Jarrett Grube, Jarrod Parker and Kip McWilliams are to be inducted into the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association Hall of Fame as part of its 2023 class. Grubb played at DeKalb High School, Vincennes University, the University of Memphis and in the majors with 2014 Los Angeles Angels. The right-hander was in affiliated pro ball from 2004-17. Parker played at Norwell High School and in the big leagues with Arizona Diamondbacks (2011) and Oakland Athletics (2012-13). The right-hander was a pro from 2008-15. McWilliams is in his 15th season as head coach at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne. He has more than 500 wins, numerous conference titles and an NAIA World Series appearance on his resume. The NEIBA Hall of Fame banquet is 5 p.m. Sunday, June 11 at Classic Cafe Catering and Event Center, 4832 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne. In addition to the Hall of Famers, Fort Wayne Canterbury High School coach Pat “Bubba” McMahon will receive the Colin Lister Award and WFFT-TV 55 sports director Justin Prince the Bob Parker Award. Reservations may be made at the following link https://forms.gle/vfTWCs2VVcPZqK9a6. Tickets can also be purchased through the reservation link via PayPal or attendees can pay via cash/check at the door.
The University of Indianapolis is off to an 11-0 start to the 2023 baseball season. The Al Ready-coached Greyhounds are coming off a 5-0 week with two wins against Purdue Northwest and three against Davenport — all at Greyhound Park/Bill Bright Field. The last time NCAA D-II UIndy started a season 11-0 was 1997. PNW started its southern trip by splitting a Sunday doubleheader at Ave Maria. In NCAA III, Anderson University coach Matt Bair collected his 100th career victory. It came in a Sunday win against St. Thomas (Maine) in Davenport, Fla. Also in Florida, Wabash went 6-0 in Port Charlotte and Fort Myers for the week. The Jake Martin-coached Little Giants are 10-4. Rose-Hulman played its first home game at Art Nehf Field in 2023 and won all four, moving the Adam Rosen-coached Fightin’ Engineers’ victory streak to six. The Berea (Ky.) at Manchester series became a Saturday doubleheader at Grand Park in Westfield. The Rick Espeset-coached Spartans (8-3) earned a sweep and ran their win streak to three. Greg Perschke-coached Trine (6-5) concluded an eight-game stint in Florida with two victories. NAIA Taylor’s 5-1 week in the Crossroads League helped the Kyle Gould-coached Trojans move to 14-8 overall and 7-1 in the conference. A 3-1 week allowed Thad Frame-coached Huntington Foresters to be 13-6 overall and 7-1 in the CL. As part of the U.S. Highway 20 Cup, Bethel (12-8) took four CL games against Goshen. The first two games were played in Mishawaka and — because of inclement weather — the next two at Grand Park. By topping No. 22 Oklahoma City Sunday, Kip McWilliams’ visiting Indiana Tech Warriors advanced to 10-3. In NCAA D-I, Indiana and Indiana State both enjoyed 5-0 weeks. The Hoosiers swept a four-game home series against Bellarmine and the Sycamores took three at Memphis. Ball State’s 3-1 week included 2-1 against visiting Mid-American Conference foe Western Michigan. Evansville won two of three at Middle Tennessee. A 2-1 loss at No. 7 Vanderbilt was epic. The Wednesday game went 17 innings and took 4 hours, 44 minutes. Sunday’s Purdue at Mississippi game featured two pitchers from northwest Indiana high schools in starting roles. Xavier Rivas (Portage) hurled the first six innings and got the win for Ole Miss. Kyle Iwinski (Griffith) went five frames and absorbed the loss for the Boilermakers. When Valparaiso beat Southern Mississippi 6-1 in the opener of the three-game series Friday, it was the Beacons’ first win against a nationally-ranked opponent since 2018. In junior college, Kirk Cabana earned his first victory as head coach at Marian’s Ancilla. The Chargers beat Minnesota State Community & Technical College in the second game of a doubleheader Friday in Orlando, Fla. Vincennes (10-11) enjoyed a 5-1 week that featured a four-game sweep of Schoolcraft. At 3-2 week makes Ivy Tech Northeast 6-8.
Below are season records, weekly results and links to web pages, schedules and statistics for all of Indiana’s 39 collegiate programs.
Through March 12 NCAA D-I Monday, March 6 Louisiana State 11, Butler 0 (7 inn.)
Tuesday, March 7 Ball State 11, Florida A&M 9 Indiana State 8, Southeast Missouri 3 Austin Peay 10, Southern Indiana 6 Mississippi State 12, Valparaiso 2 (7 inn.)
Wednesday, March 8 Jackson State 11, Butler 7 Vanderbilt 2, Evansville 1 (17 inn.) Indiana 15, Purdue Fort Wayne 1 Indiana State 7, Southeast Missouri 4
Thursday, March 9 Indiana 5, Bellarmine 3
Friday, March 10 Ball State 11, Western Michigan 3 Southeast Missouri 8, Butler 0 Middle Tennessee 2, Evansville 0 Indiana 9, Bellarmine 7 Indiana State 5, Memphis 1 Georgia Tech 7, Notre Dame 4 Mississippi 15, Purdue 7 Austin Peay 9, Purdue Fort Wayne 0 Austin Peay 6, Purdue Fort Wayne 5 Oakland 4, Southern Indiana 2 Valparaiso 6, Southern Mississippi 1
Saturday, March 11 Western Michigan 10, Ball State 1 Ball State 15, Western Michigan 3 (7 inn.) Southeast Missouri 7, Butler 2 Evansville 5, Middle Tennessee 3 Indiana 13, Bellarmine 3 Indiana State 7, Memphis 3 Georgia Tech 15, Notre Dame 2 Notre Dame 17, Georgia Tech 4 Mississippi 7, Purdue 6 (10 inn.) Purdue Fort Wayne 5, Austin Peay 3 (8 inn.) Austin Peay 4, Purdue Fort Wayne 2 Oakland 7, Southern Indiana 5 Southern Mississippi 8, Valparaiso 3
NCAA D-II Tuesday, March 7 Indianapolis 7, Purdue Northwest 5 Indianapolis 6, Purdue Northwest 1
Friday, March 10 Indianapolis 10, Davenport 7
Saturday, March 11 Indianapolis 7, Davenport 4 Indianapolis 2, Davenport 1 (10 inn.)
Sunday, March 12 Ave Maria 16, Purdue Northwest Purdue Northwest 10, Ave Maria 7
NCAA D-III Monday, March 6 Trine 3, St. Vincent 1 Wabash 23, Swarthmore 4
Tuesday, March 7 Grove City 11, Trine 4 Wabash 10, Lebanon Valley 9
Wednesday, March 8 Wilmington 7, Franklin 4 Spalding 14, Hanover 2 Manchester 12, Olivet 2 Rose-Hulman 6, Greenville 4 Dominican (Ill.) 17, Trine 13 Wabash 7, Kean 1
Thursday, March 9 Waynesburg 7, Trine 6
Friday, March 10 Aurora 9, Anderson 2 Anderson 4, Aurora 3 Wilmington 15, Earlham 3 Hanover 14, Hope 4 Trine 7, Penn State-Altoona 0 Trine 7, Penn State-Altoona 4 Wabash 16, Saint John’s 6
Saturday, March 11 Fontbonne 9, Anderson 2 Wisconsin-Osh Kosh 3, DePauw 2 Transylvania 5, DePauw 3 Wilmington 12, Earlham 3 Earlham 8, Wilmington 2 Franklin 15, Albion 4 Albion 4, Franklin 1 Hope 5, Hanover 3 Manchester 13, Berea 5 Manchester 2, Berea 1 Rose-Hulman 4, Alma 0 Rose-Hulman 9, Alma 6 Wabash 17, Western Connecticut 6 Wabash 10, Western Connecticut 3
Sunday, March 12 Anderson 11, Thomas (Maine) 0 Transylvania 9, DePauw 1 Franklin 5, Albion 3 Hanover 14, Millikin 4 Millikin 8, Hanover 5 Rose-Hulman 10, Alma 0
NAIA Monday, March 6 Calumet of St. Joseph 17, Siena Heights 9 IU-Kokomo 10, Oakland City 3 Indiana Wesleyan 14, Grace 6 Indiana Wesleyan 7, Grace 1 Marian 15, Spring Arbor 4 (8 inn.) Marian 9, Spring Arbor 5 Taylor 13, Saint Francis 3 Taylor 8, Saint Francis 2
Tuesday, March 7 Calumet of St. Joseph 7, Siena Heights 6 IU-Kokomo 12, IUPU-Columbus 7
Wednesday, March 8 Southeastern 14, Calumet of St. Joseph 1
Thursday, March 9 Bethel 6, Goshen 3 Bethel 9, Goshen 2 St. Thomas 6, Calumet of St. Joseph 5 Calumet of St. Joseph 9, Siena Heights 7 Huntington 10, Saint Francis 8 Saint Francis 6, Huntington 5 Indiana Wesleyan 9, Marian 3 Indiana Wesleyan 5, Marian 4 (9 inn.) Taylor 11, Spring Arbor 10 Taylor 6, Spring Arbor 5
Friday, March 10 Lawrence Tech 9, Calumet of St. Joseph 6 Concordia (Neb.) 23, Calumet of St. Joseph 3 IU Southeast 11, IU-Kokomo 9 Oakland City 17, Brescia 2 (7 inn.)
Saturday, March 11 Bethel 20, Goshen 3 Bethel 8, Goshen 6 Siena Heights 20, Calumet of St. Joseph 3 Huntington 8, Saint Francis 6 Huntington 18, Saint Francis 0 IU-Kokomo 10, IU Southeast 1 IU Southeast 4, IU-Kokomo 1 Concordia (Mich.) 9, IUPU-Columbus 1 Concordia (Mich.) 10, IUPU-Columbus 2 Oklahoma City 2, Indiana Tech 1 Oklahoma City 10, Indiana Tech 2 Marian 5, Indiana Wesleyan 0 Marian 7, Indiana Wesleyan 4 Brescia 9, Oakland City 2 Brescia 2, Oakland City 1 Taylor 5, Spring Arbor 2 Spring Arbor 5, Taylor 0
Sunday, March 12 Concordia (Mich.) 3, IUPU-Columbus 1 Concordia (Mich.) 3, IUPU-Columbus 1 Indiana Tech 7, Oklahoma City 1
Junior College Monday, March 6 Ivy Tech Northeast 9, Anderson JV 7 Minnesota North-Vermillion 5, Marian’s Ancilla 3 Minnesota North-Vermillion 6, Marian’s Ancilla 5
Tuesday, March 7 Vincennes 17, Oakland City JV 7
Wednesday, March 8 Mid-Michigan 7, Marian’s Ancilla 2 Volunteer State 16, Vincennes 3
Valparaiso has played all its 2023 college baseball games in 2023 in either Texas, Tennessee or Arkansas. And yet the NCAA Division I Beacons are 6-3 — the program’s best start since 1985. Valpo U. won five straight before a Sunday loss at Arkansas-Little Rock. This week, Brian Schmack’s team plays Tuesday at Mississippi State and Friday through Sunday at Southern Mississippi. D-I Evansville is on a seven-game win streak after losing the first five games of the year. The Wes Carroll-coached Purple Aces are coming off a 5-0 week. D-I Purdue (8-4) — coached by Greg Goff — took three of four games from Akron, outscoring the Zips 55-15. D-I Ball State (5-4) — coached by Rich Maloney — went 3-1 for the week with two wins against Purdue Fort Wayne and one against Cornell with the loss coming to 13-0 Wake Forest. The state’s two NCAA D-II programs are scheduled to meet Tuesday, March 7 when Purdue Northwest (2-4) plays a doubleheader at Indianapolis (6-0). The first game is slated for 1 p.m. The best weeks among D-III programs were enjoyed by Rick Espeset-coached Manchester 4-2, Matt Bair-coached Anderson 3-0, Grant Bellak-coached Hanover 2-0 and Adam Rosen-coached Rose-Hulman 2-1. NAIA Indiana Tech (9-1) extended its win streak to eight with a 3-0 week in which the Kip McWilliams-coached Warriors outscored opponents 47-21. Indiana has eight teams in the NAIA Crossroads League. That circuit played its first games of the season. Huntington, Indiana Wesleyan (3-0 for the week) and Taylor (2-0 for the week) are all off a 2-0 CL starts. Drew Brantley’s NAIA Indiana University-Kokomo also enjoyed a 2-0 week. In junior college, South Spencer High School graduate Kobe Bartlett hit a two-run double as Chris Barney-coached Vincennes University capped a six-run seventh-inning rally to beat Lincoln Trail 7-6 Sunday. Below are season records, weekly results and links to web pages, schedules and statistics for all of Indiana’s 39 collegiate programs.
Through March 5 NCAA D-I Tuesday, Feb. 28 Indiana 13, Butler 2
Wednesday, March 1 Evansville 14, Southeast Missouri 8
Friday, March 3 Ball State 5, Cornell 2 Wake Forest 11, Purdue Fort Wayne 0 Central Connecticut State 6, Butler 5 Louisiana State 12, Butler 2 East Carolina 17, Indiana 4 Notre Dame 7, Alabama-Birmingham 2 Akron 2, Purdue 1 Washington State 7, Southern Indiana 5
Saturday, March 4 Ball State 11, Purdue Fort Wayne 0 Wake Forest 7, Ball State 4 Central Connecticut State 3, Butler 1 Evansville 9, Bowling Green 3 (7 inn.) Evansville 11, Bowling Green 0 (7 inn.) Indiana 4, Georgetown 3 Kentucky 4, Indiana State 2 Kentucky 5, Indiana State 4 Notre Dame 7, Alabama-Birmingham 3 Purdue 17, Akron 9 Purdue 13, Akron 0 (7 inn.) Purdue Fort Wayne 6, Cornell 3 Washington State 12, Southern Indiana 5 Valparaiso 7, Arkansas-Little Rock 6 Valparaiso 9, Arkansas-Little Rock 3
Sunday, March 5 Ball State 13, Purdue Fort Wayne 9 Evansville 8, Bowling Green 4 (7 inn.). Evansville 13, Bowling Green 3 (7 inn.). Long Beach State 10, Indiana 4 Kentucky 7, Indiana State 6 Alabama-Birmingham 5, Notre Dame 2 Purdue 23, Akron 4 Washington State 6, Southern Indiana 0 Arkansas-Little Rock 18, Valparaiso 8 (7 inn.).
NCAA D-III Monday, Feb. 27 Franklin 9, Moravian 5 Manchester 4, Eastern 2 Manchester 8, Neumann 5
Tuesday, Feb. 28 Calvin 15, Franklin 6 Manchester 12, Cabrini 4 Emory 7, Rose-Hulman 2
Saturday, March 4 Anderson 13, St. Norbert 10 Anderson 8, St. Norbert 7 Manchester 12, DePauw 5 DePauw 11, Manchester 8 Earlham 9, Illinois Tech 8 Illinois Tech 14, Earlham 1 Hope 14, Franklin 12 Franklin 5, Hope 4 Hanover 11, North Park 2 Rose-Hulman 8, Bridgewater 6 Rose-Hulman 13, Ferrum 12
Sunday, March 5 Anderson 4, St. Norbert 3 DePauw 18, Manchester 8 Illinois Tech 7, Earlham 4 Earlham 5, Illinois Tech 3 Hanover 5, North Park 2 John Carroll 8, Trine 1 John Carroll 8, Trine 3 Misericordia 8, Wabash 3 Misericordia 5, Wabash 2
NAIA Monday, Feb. 27 Cumberland 23, IU South Bend 17
Tuesday, Feb. 28 Mount Vernon Nazarene 3, Bethel 2 Bethel 9, Mount Vernon Nazarene 2 Thomas More 11, Goshen 7 Bethel (Tenn.) 10, Oakland City 6
Wednesday, March 1 Mount Vernon Nazarene 12, Bethel 8 Mount Vernon Nazarene 10, Bethel 6 Indiana Wesleyan 10, IU South Bend 8 Lindsey Wilson 11, IU Southeast 1 (7 inn.)
Thursday, March 2 Goshen 7, Marian 2 Marian 7, Goshen 6 Indiana Wesleyan 16, Grace 0 Indiana Wesleyan 3, Grace 2 Huntington 10, Spring Arbor 5 Huntington 8, Spring Arbor 3 Taylor 10, Saint Francis 9 Taylor 24, Saint Francis 4
Saturday, March 4 Toccoa Falls 11, Calumet at St. Joseph 4 Calumet 10, St. Joseph at Toccoa Falls 5 Cleary 12, IUPU-Columbus 6 Cleary 3, IUPU-Columbus 0 Rio Grande 7, IU Southeast 5 Indiana Tech 13, Bryan 6
Sunday, March 5 Marian 6, Goshen 4 Goshen 3, Marian 2 IU-Kokomo 3, Oakland City 1 IU-Kokomo 9, Oakland City 2 Cleary 9, IUPU-Columbus 0 Cleary 8, IUPU-Columbus 4 IU Southeast 11, Rio Grande 5 Rio Grande 6, IU Southeast 1 Indiana Tech 20, Fisher 3 (10 inn.). Indiana Tech 14, Fisher 12 (8 inn.).
Junior College Wednesday, March 1 Edison State 6, Ivy Tech Northeast 5 Ivy Tech Northeast 21, Edison State 6 (5 inn.)
Saturday, March 4 Kellogg 5, Vincennes 2
Sunday, March 5 Vincennes 7 , Lincoln Trail 6 Wabash Valley 16, Vincennes 5
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.
Athletic history is being made in Columbus, Ind. Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus has been approved for NAIA status in 2022-23. The Crimson Pride are up and running with three programs — baseball, softball and cross country — and more sports are planned. The first official baseball practice was held Tuesday, Sept. 6 on the youth diamonds at CERA Sports Park & Campground in Columbus. “The City of Columbus as a whole never had collegiate sports,” says Scott Bickel, IUPUC’s first head baseball coach. “We need Columbus and their business partners to support us for us to continue to grow.” IUPUC is a sister school to Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and offers Indiana and Purdue degrees at in-state tuition rates. An independent pilot program that will not be eligible for NAIA postseason play in the first year, the IUPUC Crimson Pride hopes to get into an athletic conference — preferably the River States Conference (which includes national power Indiana University Southeast plus Indiana University-Kokomo and Oakland City University). The baseball roster currently numbers 44 and the goal is 55 in order to have full varsity and junior varsity schedules. “We want to give them an opportunity to compete for a position,” says Bickel. “We’re going to need to play at a highly-respected level to compete for conference championships. “The main thing we have to do now is install everything. Everything is new to everybody.” Former pitcher/outfielder Bickel was Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North-South All-Star Series participant for Huntington North in 2006 and earned IHSBCA all-state honorable mention in both 2005 and 2006. Among Bickel’s classmates and teammates were Chris Kramer, Andrew Drummond and Jarod Hammel. Kramer went on to play basketball at Purdue University and in the pro ranks. Drummond set offensive records at Huntington (Ind.) University. Hammel also played at HU and is in his second stint as Huntington North head baseball coach. Bickel played two years each at Huntington North for Chad Daugherty and Russ Degitz (Chad’s younger brother Kyle Daugherty was an assistant) and Greg Roberts at the University of Saint Francis, an NAIA school in Fort Wayne. Bickel is a first-time head coach with coaching experience as Roberts’ hitting coach for one season at Saint Francis (2016-17) and four campaigns at Ivy Tech Community College Northeast in Fort Wayne (2019-22) doing a number of things for head coaches Lance Hershberger and Connor Wilkins. Others Ivy Tech coaches include Javier DeJesus (who gave pitching lessons to high schooler Bickel), Mark Flueckiger, Drew Buffenbarger, Benny Clark, Tony Gorgai, Jeff Griffith, Densil Brumfield and Seth Sorenson. “I have Lance Hershberger to thank for taking a chance with me and offering me an opportunity to network with a great baseball town,” says Bickel. “I really grew my knowledge base from our relationships, and I wouldn’t be here without them.” In some way or other, Bickel says he has also been impacted by Brent Alwine (Indiana Tech and Indiana Summer Collegiate League) Matt Brumbaugh (Fort Wayne Northrop), Patrick Collins-Bride (Indiana Tech), Mark Delagarza (Summit City Sluggers), Steve Devine (Indiana Tech), Rich Dunno (Ground Force Sports), Jason Garrett (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger), Zach Huttie (Indiana Tech/World Baseball Academy), Rick Davis (Strike Zone Training Center), Manny Lopez (The Diamond/Fort Wayne Diamondbacks), Kip McWilliams (Indiana Tech) and Mike Nutter (Fort Wayne TinCaps). The 2017-18 Ivy Tech team — aka “The Dirty Dozen” for the 12 players left at season’s end — went 25-18 in that inaugural season. Bickel came along in 2018-19 and saw those players move on to four-year schools. In 2017-18, Bickel was an assistant at Fort Wayne Snider High School. Marc Skelton and Bruce Meyer led the Panthers varsity and assistants included Tim McCrady and Josh Clinkenbeard (who is now Snider head coach). The last two years, Bickel was a player-coach for the Richard Brown-owned Jackers, which qualified for the National Amateur Baseball Federation World Series in both seasons. While living in Colorado. Bickel met future wife Allie (the couple celebrates six years of marriage Oct. 15), started a business and played baseball. Bickel holds degrees in Secondary Education for Mathematics and Mild Intervention from Saint Francis (2011) and a Masters of Athletic Administration and Coaching from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. (2021). The IUPUC staff also includes pitching coach Zach McClellan (who is also the school’s Director of Athletics and a former big league pitcher), Mac Kido and Tyler Dunbar and is likely to expand. Kido, a 2016 graduate of Edgewood High School in Ellettsville, Ind., briefly attended Manchester University in North Manchester, Ind., and has coached at Edgewood and travel ball at the Tier Ten Sports Campus in Spencer, Ind. He will coach Crimson Pride hitters. Dunbar, a 2019 graduate of North Daviess High School in Elnora, Ind., played briefly at Hanover (Ind.) College and transferred to IUPUC to finish his degree in Elementary Education. He has coached travel ball for Demand Command. He will serve infield coach/assistant baserunning coach for the Crimson Pride. “I’ll be mentoring and shepherding Coach Kido and Coach Dunbar the best I can,” says Bickel. “That’s a big goal for me. “I want to give them the autonomy they need to be successful.” Bickel will work with catchers and outfielders. An exhibition game with Ivy Tech Northeast is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 8 at Fort Wayne’s Shoaff Park. IUPUC is to open its 2023 season and play its first-ever games Feb. 10-11 against Huntington University in Tuscaloosa, Ala. New Foresters head coach Thad Frame is a 2004 Huntington North graduate, which means he was a Vikings senior when Bickel was a sophomore.
Scott Bickel. (Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus Image)
(Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus Image)
(Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus Image)
Ryan Troxel is splitting his time this summer between college pitcher, youth pitching coach banking intern. He takes the mound for the wood bat Northern League’s Lake County CornDogs, which call Legacy Fields in Crown Point, Ind., home. On his off days, he guides arms for Valparaiso (Ind.) American Legion Post 94 Juniors (17U). “I’ve missed a few (Legion) games because I had to pitch,” says Troxel. “Other than that, I’ve been there. “I’ve been a busy man.” Troxel, a 2019 graduate of Valparaiso High School, pitched a scoreless ninth inning with three strikeouts during the 2022 Northern League All-Star Game. A Finance and Management double major at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Troxel is a summer intern for Centier Bank in Merrillville, Ind. Troxel explains why he changed his academic path from Business to Finance. “Finance gives you the options to help people know their (money) goals,” says Troxel. “I also coach baseball because I love helping people.” On the diamond, the right-hander was on the winning side as the East topped the West 5-4 in 10 innings July 12 at Oil City Stadium in Whiting, Ind. Troxel’s performance was fitting because the CornDogs right-hander has a regular-season scoreless streak of 12 innings covering last three outings. In eight games (six in relief), he is 3-0 with a 0.65 earned run average. He has 35 strikeouts and eight walks in 27 2/3 innings. He was named Northern League Pitcher of the Week on July 5. A 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, Troxel is coming off his second season at NAIA member Indiana Tech. In seven games (all in relief), he was 0-4 with 14 strikeouts and 15 walks in 27 innings. In his first season with the Warriors (2021), Troxel came out of the bullpen 11 times and was 8-3 with a 4.46 ERA, 20 strikeouts and 20 walks in 35 innings. Kip McWilliams is Indiana Tech’s head coach and has also taken over pitching coach duties. “He gives us a lot of latitude to do what we want to get ready,” says Troxel of McWilliams. “He’s (coached) for a long time. He knows a lot about the game. “He’s definitely hard on guys. He expects a lot out of us. But — hey — we won a lot of games.” Tech went 32-21 and lost two one-run games as Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament runners-up in 2022. McWilliams earned his 500th coaching win in April. Throwing from a high three-quarter arm slot, Troxel uses a four-seam fastball (which has reached 87 mph), curveball, slider (which is generally clocked around 75 mph) and change-up. “I get most of my outs on off-speed pitches,” says Troxel. “I throw my change-up a lot more now. It’s really helped me against left-handers because left-handers have always killed me.” Last weekend, Valpo Post 94 won a regional championship. This weekend, Post 94 is hosting the Indiana American Legion Junior State Tournament at VHS. In 2020, Troxel played for Rocco Mossuto-coached Saint Xavier University (Chicago). In a season cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, he appeared in three games (one start) and was 0-0 with one save, a 4.50 ERA, eight strikeouts and eight walks in eight innings. Troxel played for Todd Evans at Valparaiso High. “He gave me a chance during my senior year to prove to him that I could be in the rotation,” says Troxel of Evans. “I think I had a pretty good senior year and he helped me a long the way.” Troxel went 6-0 with a 1.97 ERA and was honorable mention all-state, all-Duneland Athletic Conference, all-area and team MVP in 2019. Born in Elmhurst, Ill., Troxel was 1 when he moved to Valparaiso, where he played Little League then travel ball for the Chesterton Slammers, Triple Crown, Morris Chiefs and Valparaiso Post 94. He is grateful Chiefs coach Dave Sutkowski for his support. “He kept saying, ‘I believe in you,’” says Troxel of Sutkowski. “It was never about him. He was very influential in my choosing to play college baseball and also to move on and keep playing.” Ryan is the oldest of Jeff and Michele Troxel. Brother Zach Troxel is heading into his sophomore year at Valpo. He is pitching this summer for the Indiana Bulls. Jerry Troxel, Ryan and Zach’s grandfather who died in 2021, coached baseball for four decades at Gary Wirt. One of his players was Ron Kittle, who went on to be a major league slugger. “I really do love (coaching),” says Ryan Troxel. “It’s in my blood. That’s definitely in the future for me.”
Ryan Troxel of the 2022 Northern League’s Lake County CornDogs (Steve Krah Photo)
Nick Spence wants to bring pep to the steps of ballplayers in yet another part of Hendricks County, Ind. Spence, who played and coached at nearby Brownsburg (Ind.) High School and coached at neighboring Avon (Ind.) High School, was hired as head baseball coach at Tri-West High School in Lizton, Ind., in August 2021 and set about spreading his enthusiasm from the youth level on up. “I want my kids to be excited to be a part of Tri-West baseball,” says Spence. “It’s easier to get kids to play when they’re excited to come to the ballpark. “I’ve gotten nothing but positive vibes from the community.” The fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period was mostly about getting to know athletes and showing them what he plans to implement. “I’m pretty fiery and I’m energetic,” says Spence. “We want competition to come through with whatever we’re doing. Baseball is an individual game played by a team. “Baseball is a sport of failure and you have to learn from failure. Don’t let it come to your next AB or on the mound with you.” A big believer in situational baseball, Spence prefers to devote his practices to either offense or defense. “I’m not a big station guy,” says Spence, who looks forward to the first official IHSAA practice date of March 14. Spence’s coaching staff includes Bryan Engelbrecht and Adam Montgomery with the varsity, Gordie Lucas and James Miller with the JV and Mike Gongwer as youth coordinator. Engelbrecht is a longtime Tri-West coach. Montgomery and Gongwer were with Spence at Avon. He wants establish his system and spread the excitement at the youngest levels. “In the past, we’ve had a really good community-based program at Tri-West,” says Spence, who remarried on Dec. 20, 2021 and lives with wife Allison in Pittsboro, Ind. (Nick has three children from a previous marriage all attending Brownsburg schools — junior Madyson (who turns 17 next week), eighth grader Easton (14) and fifth grader Maya (10). “I’ve been working with youth directors, trying to get that back.” Younger players will be involved with Tri-West Little League and Bruin Heat. Spence says he can see that morphing into the Tri-West Baseball Club by 2023. That’s when Tri-West High is scheduled to debut a four-field baseball/softball complex. “They’re starting to push dirt,” says Spence of the project that will bring varsity and junior varsity grass fields with stadium seating, netting and more. In addition, coaches offices and a hitting tunnel will be located on the north end of the football field. “It’ll beautiful.” Spence played for Wayne Johnson and Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Pat O’Neil at Brownsburg High, graduating in 2001, and served as JV coach in 2006 and 2007 then helped current Bulldogs head coach Dan Roman as pitching coach in 2021. Spence counts 2009 Brownsburg graduate Tucker Barnhart as his best friend and was the best man in Barnhart’s wedding. Tucker is now a catcher with the Detroit Tigers. An Indiana Bulls assistant to Troy Drosche during the travel ball season, Spence was the pitching coach on Drosche’s Avon High staff for five years while the Orioles won sectional titles in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and a regional crown in 2019. Spence has also coached with the Bill Sampen-led Indiana Expos travel organization. Spence’s college playing career included one season on the field each pitching for Dennis Conley at Olney (Ill.) Central College, Tim Bunton at Danville (Ill.) Area Community College and Joe Decker at Indiana University Southeast. He went to spring training with the independent Evansville (Ind.) Otters then began focusing on helping others. “I always wanted to coach,” says Spence. “I always wanted to be involved.” Spence has also been an assistant to Bulldogs head coach Mike Silva (now head coach at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La.) at Clarendon (Texas) College, where Adrian Dinkel (now head coach at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla.) was an assistant. He landed there after meeting Silva at a tournament in Stillwater, Okla., while working for Tom Davidson and Blake Hibler at Pastime Tournaments. Indiana Tech head coach Kip McWilliams had Spence on his staff for one season. Tri-West (enrollment around 630) is a member of the Sagamore Athletic Conference (with Crawfordsville, Danville Community (coached by Pat O’Neil), Frankfort, Lebanon, North Montgomery, Southmont and Western Boone). In 2021, the Bruins were part of the IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping with Brebeuf Jesuit, Danville Community, Greencastle and Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter. Tri-West has won seven sectional crowns — the last in 2018. Recent Tri-West baseball players Riley Bennett (Trine University) and Kai Ross (DePauw University football) have moved on to college sports.
Nick Spence addresses young players in the Tri-West baseball system.
New Tri-West High School head baseball coach Nick Spence wants excitement to spread throughout the community.
Nick Spence lets Tri-West youth players know how he plans to run the program as new high school head coach.
Nick Spence, a 2001 Brownsburg (Ind.) High School graduate, has twice served as an assistant coach at his alma mater.
In five seasons at the Avon (Ind.) High School baseball coaching staff, Nick Spence helped the Orioles win three sectionals and one regional.
Avon (Ind.) High School’s 2019 regional baseball champions, featuring pitching coach Nick Spence.
Allison and Nick Spence.
Nick Spence (Class of 2001) with fellow Brownsburg (Ind.) High School alum Tucker Barnhart (Class of 2009) and son Easton Spence. Nick Spence was the best man in Barnhart’s wedding.
Allison, Piper and Nick Spence.
Allison and Nick Spence at their Dec. 20, 2021 wedding with Nick’s children Madyson, Easton and Maya.
Nick and Allison Spence at their Dec. 20, 2021 wedding with Nick’s children (from left): Easton, Maya and Madyson.
Allison and Nick Spence with his children (from left): Maya, Easton and Madyson.
Beach Harmon has long wanted to pursue a career in sports. It’s only fairly recently that he decided to do it as a baseball coach. He’s doing it at the collegiate level. In his first semester of a two-year Master’s in Athletic Administration program, Harmon is a graduate assistant coach at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., where he holds undergraduate degrees in Sport Management and Criminal Justice and played four years. On a staff head by Ryan Roth, Harmon works with hitters and infielders while Justin Love guides outfielders and baserunners, Ryan Moore leads catchers and Josh Tew assists with pitchers and serves as director of baseball operations. Harmon was also recently named head coach of the New York Collegiate Baseball League’s Genesee Rapids (Houghton, N.Y.) with NAIA-member Grace’s husband-wife tandem of Josh Tew and Lancers softball graduate assistant Samantha Tew also joining the squad as pitching coach and assistant general manager, respectively, for the summer of 2022. Harmon found the job posted on the American Baseball Coaches Association website and applied. In 2020-21, Harmon assisted at Fort Wayne, Ind.’s Indiana Tech on the staff of NAIA-member Warriors head coach Kip McWilliams. “I learned a lot of offensive approach stuff (from McWilliams),” says Harmon. “It’s a lot more in-depth than what a lot of coaches teach.(Tech’s) offense generally shows that. They’re tough to get out. Indiana Tech hitters have approaches for each count and different styles of pitching and use scouting report with the hopes of gaining an edge. “It’s cool to see are hitters take advantage of it,” says Harmon. “I hope I can bring a little bit of that to Grace.” Last summer, Harmon was head coach for the Fort Wayne-based Indiana Collegiate Baseball Summer League’s Indiana Jacks. While in college, he coached four summers in the Wildcat Baseball League at New Haven and Leo. Harmon is also a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and Performance Enhancement Specialist and served as a fitness coach and one-on-one trainer at New Haven Fitness Center. The son of longtime coach Beach Harmon Jr., Beach Tyler Harmon has spent most of his 25 years around the diamond. When the younger Harmon joined the Grace staff, his father took his place at Indiana Tech. Born in Fort Wayne, young Beach moved with his family to nearby New Haven early in his elementary school years. He played high school baseball at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne — two years with Lance Hershberger as Cadets as head coach and two with his father in charge – and graduated in 2015. He was also on state championship hockey teams in 2012 (3A) and 2014 (4A). “Coach Hershberger was very big on small ball and situational baseball – that helped me throughout my time (as a player) and it’s helped me coaching. “We’d bunt anytime. That’s how we practiced, too.” Hershberger wanted his players to have a high Baseball I.Q., had them read them read the book, “Heads Up Baseball” by Dr. Ken Ravizza and Dr. Tom Hanson and gave them quizzes from it. Beach Harmon Jr., who has also been a high school assistant at New Haven and Fort Wayne North Side, taught his son and his teammates about situational baseball and also being a good teammate and being competitive on every pitch. “I’ve been around the game since I was 5 years old and picked up on things people see as minor that make a big difference throughout the game,” says Beach Tyler. A righty-swinging 6-foot-5 first baseman, Harmon went to Grace, where he played for Bill Barr, Cam Screeton, Tom Roy and Roth in a four-year playing career that concluded in 2019. Harmon says Roth emphasizes discipline. “There was a level of focus and intensity that helped us through the (2019 season),” says Harmon. “We made one of the best runs in school history.” This fall, Harmon has Lancer hitters taking plenty of cuts at Miller Field and getting comfortable in their offensive approaches.
Mike Snyder has been given the chance to extend his college baseball experience and he’s taking it. A 2016 graduate of Fort Wayne (Ind.) Northrop High School, where he played football, basketball and baseball, Snyder, who turned 24 on Aug. 4, logged two seasons at what is now Purdue Fort Wayne then moved a few miles south to Indiana Tech, where he redshirted in 2019 and competed for the Warriors in 2020 and 2021 and is coming back for one last collegiate go-round in 2022. “I want to keep playing as long as I can and see where it takes me,” says Snyder, who was granted an extra year of college eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Snyder appeared on 59 games and started 56 for Indiana Tech in 2021, hitting .308 (64-of-208), 11 home runs, two triples, 13 doubles, 58 runs batted in, 44 runs scored and a .916 OPS (.368 on-base percentage plus .548 slugging average) from the right side of the plate. The second baseman posted a .923 fielding percentage with 76 putouts, 103 assists and 16 double plays. During the COVID-19-shortened 2020 slate, Snyder played in 15 games (14 starts) and hit .400 (20-of-50) with 10 homers, two doubles, 26 RBIs, 16 runs and a 1.523 OBP (.483/1.040). He fielded at a .943 clip with 25 putouts and 25 assists. Snyder says barrel control is his best offensive quality. “When I’m on and really doing it I can stay on the same plane and stay consistent,” says Snyder. “I’m in no way a contact hitter. I have my strikeouts. I’m more of a power hitter, especially being my size.” Snyder stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 215 pounds and credits weightlifting for much of his power. “The gym is a big part of my game,” says Snyder. “I try to lift as heavy as a I can. During season I can’t stay on a consistent week-to-week plan, but I lift whenever I have time.” The average second baseman is rarely as tall as Snyder, but he knows of one ever lankier. Tech played in the 2021 NAIA Opening Round against Oklahoma Wesleyan University. The Eagles’ regular second sacker was 6-8, 236-pound Ryan Kouba. “(Being tall) only adds range,” says Snyder. Tech went 11-5 in 2020 and 35-27 in 2021 — the 13th and 14th campaigns with Kip McWilliams as head coach. “He’s a winner,” says Snyder of McWilliams. He’ll do anything to win. He works us hard. He keeps us accountable throughout the day. “He makes sure we stay on our studies so we’re eligible to play.” Snyder is on pace to earn a Sport Management next spring. In two seasons at Purdue Fort Wayne, Snyder got into 80 games (56 starts) and hit .252 (56-of-222) with two homers, 14 doubles, 18 RBIs and 31 runs for then-Mastodons head coach Bobby Pierce. “He was just a really nice guy,” says Snyder of Pierce. “He was really laid-back and relaxed.” At Northrop, Snyder was on football varsity for three seasons, first for head coach Tim Martone then Jason Doerffler. He was a safety and quarterback prior to switching to wide receiver as a senior. He was a shooting guard in basketball as a freshman and sophomore for Barak Coolman. Football-related injuries took away his junior and senior seasons on the hardwood. Snyder dressed with the baseball varsity as a freshman then played with the Bruins’ top team for three more springs. His head coach was Matt Brumbaugh. “He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had,” says Snyder of Brumbaugh. “I like the way he went about the game. “He went about everything with passion.” Born in Fort Wayne, Snyder moved with his family to South Carolina then back to the Summit City about the time he was starting school. He played T-ball and travel ball out of what is now Wallen Baseball Softball before traveling with the Midwest Gloves and Royville. During his high school years, he was with the AWP Cubs organized by Cisco Morales and coached by Alex McKinstry (father of Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Zach McKinstry), Fort Wayne Rams and Team Indiana coached by Phil Wade and Blake Hibler. Snyder played for the Fuquay-Varina (N.C.) Twins for three straight college summers — 2018-20 — and earned Carolina-Virgnina Collegiate League all-star selections each and CVCL MVP honors in 2020. That summer he hit .427 (35-of-82) with nine homers, 27 RBIs, 26 runs and a 1.327 OPS (.510/.817). On defense, he had 25 putouts, 21 assists and eight double plays. He was CVCL Player of the Year in 2018, hitting .404 with eight homers, 41 RBIs, 37 runs and a .702 slugging average. He played briefly in the summer of the 2021 with the Prospect League’s Lafayette Aviators. In five games, he hit .250 (5-of-20) with one double, one RBI and one run. Industrial cable salesman Jerry and marketing manager Betsy Snyder have three children — Garrett, Mike and Mackenzie. Factory worker Garrett Snyder (26) played football, basketball and baseball at Northrop and one season of basketball at the the University of Northwestern Ohio. Mackenzie Snyder (21) played volleyball and basketball at Northrop and is now on the women’s basketball team at Wittenberg (Ohio) University.
No. 2 seed Indiana Wesleyan (43-12) and No. 5 Indiana Tech (31-25) are part of the five-team Marion (Ind.) Bracket at Indiana Wesleyan.
IWU, coached by Rich Benjamin, won the regular-season and tournament titles in the Crossroads League.
Indiana Tech, coached by Kip McWilliams, was the regular-season champion in the Wolverine-Hoosier Conference.
No. 2 seed Indiana University Southeast (45-14) will be one of five teams competing in the Kingsport (Tenn.) Bracket.
IU Southeast, coached by Ben Reel, was the regular season and tournament champion in the River States Conference.
The NAIA season has ended for Taylor (37-20), Saint Francis (34-22), Huntington (33-16), Indiana University-Kokomo (28-20), Marian (25-29), Indiana University South Bend (24-24), Oakland City (17-27), Bethel (15-39), Grace (12-31), Calumet of Saint Joseph (7-29) and Goshen (3-34).
The 34 wins is a single-season school record for Saint Francis and Panthers coach Dustin Butcher.
Franklin (25-12), Earlham (23-18) and Anderson ( 20-17) were among teams winning opening round series and making it to the five-team finals in the NCAA Division III Heartland Collegiate Conference tournament.
Transylvania and Bluffton will be the other two teams. The tourney is to conclude Sunday, May 23.
The 2021 season is over for Indiana’s other D-III programs — Rose-Hulman (23-14), Hanover (20-20), Manchester (19-22), Wabash (18-15), DePauw (15-21) and Trine (6-28).
NCAA D-III teams Indianapolis (27-21), Southern Indiana (24-20) and Purdue Northwest (11-22) have also seen their slates come to a close.
Ivy Tech Northwest (31-25) lost 2-1 to Kellogg in a three-game National Junior College Athletic Association Regional in Battle Creek, Mich., and wrapped its season.
Max Flock homered three times and collected five hits and six runs batted in as Vincennes swept a doubleheader from Spoon River and made the Mid-West Athletic Conference tournament May 20-23 in Normal, Ill.
NJCAA member Ancilla (6-29) has concluded its season.
NCAA Division I Notre Dame (26-10) was idle in Atlantic Coast Conference play and yet the Irish earned the program’s first regular season title since 2006 by winning the ACC Atlantic Division.
ND has one more ACC series May 20-22 at Virginia Tech before the conference tournament in Charlotte, N.C.
Indiana (24-12, 24-12) is second in the Big Ten Conference to Nebraska (25-11, 25-11). The Hoosiers have eight more conference games remaining. There will be no Big Ten tournament.
Ball State (32-16, 23-9) holds a slight lead on Central Michigan (32-17, 23-10) at the top of the Mid-American Conference standings.
BSU has a May 21-23 road series against Ohio and May 28-30 home series with Miami (Ohio) before the postseason.
The eight-team Missouri Valley Conference tournament is scheduled for May 25-29 in Carbondale, Ill. Right now Dallas Baptist (31-13, 16-4) and Indiana State (25-15, 12-8) are the top two seeds with Evansville (26-24, 9-14) No. 6 and Valparaiso (14-29, 9-15) No. 7.
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