Tag Archives: Jacob Wickliff

IHSAA regionals will slice state tournament field from 64 to 16; preview of each site

June 1, 2022 stvkrh905 Leave a comment

Iliana Christian won its first Indiana High School Athletic Association sectional baseball title.
Jasper hoisted the sectional championship trophy for a state-leading 40th time.
Sixty-two other schools also reigned and moved on to regional play on Saturday, June 4.
The IHSAA Class 2A Carroll Flora Regional features four teams from the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Top 10 — No. 1 Carroll, No. 3 Wapahani, No. 4 Eastern (Greentown) and No. 9 Delphi.
The 2A Park Tudor Regional has No. 2 Cascade playing No. 7 Centerville in the first game followed by Parke Heritage and vote-getter Heritage Christian.
The 3A Griffith Regional includes No. 1 Andrean, No. 2 Western and No. 7 Glenn along with South Bend Saint Joseph.
The 3A Danville Regional includes No. 3 West Vigo and No. 4 Brebeuf Jesuit in the opener followed by Lebanon and Beech Grove.
The 4A Jasper Regional features No. 2 Mooresville, No. 8 Jasper and vote-getter New Albany plus Columbus East.
The 4A Lafayette Jeff Regional opens with vote-getter Homestead against No. 6 Fort Wayne Carroll followed by Harrison against Zionsville.
In 1A, the Loogootee Regional has No. 1 Borden meeting No. 2 Barr-Reeve in Game 2 after vote-getter Tecumseh plays New Washington.

The 1A he South Bend Washington Regional has three Top 10 teams — No. 4 South Central (Union Mills), No. 9 Caston and No. 10 Fremont — plus Morgan Township.
The 1A Lafayette Central Catholic Regional features vote-getters Cowan and Rossville in Game 1 and No. 3 Lafayette Central Catholic and No. 5 Union City in Game 2.
Three teams at the 1A Morristown Regional received votes in the final regular season poll — Indianapolis Lutheran, Rising Sun and Shakamak. Traders Point Christian is also in the field.
South Central of Union Mills (6), Indianapolis Cathedral (5), Silver Creek (5), South Bend Saint Joseph (5), Evansville Memorial (4), Shakamak (4) and Tecumseh (4) comes into regional play with the longest active sectional title streaks.
1A New Washington won its first sectional crown since 1998. It had been since 1999 that 2A’s Eastern (Greentown) and Winamac had won sectional titles.
By the time three-team regionals in four classes are complete, there will be 16 teams left in the field. Semistates are scheduled for Saturday, June 11 with the State Finals at Victory Field in Indianapolis Friday and Saturday, June 17-18.

2022 IHSAA REGIONALS
Saturday, June 4
(IHSBCA Ranking in Parentheses)
Class 4A
LaPorte Regional
Crown Point vs. Lake Central (Receiving Votes)
South Bend Adams vs. Penn
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Penn 10 (2017), Crown Point 9 (2011), Lake Central 7 (2014), South Bend Adams 3 (1979).

Highland Sectional (1) Championship — Lake Central 15, Highland 12.
Sectional titles through 2022: Highland (13) — Previous 2000. Trojans head coach: John Bogner.

Valparsaiso Sectional (2) Championship — Crown Point 12, Hobart 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: Crown Point (22) — Previous 2019. Bulldogs head coach: Steve Strayer.

Plymouth Sectional (3) Championship — South Bend Adams 5, LaPorte 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: Adams (10) — Previous 2018. Eagles head coach: Mike Cass.

Penn Sectional (4) Championship — Penn 7, Northridge 5.
Sectional titles through 2022: Penn (23) — Previous 2018. Kingsmen head coach: Greg Dikos.

Lafayette Jeff Regional
Homestead (RV) vs. Carroll (6)
Harrison vs. Zionsville
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Carroll 5 (2011), Harrison 5 (1998), Zionsville 4 (2017), Homestead 3 (2015).

DeKalb Sectional (5) Championship — Carroll 7, Snider 6.
Sectional titles through 2022: Carroll (15) — Previous 2019. Chargers head coach: Dave Ginder.

Huntington North Sectional (6) Championship — Homestead 10, Wayne 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: Homestead (16) — Previous 2021. Spartans head coach: Nick Byall.

Logansport Sectional (7) Championship — Harrison 5, McCutcheon 4.
Sectional titles through 2022: Harrison (13) — Previous 2021. Raiders head coach: Pat Lowrey.

Noblesville Sectional (8) Championship — Zionsville 6, Fishers 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: Zionsville (15) — Previous 2018. Eagles head coach: Jered Moore.

New Palestine Regional
Anderson vs. Indianapolis Cathedral
New Palestine vs. Brownsburg
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Indianapolis Cathedral 14 (2018), New Palestine 6 (2014), Brownsburg 5 (2005), Anderson 3 (1995).

Mt. Vernon Sectional (9) Championship — Anderson 13, Mt. Vernon (Fortville) 7.
Sectional titles through 2022: Anderson (8) — Previous 2012. Indians head coach: Adrian Heim.

Pike Sectional (10) Championship — Indianapolis Cathedral 10, Lawrence North 8.
Sectional titles through 2022: Cathedral (25; five straight) — Previous 2021. Fighting Irish coach Ed Freje.

Roncalli Sectional (11) Championship — New Palestine 12, Franklin Central 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: New Palestine (17) — Previous 2015. Dragons head coach: Shawn Lyons.

Terre Haute South Vigo Sectional (12) Championship — Brownsburg 13, Avon 3.
Sectional titles through 2022: Brownsburg (15) — Previous 2013. Bulldogs head coach: Dan Roman.

Jasper Regional
New Albany (RV) vs. Jasper (8)
Columbus East vs. Mooresville (2)
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Jasper 26 (2021), Columbus East 10 (2019), New Albany 6 (1995), Mooresville 4 (2004).

Center Grove Sectional (13) Championship — Mooresville 9, Martinsville 4.
Sectional titles through 2022: Mooresville (11) — Previous 2004. Pioneers head coach: Eric McGaha.

Bloomington South Sectional (14) Championship — Bloomington South vs. Columbus East
Sectional titles through 2022: Columbus East (20) — Previous 2019. Olympians head coach Jon Gratz.

Jennings County Sectional (15) Championship — New Albany 4, Bedford North Lawrence 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: New Albany (23) — Previous 2016. Bulldogs head coach: Chris McIntyre.

Evansville Reitz Sectional (16) Championship — Jasper 5, Castle 4.
Sectional titles through 2022: Jasper (40) — Previous 2021. Wildcats head coach: Terry Gobert.

Class 3A
Griffith Regional
Western (2) vs. Glenn (7)
Andrean (1) vs. South Bend Saint Joseph
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Andrean 14 (2019), Western 7 (2016), Saint Joseph 5 (2017), Glenn 3 (2006).

Griffith Sectional (17) Championship — Andrean 18, Calumet New Tech 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: Andrean (30) — Previous 2019. 59ers head coach: Dave Pishkur.

Kankakee Valley Sectional (18) Championship — Glenn 9, Hanover Central 1.
Sectional titles through 2022: Glenn (10) — Previous 2017. Falcons head coach: John Nadolny.

South Bend Clay Sectional (19) Championship — South Saint Joseph 18, New Prairie 5.
Sectional titles through 2022: Saint Joseph (17; five straight) — Previous 2017. Indians head coach: John Smolinski.

Northwestern Sectional (20) Championship — Western 6, Northwestern 1.
Sectional titles through 2022: Western (21) — Previous 2019. Panthers coach: Ryan Berryman.

Oak Hill Regional
Wawasee vs. New Castle (RV)
Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger vs. Norwell
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Norwell 7 (2021), Dwenger 2 (2014), New Castle 2 (1996), Wawasee 0.

Jimtown Sectional (21) Championship — Wawasee 9, NorthWood 5.
Sectional titles through 2022: Wawasee (8) — Previous 2021. Warriors head coach: Joe Salazar.

Angola Sectional (22) Championship — Bishop Dwenger 19, Leo 8.
Sectional titles through 2022: Dwenger (12) — Previous 2016. Saints head coach: Jason Garrett.

Bellmont Sectional (23) Championship — Norwell 12, Heritage 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: Norwell (18) — Previous 2021. Knights head coach: Dave Goodmiller.

Yorktown Sectional (24) Championship — New Castle 3, Guerin Catholic 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: New Castle (14) — Previous 2014. Trojans head coach: Josh Cooper.

Danville Regional
West Vigo (3) vs. Brebeuf Jesuit (4)
Lebanon vs. Beech Grove
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): West Vigo 7 (2015), Brebeuf 4 (2021), Beech Grove 3 (1990), Lebanon 0.

Crawfordsville Sectional (25) Championship — Lebanon 10, Northview 1.
Sectional titles through 2022: Lebanon (12) — Previous 2014. Tigers head coach Rick Cosgray.

Danville Sectional (26) Championship — Brebeuf Jesuit 12, Tri-West Hendricks 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: Brebeuf (16) — Previous 2014. Braves head coach: Jeff Scott.

Bishop Chatard Sectional (27) Championship — Beech Grove 4, Bishop Chatard 3.
Sectional titles through 2022: Beech Grove (7) — Previous 2014. Hornets head coach: Jacob Wickliff.

Edgewood Sectional (28) Championship — West Vigo 4, Edgewood 3.
Sectional titles through 2022: West Vigo (15) — Previous 2018. Vikings head coach: Culley DeGroote.

Southridge Regional
Evansville Memorial vs. Vincennes Lincoln
Silver Creek (5) vs. Connersville
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Evansville Memorial 17 (2016), Connersville 6 (2006), Vincennes Lincoln 4 (2002), Silver Creek 2 (2019).

Rushville Sectional (29) Championship — Connersville 7, Franklin County 6.
Sectional titles through 2022: Connersville (19) — Previous 2010. Spartans head coach Michael Thompson.

Madison Sectional (30) Championship — Silver Creek vs. Corydon Central
Sectional titles through 2022: Silver Creek (11; five straight) — Previous 2021. Dragons head coach: Joe Decker.

Princeton Sectional (31) Championship — Vincennes Lincoln 7, Southridge 4.
Sectional titles through 2022: Vincennes Lincoln (18) — Previous 2019. Alices head coach: Tim Hutchison.

Evansville Bosse Sectional (32) Championship — Evansville Memorial 9, Boonville 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: Evansville Memorial (31; four straight) — Previous 2021. Tigers head coach: Rip Collins.

Class 2A
Whiting Regional
Eastside (RV) vs. Fairfield (RV)
Winamac vs. Illiana Christian
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Eastside 1 (2021), Fairfield 1 (2010), Illiana Christian 0, Winamac 0.

Whiting Sectional (33) Championship — Illiana Christian 16, Wheeler 4.
Sectional titles through 2022: — Illiana Christian (1) — Previous None. Vikings head coach Jeff VanderWoude.

Boone Grove Sectional (34) Championship — Winamac 8, Boone Grove 7.
Sectional titles through 2022: Winamac (4) — Previous 1999. Warriors head coach: Marcus Kay.

Westview Sectional (35) Championship — Fairfield 6, Westview 3.
Sectional titles through 2022: Fairfield (7) — Previous 2010. Falcons head coach: Darin Kauffman.

Eastside Sectional (36) Championship — Eastside 5, Woodlan 3.
Sectional titles through 2022: Eastside (7) — Previous 2021. Blazers head coach: Aaron Willard.

Carroll (Flora) Regional
Wapahani (3) vs. Eastern (Greentown) (4)
Delphi (9) vs. Carroll (Flora) (1)
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Wapahani 7 (2017), Delphi 2 (2021), Eastern (Greentown) 1 (1999), Carroll (Flora) 0.

Wabash Sectional (37) Championship — Carroll (Flora) 9, Whitko 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: Carroll (7) — Previous 2015. Cougar head coach: Camden Parkhurst.

Delphi Sectional (38) Championship — Delphi 9, Seeger 7.
Sectional titles through 2022: Delphi (7) — Previous 2021. Oracles head coach: Ryan Long.

Eastern (Greentown) Sectional (39) Championship — Eastern (Greentown) 13, Eastbrook 4
Sectional titles through 2022: Eastern (Greentown) (3) — Previous 1999. Comets head coach: Erik Hisner.

Frankton Sectional (40) Championship — Wapahani 15, Frankton 10.
Sectional titles through 2022: Wapahani (18) — Previous 2021. Raiders head coach: Brian Dudley.

Park Tudor Regional
Cascade (2) vs. Centerville (7)
Parke Heritage vs. Heritage Christian (RV)
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Heritage Christian 3 (2010), Cascade 0, Centerville 0, Parke Heritage 0.

Centerville Sectional (41) Championship — Centerville 14, Hagerstown 8.
Centerville (9) — Previous 2021. Bulldogs head coach: Tracey Crull.

Indianapolis Scecina Sectional (42) Championship — Heritage Christian 12, Indianapolis Scecina 1.
Sectional titles through 2022: Heritage Christian (9) — Previous 2017. Eagles head coach: Dan Ambrose.

Park Tudor Sectional (43) Championship — Cascade 6, Covenant Christian 5
Sectional titles through 2022: Cascade (7) — Previous 2005. Cadets head coach: Ty Foster.

Parke Heritage Sectional (44) Championship — Parke Heritage 9, Southmont 8.
Sectional titles through 2022: Parke Heritage (2) — Previous 2021. Wolves head coach: Charlie Martin.

Evansville Mater Dei Regional
Linton-Stockton vs. North Decatur
Forest Park (8) vs. Providence
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Providence 7 (2021), Forest Park 1 (1976), Linton-Stockton 0, North Decatur 0.

South Ripley Sectional (45) Championship — North Decatur 5, Southwestern (Hanover) 1.
Sectional titles through 2022: North Decatur (2) — Previous 2011. Chargers head coach: Christian McKinney.

Providence Sectional (46) Championship — Providence 9, Austin 8.
Providence (20) — Previous 2021. Pioneers head coach: Scott Hutchins.

Mitchell Sectional (47) Championship — Linton-Stockton 8, Mitchell 7
Sectional titles through 2022: Linton-Stockton (11) — Previous 2021. Miners head coach: Jacob Harden.

Evansville Mater Dei Sectional (48) Championship — Forest Park 10, Tell City 0.
Forest Park (5) — Previous 2002. Rangers head coach: Jarred Howard.

Class 1A
South Bend Washington Regional
South Central (Union Mills) (4) vs. Caston (9)
Fremont (10) vs. Morgan Township
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): South Central 4 (2011), Fremont 2 (1999), Caston 0, Morgan Township 0.

Westville Sectional (49) Championship — Morgan Township 16, Marquette Catholic 4.
Sectional titles through 2022: Morgan Township (5) — Previous 2018. Cherokees head coach: John Smith.

South Central (Union Mills) Sectional (50) Championship — South Central (Union Mills) 10, Oregon-Davis 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: South Central (18; six straight) — Previous 2021. Satellites head coach: Zach Coulter.

Fremont Sectional (51) Championship — Fremont 23, Bethany Christian 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: Fremont (8) — Previous 2018. Eagles head coach: Justin Bock.

Caston Sectional (52) Championship — Caston 3, North Miami 1.
Sectional titles through 2022: Caston (2) — Previous 2012. Comets head coach: Blake Mollenkopf.

Lafayette Central Catholic Regional
Cowan (RV) vs. Rossville (RV)
Union City (5) vs. Lafayette Central Catholic (3)
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Lafayette Central Catholic 14 (2018), Cowan 4 (2021), Rossville 3 (2019), Union City 0.

Lafayette Central Catholic Sectional (53) Championship — Lafayette Central Catholic 10, Covington 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: Lafayette Central Catholic (18) — Previous 2018. Knights head coach: Tim Bordenet.

Tri-County Sectional (54) Championship — Rossville 12, Clinton Central 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: Rossville (7) — Previous 2019. Hornets head coach: Brad Scott.

Anderson Preparatory Sectional (55) Championship — Cowan 5, Wes-Del 3.
Sectional titles through 2022: Cowan (8) — Previous 2021. Blackhawks head coach: Aaron Wells.

Seton Catholic Sectional (56) Championship — Union City 9, Blue River Valley 4.
Sectional titles through 2022: Union City (4) — Previous 2021. Indians head coach: Jason Dowler.

Morristown Regional
Rising Sun (RV) vs. Shakamak (RV)
Traders Point Christian vs. Indianapolis Lutheran (RV)
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Shakamak 13 (2021), Indianapolis Lutheran 1 (2017), Rising Sun 1 (2013), Traders Point Christian 0.

Shakamak Sectional (57) Championship — Shakamak 14, White River Valley 3.
Sectional titles through 2022: Shakamak (27; four straight) — Previous 2021. Lakers head coach: Jeremy Yeryar.

Indiana Deaf Sectional (58) Championship — Traders Point Christian 9, Bethesda Christian 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: Traders Point Christian (2) — Previous 2021. Knights head coach: Jaylen Cushenberry.

Morristown Sectional (59) Championship — Indianapolis Lutheran 12, Edinburgh 2.
Sectional titles through 2022: Indianapolis Lutheran (14) — Previous 2019. Saints head coach: Adam Gouker.

Jac-Cen-Del Sectional (60) Championship — Rising Sun 2, Jac-Cen-Del 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: Rising Sun (8) — Previous 2019. Shiners head coach: Kevin Wirsch.

Loogootee Regional
New Washington vs. Tecumseh (RV)
Barr-Reeve (2) vs. Borden (1)
Championship
Regional titles (most recent): Tecumseh 10 (2019), Barr-Reeve 2 (1998), Borden 1 (2021), New Washington 0.

Lanesville Sectional (61) Championship — Borden 12, Lanesville 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: Borden (6) — Previous 2021. Braves head coach: Eric Stotts.

Shawe Memorial Sectional (62) Championship — New Washington 8, West Washington 7.
Sectional titles through 2022: New Washington (2) — Previous 1998. Mustangs head coach: Jeremy Bower.

Loogootee Sectional (63) Championship — Barr-Reeve 9, North Daviess 3.
Sectional titles through 2022: Barr-Reeve (13) — Previous 2019. Vikings head coach: Trevor McConnell.

Cannelton Sectional (64) Championship — Tecumseh 11, Springs Valley 0.
Sectional titles through 2022: Tecumseh (17; four straight) — Previous 2021. Braves head coach: Ted Thompson.

College

Sprinkle helping Franklin College as assistant coach

December 9, 2021 stvkrh905 Leave a comment

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

Franklin (Ind.) College enjoyed a 25-14 baseball season in 2021.
The Grizzlies hit .299 as a team with 152 extra-base hits (45 home runs) and 87 stolen bases.
Of the top eight players in at-bats, six were seniors. Franklin’s fall workouts included many newcomers.
“We worked a lot on team offense and defense,” says Jake Sprinkle, who is in his second season as a Franklin assistant coach in 2021-22. “We have a lot of new faces and we want to get those guys acclimated.
“We had a lot of scrimmages, letting pitchers and hitters show what they’ve got.”
NCAA Division III rules restrict coach-player contact in the winter.
“We don’t have individual time,” says Sprinkle. “Seniors and leaders are setting up hitting and throwing groups. They’re making velo and exit velocity jumps and getting stronger in the weight room.”
Sprinkle, who works for head coach and associate director of athletics Lance Marshall, has been hitting the recruiting trail and getting plans in place and equipment ordered for the spring of 2022. The season is slated to begin Feb. 26 against Albion at Grizzly Park.
“This time of year we’re getting a lot of kids on-campus,” says Sprinkle of recruiting. “We’re trying to get some guys bought-in. We’re still working on 2022 (recruiting) class and reaching out to some 2023’s we’ve seen in the past.”
The Franklin website lists a 2021 roster of 45 with 40 of those hailing from Indiana.
Sprinkle, who turns 26 on Dec. 28, was born and raised in the Franklin Township section of Indianapolis. He played tennis and baseball at Franklin Central High School. Twin brother Ben was his tennis doubles partner and a baseball teammate. The Flashes were coached on the diamond by John Rockey.
“He was an awesome guy,” says Sprinkle of Rockey. “He brought a ton of energy to practice. He taught us what we needed to do at a younger age and prepared guys for college.
“We wanted to show up and work every single day.”
Jacob Wickliff (now head baseball coach at Beech Grove High School) was a Franklin Central teammate of the Sprinkle brothers.
Sprinkle was a right-handed pitcher at the University of Indianapolis.
As a UIndy freshman in 2015, Sprinkle went 8-2 with 2.97 earned run average. He struck out 32 and walked 11 in 63 2/3 inning.
Tommy John arm surgery caused him to miss the 2016 season and he was granted a medical redshirt before pitching for the Greyhounds from 2017-19. For his four college seasons, he was 22-9 with 3.86 ERA, 179 strikeouts and 68 walks in 240 innings.
Sprinkle’s first four years were spent with Gary Vaught as head coach with Al Ready moving up to be head coach his fifth year.
“(Coach Vaught) was so personable,” says Sprinkle. “He made everybody feel like they were special and created a personal bond. He would make sure people knew he was there for them.
“(Coach Ready) is extremely dedicated and hard-working. He’s a guy who’s going to put his best foot forward, do his research and whatever he can to win.”
Landon Hutchison was the Greyhounds pitching coach Sprinkle’s last few seasons.
After his college playing days, Sprinkle was briefly in the United Shore Professional Baseball League in the summer of 2019 then spent a year as a UIndy graduate assistant. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sports Marketing/Information Systems and a master’s degree in Sports Management from UIndy.
He joined Marshall’s Franklin coaching staff in September 2020.
“(Coach Marshall) is an awesome guy,” says Sprinkle. “He’s extremely hard-working and does everything the right way.
“He builds a championship culture — on and off the field.”
Besides recruiting, Sprinkle is in charge of Grizzlies infielders and hitters and helps with pitchers.
“With our infielders, we’re big on making the routine play,” says Sprinkle. “We re-set every play. It’s about being athletic.
“The hitters’ approach is about being on-time and driving the baseball in the gap.”
Last summer, Sprinkle coached a 17U travel team for Mike Chitwood’s Indiana Elite organization and will be leading a 17U squad for Chad Fowler’s Powerhouse Athletics group in the summer of 2022.
“I thought that’s where my path would take me,” says Sprinkle of coaching. “I was very fortunate to have a lot of great coaches.
“I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
Sprinkle comes from a baseball-loving family. He and his brother grew up being coached by their father, Tracy Sprinkle with support from mother Lori Sprinkle and sister Malorie Sprinkle (a former Franklin Central softball player who’s now a Butler University freshman). Ben Sprinkle began went to Kentucky Wesleyan College for baseball before transferring to Franklin.

High School, Travel

Wickliff, baseball-playing Beech Grove Hornets ‘turn the page’

October 27, 2021 stvkrh905 6 Comments

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

Beech Grove (Ind.) High School baseball adopted a mantra as the Hornets took to the diamond in 2021 under head coach Jacob Wickliff: Turn the page.
“Physically and philosophically one will never reach the end of the book unless you turn the page,” says Wickliff of the fresh-start approach in a program he was hired to lead in the summer of 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic took away the 2020 season.
“The clear message to everyone is that we’re starting over,” says Wickliff. “That’s been big with parents. Our upperclassmen and key underclassmen have bought in.”
Wickliff has been made excitement and standards a high priority at Beech Grove, which is just inside the I-465 corridor southwest of Indianapolis.
“Kids weren’t excited to play here and that’s been our big push,” says Wickliff, who says there is a buzz around the Hornets who play at new all-turf on-campus facility — Jim Hensley Field of Dreams.
The diamond, which debuted in 2021, is part of a district referendum that put turf on the football field and added the baseball and softball fields and other school-related projects.
Baseball games and practices used to be at Sarah T. Bolton Park in Beech Grove.
Since the new baseball field is landlocked, it is 297 feet down the left field line and there’s 10-foot high fence from the pole to left-center.
Planes that fly by can’t miss the place since there’s a huge black, orange and white Hornet logo in center field.
The field also brings in plenty of rental fees that Wickliff turns right back into the baseball program to cover the cost of spirit packs and more.
Wickliff, who teaches at Beech Grove Middle School, wants the excitement to reach down to the community’s younger players from Beech Grove Little League which leads to the junior high program then the high school.
A tradition has been started of inviting junior high players to have a practice and play a game on the turf at the end of the season. Beech Grove Middle School play its home games at South Grove Intermediate.
“It goes back to excitement,” says Wickliff of getting those youngsters charged up about baseball.
Beech Grove (enrollment around 1,000) is a member of the Indiana Crossroads Conference (with Cascade, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Indianapolis Lutheran, Indianapolis Scecina Memorial, Monrovia, Speedway and Triton Central).
Last spring, the ICC adopted a two-game series format. There are home-and-home conference games each Tuesday and Wednesday.
In 2021, the Hornets were part of an IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping with Herron, Indianapolis Bishop Chatard, George Washington and Indianapolis Shortridge. Beech Grove has won six sectional crowns — the last in 2014.
With a smaller student-athlete pool and so many multi-sport athletes, Beech Grove did not participate in the recent fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period.
But many returnees play travel ball and fall ball in addition to a fall sport.
“Guys doing it year-round deserve a little bit of a break,” says Wickliff. “Winter time is where we have to make the most growth and development.”
Two seniors finished the season at Beech Grove in 2021. One of those — Garrett Esposito — is now on the baseball team at Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Ill.
Wickliff says hopes to have several college baseball-worthy players in the Class of 2023 by the time they’re entering their senior year.
Beech Grove assistant coaches include Garry Hampton, Austin Jones and Ryan Kendall with the varsity and Christian Brown (head coach) and Justin Duhamell (assistant) with the junior varsity.
Wickliff is a 2012 graduate of Franklin Central High School in Indianapolis, where he played baseball for John Rockey and football for Michael Karpinski.
“I’m still in-touch with him to this day,” says Wickliff of Karpinski. “He’s one of my pivotal role models.”
Head JV baseball coach Devin Phillips was someone Wickliff looked up to going through school and had a big impact on him.
“He started process of me becoming a coach,” says Wickliff of Phillips. “It’s the way he was able to relate with the players and build those relationships.”
After earning a Physical Education degree with a Coaching minor at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, he completed a Masters in Coaching Education and Athlete Development from Xavier University in Cincinnati.
While in college, Wickliff coached baseball with Rockey at Franklin Central and also was a middle school then freshmen football coach in an FC program led by Burt Austin followed by Grant Lewis.
Wickliff has been involved with three travel baseball organizations — the Indiana Astros, Midwest Astros and currently, Baseball Academics Midwest (BAM).
After years of coaching 15U to 17U teams, he is now helms the 18U Signature team and serves as Director of Baseball Operations for high school age groups and is a lead evaluator on the Coaching Evaluation Team.
Jake Banwart, who counted Wickliff as an assistant at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis before the latter took his current Beech Grove job, is BAM president.
Jacob and wife Bridget Wickliff were married Nov. 2, 2019. They reside in Perry Township.