during the same week — either two weekdays or Saturday doubleheader.
The Patriots are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Benton Central, Carroll (Flora), Clinton Prairie, Delphi Community and Lewis Cass. Seeger has won five sectional titles — the last in 2015.
Turner, who is also a math teacher at the high school, spent four seasons as head coach at Richmond (Ind.) High School, one as an assistant at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., and 17 as head coach at Terre Haute (Ind.) North Vigo High School (1998-2014) after two as assistant. He was a McCutcheon assistant in 1994 and 1995, helped at West Vigo in 1993 and North Vigo 1990-92.
At Seeger, Turner is part of a school where the multi-sport athlete is the norm.
“We have very few individuals who are participating in (IHSAA Limited Contact Period activities),” says Turner. “We share athletes. I’ve got basketball players, wrestlers and swimmers.”
Turner expects to have about 25 athletes for varsity and junior varsity baseball in the spring. Of that number, nearly 20 are involved in at least one other sport.
“It makes it rough to have an aggressive off-season program,” says Turner, who also sees his baseballers go out for football, cross country and tennis in the fall. “It’s the nature of the beast.
“Once high school is over, it’s over. We’re at a school where kids have the opportunity multiple sports.
“We encourage that. It’s the day-to-day opportunities they’re going to remember not so much a win or a loss. It’s spending time with their teammates and practices along the way. We try to make sure they’re enjoying what they’re doing. It’s their team. It’s not my team.”
Turner wants players to go on to become fine young men and positive members of society. If they also get to play at the next level, so be it.
Two recent Seeger graduates and Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series participants are now in college baseball — pitcher and 2021 graduate Khal Stephen (Purdue University) and catcher and 2022 graduate Nick Turner (Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Ill.).
Nick is the youngest of Shawn and Tiffany Turner’s two sons. Austin Turner played at McCutcheon (Class of 2017) and Indiana Wesleyan University.
Three-year starters Caleb Edwards and Jace Ware are among the returnees for 2023.
Seeger assistant coaches are Mike Holland, Matt Pruitt and Robert Jones.
The Patriots’ home field is on-campus. The baseball and softball diamonds are due for major renovations following the 2023 season. That includes getting lights.
There is junior high baseball in the spring and summer for seventh and eighth graders.
Future and current high school players are also involved in youth leagues in Williamsport and Lafayette and travel and American Legion teams in Indiana and Illinois.

Nick and Shawn Turner at Seeger Memorial Junior-Senior High School in West Lebanon, Ind.

James-led Purdue Polytechnic Englewood eligible for IHSAA tournament in 2023

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

Purdue Polytechnic Englewood — a charter high school on the Near East Side of Indianapolis — becomes IHSAA baseball tournament-eligible in 2023.
The Techies are part of a Class 3A sectional grouping with Beech Grove, Christel House, Herron, Speedway and Washington.
Purdue Polytechnic Englewood (enrollment around 580) is a member of the Greater Indianapolis Conference (with Christel House, Eminence, Indiana Math & Science, Irvington Prep, Metropolitan, Riverside, Tindley, Victory Prep and Washington). IMS and Victory Prep are not expected to field baseball teams in 2023.
Eric James, who is an IT Specialist at the school and coached offensive linemen for the past four Purdue Polytechnic Englewood football seasons, is the Techies first-year head coach for the third-year baseball program. James was an assistant to Ryan Broadstreet in 2021 and 2022.
Player development is a priority for James.
“At our school a lot of the students don’t come to the school for athletics,” says James. “The guys that do come out have a love of baseball. I want to see strides of improvement. That’s my satisfaction.”
James is a 2013 graduate of Arsenal Tech High School in Indianapolis, where he played football, baseball and golf and participated for a short time in wrestling.
He was an Information Technology major and Management Information Systems minor at Indiana State University, graduating in 2017.
Purdue Polytechnic Englewood players participated in the Indianapolis RBI program in the summer and fall.
“That allowed them to get more reps and opportunities to play the game,” says James, who is assisted by Donald Baker III and Derrick Strode and expects around 18 players for a varsity-only season at Purdue Polytechnic Englewood in the spring. “We’re trying to get some recognition so our guys can play at the next level.”
The winter IHSAA Limited Contact Period is going on now.
“We’re just trying to get in as much of the fundamentals as possible,” says James, who has his Techies improving their footwork, agility as well as catching and throwing techniques. “We’re putting emphasis on fundamentals and why they do things and how it effects them on the field.
“We’re getting them as much baseball knowledge as we can.”
James attended his first Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association State Clinic Jan. 12-14 in Indianapolis.
He picked up many pointers on drills, strength and conditioning and more.
“It was very informative,” says James. “I did enjoy my time there.”
The Schweitzer Center at Englewood houses Purdue Polytechnic Englewood and Paramount Englewood (elementary). The schools are in the renovated P.R. Mallory Building.
Techies athletics use the facilities at T.C. Howe Community High School located about two miles to the east.
Purdue Polytechnic North is located in the former Broad Ripple High School. The Lynx have separate sports programs.

Eric James.

York entering second season leading Whitko Wildcats

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

Cody York, who is going into his second year as head baseball coach at Whitko Junior/Senior High School in South Whitley, Ind., in 2023, has been around the sport in northeast Indiana most of his life.
Born in Fort Wayne, he played in Holy Cross and Hamilton Park youth leagues and four years at North Side High School, where he graduated in 2008.
His head coaches were Bruce Miller as a freshman and then Randy Moss for the next three years.
“(Moss) had a huge impact on my life,” says York, 33. “He showed me how to compete on the baseball field and what it takes to be good at it.”
North Side head football coach Casey Kolkman (now at Heritage) showed York what consistency looks like.
“No matter what happened — good or bad — he stayed even-keeled,” says York of Kolkman. “His demeanor never wavered one way or another.
“I take my style from (Moss and Kolkman).”
York also played basketball for the North Side Redskins (now Legends).
After high school, York played one season each at Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville, Mich., for head coach Keith Schreiber and Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne for Kip McWilliams and now is a heavy equipment operator for the City of Fort Wayne.
York’s first season of baseball coaching was 2021 as Whitko assistant.
Whitko (enrollment around 415) is a member of the Three Rivers Conference (with Maconaquah, Manchester, Northfield, North Miami, Peru, Rochester, Southwood, Tipppecanoe Valley and Wabash).
The Wildcats are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Central Noble, Churubusco, Eastside, Prairie Heights and Westview. Whitko won its lone sectional title in 2017.
York’s 2023 coaching staff features varsity assistant Andrew Shepherd, junior varsity assistant Michael Ianucilli and volunteers Jacob Gable and Austin Roberson. The head coach got acquainted with his assistants through two Fort Wayne-based summer adult circuits (Carrington League and Men’s Senior Baseball League).
Pitching coach Shepherd played at Wabash High School (Class of 2012), Ianucilli at Fort Wayne Concordia (Class of 2017), Gable at North Side (Class of 2015) and Roberson at Fort Wayne Snider (Class of 2012). York is also looking to hire a JV head coach.
York helped coach middle school football at Whitko in the fall while his assistants ran IHSAA Limited Contact Period sessions. This winter, Limited Contact Period practices have been from 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays and dedicated to throwing, hitting and weight training.
With nine starters being freshmen or sophomores, the Wildcats went 9-18 in 2022.
Shortstop David Ousley (Class of 2023) is scheduled to sign with the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) Thursday. Ousley was a team captain in ’22 along with Isaiah Cripe (Class of 2024).
Ousley and Cripe are expected back along with Class of 2023’s Brent Bowers, Jaxon Harper and Cody Adkins, 2024’s Logan Hoffman and Max Platt and 2025’s Easton Grable, Riley Harman and Breyden Kirkdorffer.
The Wildcats play home games on-campus. A year ago, Whitko got a new scoreboard. New dugouts and batting cages are being installed.
York is also the program’s hitting coach and wants his players to get more repetitions while staying mechanically sound.
“I’m very meticulous when I’m in the cage with them,” says York.
Plans also call for replacing infield dirt and outfield warning tracks with red brick dust.
As a feeder system for the high school, York has established a middle school team that will play games Monday through Wednesday in the spring of 2023 so it does not interfere with travel ball schedules.
Cody York is engaged to Alisha Withered. The couple each have 10-year-olds from previous relationships.

Cody York.

Cody York and the Whitko Wildcats.