Malott has South Dearborn Knights playing ‘old school’ baseball

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Jay Malott comes from the “old school” when it comes to coaching baseball.

“We have the dirtiest uniforms,” says Malott, the head coach at South Dearborn High School in Aurora, Ind., and a South assistant for the 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches North/South All-Star Series in Madison. “We’re sliding head first.

“We’re always intense. We don’t have a problem taking extra bases. We’ll bunt. We’ll do anything we can to win. Pitching-wise, we’ll throw inside and outside.

“The system seems to work and we just pass it down. People say I’m softer than I was when I first started.

“I think I’m doing the same thing.”

After assistant stints at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (with Craig Moore) and Brownstown Central High School, Malott has been coaching in the South Dearborn program for 34 years and is coming up on 25 years of leading the Knights.

Larry Hornbach (who died Dec. 16, 2018) and Mallot are the only head coaches in program history. Mallot has also been a linebackers coach for SD football.

South Dearborn (enrollment around 825) is a member of the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference (with Batesville, Connersville, East Central, Franklin County, Greensburg, Lawrenceburg and Rushville Consolidated).

In 2018-19, the Knights were part of an IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping with Batesville, Franklin County, Greensburg, Lawrenceburg, Madison Consolidated and Rushville Consolidated. With 2019’s South Dearborn Sectional title, the Knights have won 12 sectional championships.

This spring produced a 21-8 mark, a co-championship in he EIAC and a Charlestown Invitational title. South Dearborn lost to Silver Creek in the semifinals of the Jasper Regional.

Malott is a 1977 graduate of Eastbrook High School in Marion, Ind., where his baseball coach was Tim Sumner.

“He was a heck of a coach,” says Malott of Sumner, who went on to assist American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Ron Polk and coach future big leaguers Rafael Palmeiro, Will Clark, Bobby Thigpen and Jeff Brantley at Mississippi State University.

What did Malott learn from Sumner?

“Probably about everything,” says Malott. “I became a social studies teacher because of him. I tried to coach like him, but personality’s different so it still comes out different.

“Your personality comes out in your players, too.”

Malott has coached several IHSBCA North/South All-Stars, including Jim Townsend (1986), Brad Tyler (1987), Mark Morris (1994), A.J. Gray (1996), Jared Cutter (1997), Korey Kirkpatrick (1999), Jeremy Legge (2000), Sam Schmeltzer (2007), Wyatt Schwing (2016) and Ethan Getz (2019).

The 2008 IHSBCA North/South All-Star Series was held in Evansville and Malott was a South assistant.

“My favorite day is the one where they use the wooden bats and you can see all the kids’ (high school) uniforms,” says Malott. “I’ve been coaching a long time and I get to meet some of the other coaches and tell stories.”

Stepping back on Gary O’Neal Field at Madison brings fond memories to Malott. His South Dearborn team played the Cubs in the sectional championship game in 1999, the year Madison won the 3A state title.

“It was a close game (5-3),” says Malott. “They were better than us.

“We played these guys in football, basketball and baseball and six times in Legion ball (Malott coached with South Dearborn American Legion baseball for more than 25 years). I knew most of these kids’ families.”

Ben Reel, the head baseball coach at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany since the 2009 season, played at South Dearborn for Malott.

His assistant coaches in 2019 included, Adam Wheat, Dave Burress, Greg Hughes, Tim Studer and T.J. Schomber. Most of them played at SD for Malott and know the system and are able to pass it along to the high schoolers and those in the junior high program which is part of the Knights feeder system.

Youth baseball in Aurora, Dillsboro, Manchester and Moores Hill as well as select teams in the Cincinnati area (Aurora is 25 miles west of Cincy) help develop players for South Dearborn.

Highlander Park, located adjacent to the South Dearborn campus, is the Knights’ home field. In the past three years, the lighted facility has had a nine-inning scoreboard installed with new dugouts, press box and wind screens.

“We keep trying to update it,” says Malott.

Jay and Teresa Malott have one daughter — Ashley. She lives in Lafayette with her husband and three children.

Jay Malott has been coaching baseball at South Dearborn High School in Aurora, Ind., for 34 years and is coming up his his 25th in charge of the Knights program. He was an assistant for the South in the 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in Madison. (Steve Krah Photo)

 

 

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IHSBCA North/South All-Stars revealed for 2019

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Madison Consolidated High School and Hanover College will be the site of activities for the 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series.

All-stars chosen from around the state will meet have workouts at the high school and a banquet at the college Friday, June 21. The keynote speaker will be Indiana University head baseball coach Jeff Mercer.

Players will be housed at Hanover.

A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday, June 22 with a single game Sunday, June 23 at Madison’s Gary O’Neal Field.

The North coaching staff will be led by New Prairie’s Mark Schellinger with assistance from South Adams’ Brad Buckingham and Alexandria’s Jeff Closser and Jeff Sells. Jac-Cen-Del’s Dave Bradshaw is the South head coach. His assistants are South Dearbon’s Jay Malott and South Vermillion’s Tim Terry and T.J. Terry.

Madison, located in southeast Indiana along the Ohio River, is in the Eastern time zone.

IHSBCA NORTH/SOUTH ALL-STAR SERIES

Friday, June 21

10 a.m. — South All-Star Coaches report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.

• Will go over the rosters, playing rules, practice plans, etc.
• This will be an organization time with coaches and IHSBCA Leadership.
10:30 a.m. — South All-Star Players report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.
• Please report on time.
• All-Star uniforms issued for pictures. Visit Madison Welcome Bags will be issued.
• After the workout, players and coaches will take their vehicles to the High School Parking
Lot for check-in. At this time all players will check their car keys in with the coaching staff and they will be returned Sunday morning at the park. All players will leave from the park after the Sunday game to return home.
11 a.m. — South All-Stars Pictures.
• Wear your All-Star uniform for individual and group pictures.
• Bring your practice clothes and gear with you for the workout to follow.
• Baseball pants, spikes, bat, glove, etc.
11:30 a.m. — South All-Star workout begins.

1:15 p.m. — South workout concludes.

11 a.m. — North All-Star Coaches report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.

• Will go over the rosters, playing rules, practice plans, etc.
• This will be an organization time with coaches and IHSBCA Leadership.
11:30 a.m. — North All-Star Players report to Madison HS & Gary O’Neal Field for check-in.
• Please report on time.
• All-Star uniforms issued for pictures. Visit Madison Welcome Bags will be issued.
• After the workout, players and coaches will take their vehicles to the High School Parking
Lot for check-in. At this time all players will check their car keys in with the coaching staff and they will be returned Sunday morning at the park. All players will leave from the park after the Sunday game to return home.
Noon — North All-Stars Pictures.
• Wear your All-Star uniform for individual and group pictures.

• Bring your practice clothes and gear with you for the workout to follow.
• Baseball pants, spikes, bat, glove, etc.
1:15 p.m. — North All-Star workout begins.

3 p.m. — North workout concludes.

3:15 p.m. — Home Run Derby.

5:15 p.m. — Leave from HS Parking Lot for Hanover College. Players will leave cars at Madison HS and coaches will collect the keys for return on Sunday. Players will be transported by busses throughout the weekend.

6:30 p.m. — Transition from Dorms to the Hanover College Brown Campus Event Center for the Banquet.

7 p.m. — 2019 North-South All-Star Banquet – Hanover College Brown Campus Event Center

• Player attire is dress shirt and dress pants.
• A tie is NOT required, but also not discouraged.
• All-Stars will be recognized and the Indiana Baseball Player of the Year Award will be
given.
• Coach Jeff Mercer will be the Keynote Speaker.
11 p.m. — All-Stars can spend time with parents after the banquet, but every player needs to return to the Hanover College Dormitory by 11:00 PM for a team meeting. After the meeting, players are required to stay at the Hanover College Dormitory or in their rooms for the evening. Leaving the premises will not be tolerated. Activity Center will be open at Hanover College for all players … MIDNIGHT CURFEW (every player in their own room).

Saturday, June 22

8 a.m. — Breakfast in dining area (Campus Center) at Hanover College.

9 a.m. — South All-Stars depart for batting practice (Players will be transported from Hanover College to the field).

10-10:30 a.m. — South Batting Practice.

10 a.m. — North All-Stars depart for batting practice (Players will be transported from Hanover College to the field).

10:30-11 a.m. — North Batting Practice.

Note: Players should bring a change of clothes. You will not be returning to the dorm following the games. Towels will be provided to shower at Madison HS.

11 a.m. — South Pregame.

11:15 a.m. — North Pregame.

11:30 a.m. — Field Prep.

11:35 a.m. — Mayor of Madison will welcome the fans and players.

11:40 a.m. — Player Introductions.
11:53 a.m. — National Anthem.
11:57 a.m. — Ceremonial First Pitch and Tributes.

Noon — Game 1.

• North will occupy the 3B dugout and be home team for games 1 and 3.
• Food will be provided between games.
• All games are 9 innings.
• Game 2 will begin approximately 45 minutes after the completion of Game 1.
Game 2 (All-Star pants will be collected after Game 2) (Players will keep their jerseys)
6-6:30 p.m. — Players will shower and change in the HS Locker Rooms.
6:30-9:30 p.m. — Roundtrip Transportation will be provided for all players from the HS field to Bicentennial Park Area along the banks of the Ohio River. Visit Madison is providing entertainment and meal at Bicentennial Park area in downtown Madison.

All Star Players will be treated to a boat ride along the Ohio River.

Players and Coaches will be given meal tickets.

There will be three food trucks, lawn games, and music.

General public is invited.

Boys and Girls Club members will be invited and autographs from All-Star Players will be available.

Families are welcome to attend.
11:30 p.m. — Team Meetings for both North and South All-Stars. After the meeting all players will remain at Hanover College Dormitory…. MIDNIGHT CURFEW (every player in their own room).

Sunday, June 23

8:30 a.m. — Breakfast served in dining area at Hanover College.

10 a.m. — South departs for Madison HS —  Wear High School Uniform.

10:30 a.m. — North departs for Madison HS – Wear High School Uniform.

10:30-11 a.m. — South Batting Practice (cages) (Car Keys Returned).

11-11:30 a.m. — North Batting Practice (cages) (Car Keys Returned).

11:10 a.m. — South Pregame.

11:25 a.m. — North Pregame.

11:40 a.m. — Field Prep.
11:53 a.m. — National Anthem.

11:57 a.m. — Ceremonial First Pitch.

Noon – Wood Bat Game — Wearing High School Uniforms (Players are dismissed immediately following the game).

NORTH ROSTER

Pitchers

Grant Besser (South Adams)

Ryan Fender (Crown Point)

Wyatt Geesaman (Jay County)

Ben Harris (Northwestern)

Kyle Iwinski (Griffith)

Grant Jablonski (Mishawaka)

Hunter Robinson (New Prairie)

Reece Rodabaugh (Lewis Cass)

Gavin White (Western)

Flex

Connor Ayers (McCutcheon)

Catchers

Corbin Beard (Rossville)

Angel DiFederico (New Haven)

Liam Patton (Warsaw)

First Basemen

Matt Dutkowski (NorthWood)

Charlie Howe (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger)

Middle Infielders

Garrison Brege (Norwell)

Josh Dippold (Fort Wayne Bishop Luers)

Chase Franz (Eastside)

Trey Stokes (Alexandria)

Third Basemen

Tucker Platt (Logansport)

Kyle Schmack (South Central-Union Mills)

Outfielders

Brock Boynton (Penn)

Patrick Farrisee (South Bend St. Joseph)

Garrett Manous (Munster)

Kyle Pepiot (Westfield)

Head coach

Mark Schellinger (New Prairie)

Assistants

Brad Buckingham (South Adams)

Jeff Closser (Alexandria)

Jeff Sells (Alexandria)

Manager

Dillion Weldy (NorthWood)

SOUTH ROSTER

Pitchers

Drew Buhr (Austin)

Michael Dillon (Hamilton Southeastern)

Luke Helton (Whiteland)

Parker Maddox (Columbus North)

Lane Oesterling (Batesville)

Cam Saunders (Crawfordsville)

Avery Short (Southport)

Cody Swimm (Hagerstown)

Damien Wallace (Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter)

Flex

Cooper Terry (South Vermillion)

Catchers

Kiel Brenczewski (Fishers)

Tyler Kapust (Silver Creek)

Brian Keeney (Roncalli)

First Basemen

Brodey Heaton (Castle)

Jack Walker (New Palestine)

Middle Infielders

Mark Broderick (Danville)

Ethan Getz (South Dearborn)

Blayden McMahel (Jeffersonville)

Chris Wilson (Park Tudor)

Third Basemen

Denton Shepler (Union County)

Austin Weimer (Lawrenceburg)

Outfielders

Julian Greenwell (Columbus East)

Steven Molinet (Tecumseh)

Tucker Schank (Southridge)

Ethan Vecrumba (Edgewood)

Head coach

Dave Bradshaw (Jac-Cen-Del)

Assistants

Jay Malott (South Dearborn)

Tim Terry (South Vermillion)

T.J. Terry (South Vermillion)

Coaches encouraged to nominate seniors for IHSBCA All-Star Series in South Bend

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Plans are coming together for the 2018 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series Friday through Sunday, July 20-22 in South Bend.

The July 20 IHSBCA Junior Showcase and July 21-22 All-Star Series games will be played at Four Winds Field, home of the Class-A South Bend Cubs.

The All-Star banquet is slated for July 20 at the Century Center in Downtown South Bend. Former Elkhart Central High School, Bethel College and Milwaukee Brewers minor league pitcher Greg Kloosterman has agreed to be the keynote speaker.

Selection of the squads, which will include senior players from all four classes (25 from the South and 25 from the North), is scheduled the morning of the IHSAA State Finals on Saturday, June 16 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

North and South committees will review the names sent in from the 16 district meetings held on June 3.

Each head coach, who is an IHSBCA member, will receive notification from the district representative informing him of the time and place of the meeting.

District reps are Bob Glover (Hobart) in A, Mark Schellinger (New Prairie) in B, Jim Treadway (Elkhart Central assistant) in C, Pat McMahon (Fort Wayne Canterbury) in D, Andy McClain (Norwell) in E, Travis Keesling (Pendleton Heights) in F, Jay Malott (South Dearborn) in G, Brad King (New Castle) in H, Ryan Wolfe (Plymouth) in I, Kyle Neal (Attica) in J, Matt Cherry (Fishers) in K, Jeff McKeon (Decatur Central assistant) in L, Kyle Kraemer (Terre Haute South Vigo) in M, Jeremy Richey (Seymour) in N, Brian Kirchoff (Northeast Dubois) in O and Mike Goedde (Evansville Central) in P.

A member MUST be present at the meeting to have a senior player nominated for consideration for the 2018 All-Star squads.

Each school is allowed to nominate up to three senior players for All-Star consideration.

Ricky Romans (Charlestown) will chair the South selection committee. Other members are Goedde, Dick Alter (Indianapolis Lutheran), Steve Bray (Northeastern), Ben McDaniel (Columbus North), Zach Payne (Lanesville), Jeremy Sassanella (Brebeuf Jesuit), Tim Terry (South Vermillion) and Justin Tucker (Batesville).

Kevin Hannon (Knox) will chair the North selection committee and be assisted by Wolfe, Ryan Berryman (Western), Chuck Brimbury (Peru), Jason Garrett (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger), Brian Jennings (Griffith), Justin Keever (Noblesville), Dave Neuenschwander (Adams Central) and Bob Shinkan (Munster).

Brian Abbott is executive director of the IHSBCA.

The 2018 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Series is July 20-22 in South Bend.

 

Reel helps turn IU Southeast into respected NAIA baseball program

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Indiana University Southeast’s baseball team will play in the NAIA Opening Round for the second straight season and the fourth time since 2010.

The 21st-ranked Grenadiers are in Kingsport, Tenn., for a five-team double-elimination event Monday through Thursday, May 15-18.

The winner out of No. 1 seed Keiser (Fla.) (39-18), No. 2 Tennessee Wesleyan (39-18), No. 3 Indiana University Southeast (45-13), No. 4 Talladega (Ala.) (36-22) and No. 5 Marian (Ind.) (29-21) advances to the 10-team NAIA World Series May 26-June 2 in Lewiston, Idaho.

The Grenadiers are slated to play Tennessee Wesleyan in Game 2 Monday afternoon. Kingsport is where IUS used to go for their conference tournament. Upon arriving Saturday night, they learned that former Grenadier Shane Weedman had pitched a no-hitter for the Evansville Otters of the independent professional Frontier League.

Other Indiana schools in the Opening Round are Huntington and Indiana Tech.

After losing seven starters from 2016, IU Southeast reloaded in 2017.

“It’s definitely been a year to remember,” says IUS head coach Ben Reel. “This team has been very competitive. When they show up everyday, they work.”

With Opening Round appearances in 2010 and 2011 as Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference conference champions and at-large berths in the KIAC and new River States Conference the past two springs, the Grenadiers have established a respected program.

It’s been a progression that’s taken time to achieve.

When Reel took over as head coach for the 2009 season at age 24 (he followed Joe Decker, who decided to go back to Silver Creek High School), the coaching staff was paid with stipends.

“We were like starving artists,” says Reel. “And nobody knew where we were.”

For the record, the school is in New Albany, just across the Ohio River from downtown Louisville.

“We had to crawl before we could walk and walk before we could jog,” says Reel, now 33 and still one of the younger head coaches in college baseball. “We’re starting to run a little bit. We’re starting to get some momentum and it’s taken a decade.”

Reel, who played at South Dearborn High School in Aurora and Cleveland (Tenn.) State Community College before transferring to IU Southeast, led his first team to a 32-24 mark and saw the Grenadiers turn the corner in 2010.

That’s the year IUS went 39-20 (setting a school record for wins), NAIA second team All-American Kyle Lenn smacked 24 home runs and the program produced its first Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft selection — Cameron Conner to the Kansas City Royals in the 20th round.

“Once that happened, everything started rolling,” says Reel. “That’s what put us on the map in our region.”

With IU Southeast, the University of Louisville (NCAA Division I), Bellarmine University (D-II) and Spalding University (D-III) all within 10 miles of each other, teams are competing for talent.

“You have to be very competitive,” says Reel, who looks at a roster with 15 players with Indiana hometowns and five from Kentucky. “But once prove you can mentor and develop players, you’ll start getting some better athletes.”

That’s not easy when you only have one scholarship to offer (11 below the NAIA limit).

“That puts us in bottom 10 percent out of the 198 (NAIA) teams in the country,” says Reel. “We take a lot of kids who are raw and help them find a niche.

“We get a lot of guys here who want to be coached. Myself and my staff do a lot of player development. We coach the heck out of them.”

Andrew Stanley, a high school teammate of Reel’s, has been with him since the beginning. The young coaching staff also features Jarret Young (second season), Brian Coffman (first season) and student assistants Justin Franz (fourth season) and Logan Coughlin (first season).

“We roll up our sleeves and get in (the batting cage) with them,” says Reel, who considers his communication skills (he’s talk to just about anyone for hours) and practicality as strengths. “That’s how I was raised. I’m not going to tell you what to do. I’m going to show you what to do. That’s what we believe as a staff.

“We go the extra mile. Our biggest selling point is these kids will be coached.”

Reel grew up on a farm near Prairie Creek in Vigo County, spent his middle school years in West Virginia then came back to Indiana and landed at South Dearborn.

With the Knights, he was a catcher for head coach Jay Malott.

“He was a fierce competitor,” says Reel of the former Indiana Purdue-Indianapolis coach. “He was a perfectionist. Nothing was ever good enough. We were never done practicing. We were just relentless. I learned that sense of dedication in high school.”

At Cleveland State, Reel played for Mike Policastro.

“Coach Poli taught me a sense of professional,” says Reel. “He was very calm and very businesslike. He was organized and concise. He would be very honest and open with you about what you needed to do to get to the next level and be a man.”

Reel saw coaching in his future and behind the plate — where he did not make a an error as a sophomore (matching the feat of his senior high school season) — helped prepare him for the profession.

“As a catcher, you’ve got to get to know all these pitchers,” says Reel. “You get to know a bunch of strangers at the collegiate level.”

Relationships have always been important to Reel. One of his best friends — who he met through coaching — is Tennessee Wesleyan assistant Brad Neffendorf (they were in each other’s weddings).

“This game has some of the best people that Planet Earth has to offer,” says Reel. “They just truly love the sport and the people in it.

“That’s the most memorable part of doing this, it’s the people that you meet.”

Reel notes three major things IUS has going for its in community support, education and location.

“We fundraise $50,000 a year,” says Reel. “I takes $70,000 year to run a college baseball program. Our budget is $33,000. You have to have synergy to do that.

“We’re offering an IU degree. We have a tutor on the bus. It’s a big time education.”

Being so close to Louisville is very helpful. There’s so much to do there and there is easy access to an international airport.

At 33, Ben Reel is in his ninth season as head baseball coach at Indiana University Southeast. He has the Grenadiers in the NAIA Opening Round for the fourth time in 2017. (IU Southeast Photo)