IHSAA makes tourney draw; Who adds to trophy case?

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

The Indiana High School Athletic Association made an early draw for its 2021 baseball state tournament.

The draw was made Sunday, May 2 for an event that begins with sectional games on Wednesday, May 26. Regionals are Saturday, June 5, semistates Saturday, June 12 and the State Finals Monday and Tuesday, June 21-22.

The Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South Series follows the State Finals with festivities in Evansville.

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 season so this is the first state tournament series since 2019.

IHSAA BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

(2021)

Sectionals

Wednesday-Monday, May 26-31

Class 4A

Merrillville 

Game 1: Munster vs. Highland.
Game 2: Merrillville vs. East Chicago Central. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Hammond Morton vs. Lake Central. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Lake Central 20 (2019), Merrillville 13 (2001), Highland 12 (2000), Munster 12 (2016), Hammond Morton 10 (2015), East Chicago Central (0).

Chesterton 

Game 1:  Valparaiso vs. Portage.
Game 2:  Hobart vs. Andrean.
Game 3:  Lowell vs. Crown Point.
Game 4:  Chesterton vs. Game 1 winner.
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Andrean 29 (2019), Crown Point 21 (2019), Valparaiso 20 (2012), Chesterton 19 (2018), Lowell 9 (1994), Portage 8 (2013), Hobart 6 (2014).

Plymouth 

Game 1: Plymouth vs. Mishawaka.
Game 2: LaPorte vs. South Bend Riley.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Michigan City vs. South Bend Adams. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): LaPorte 36 (2017), Plymouth 23 (2006), Mishawaka 8 (2019), South Bend Adams 6 (2009), South Bend Riley 2 (1991), Michigan City 1 (2002).

Northridge 

Game 1: Goshen vs. Penn.
Game 2: Elkhart vs. Concord.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Northridge vs. Warsaw Community. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Penn 22 (2018), Goshen 17 (2008), Warsaw 11 (2010), Northridge 7 (2019), Concord 4 (2014), Elkhart 0.

Carroll (Fort Wayne) 

Game 1: Carroll (Fort Wayne) vs. Fort Wayne Snider. 

Game 2: East Noble vs. Fort Wayne Northrop.
Game 3: DeKalb vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): DeKalb 19 (2002), East Noble 15 (1995), Northrop 15 (2016), Carroll 14 (2019), Snider 11 (2017).

Huntington North 

Game 1: Huntington North vs. Fort Wayne North Side. 

Game 2: Fort Wayne South Side vs. Homestead.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Fort Wayne Wayne vs. Columbia City. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Huntington North 20 (2017), Homestead 14 (2016), Columbia City 9 (2007), Wayne 7 (1992), South Side 3 (2019), North Side 0.

Lafayette Jeff

Game 1: McCutcheon vs. Lafayette Jeff.
Game 2: Harrison (West Lafayette) vs. Logansport. 

Game 3: Kokomo vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Logansport 29 (2019), Lafayette Jeff 17 (2013), Kokomo 13 (2010), Harrison 11 (2015), McCutcheon 11 (2014).

Westfield 

Game 1: Carmel vs. Zionsville.
Game 2: Hamilton Southeastern vs. Fishers. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Westfield vs. Noblesville. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Hamilton Southeastern 15 (2019), Noblesville 14 (2014), Zionsville 14 (2018), Carmel 13 (2016), Westfield 5 (2011), Fishers 2 (2018).

Pendleton Heights

Game 1: Pendleton Heights vs. Greenfield-Central. 

Game 2: Richmond vs. Anderson.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Mt. Vernon (Fortville) vs. Muncie Central. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Richmond 29 (2011), Pendleton Heights 17 (2018), Greenfield-Central 14 (2019), Muncie Central 14 (2000), Anderson 7 (2012), Mt. Vernon 7 (2011).

Ben Davis 

Game 1: Indianapolis Cathedral vs. Indianapolis Crispus Attucks. 

Game 2: Pike vs. Indianapolis Arsenal Tech.
Game 3: Lawrence Central vs. Ben Davis.
Game 4: North Central (Indianapolis) vs. Lawrence North. 

Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Indianapolis Cathedral 23 (2019), Ben Davis 12 (2014), North Central 11 (2006), Pike 10 (2010), Lawrence Central 8 (2004), Lawrence North 8 (2016), Arsenal Tech 1 (1970), Crispus Attucks 0.

Franklin Central 

Game 1: Southport vs. Roncalli.
Game 2: Perry Meridian vs. Franklin Central. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: New Palestine vs. Warren Central. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): New Palestine 16 (2015), Roncalli 14 (2018), Southport 13 (2008), Warren Central 9 (1991), Franklin Central 8 (2018), Perry Meridian 8 (2007).

Plainfield 

Game 1: Terre Haute North Vigo vs. Decatur Central. 

Game 2: Plainfield vs. Terre Haute South Vigo.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Brownsburg vs. Avon. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): North Vigo 19 (2015), Decatur Central 16 (2019), Brownsburg 14 (2013), South Vigo 14 (2018), Plainfield 8 (1997), Avon 5 (2019).

Mooresville 

Game 1: Center Grove vs. Martinsville.
Game 2: Franklin Community vs. Mooresville.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Whiteland Community vs. Greenwood Community. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Center Grove 19 (2016), Martinsville 15 (2019), Mooresville 10 (2004), Whiteland 10 (2014), Greenwood 8 (1984), Franklin 5 (2013).

Bloomington North 

Game 1: East Central vs. Columbus North.
Game 2: Shelbyville vs. Columbus East.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Bloomington South vs. Bloomington North. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Columbus East 19 (2019), Bloomington South 18 (2016), Bloomington North 17 (2013), Shelbyville 10 (2005), Columbus North 13 (2017), East Central 6 (2006).

Floyd Central 

Game 1: New Albany vs. Jennings County.
Game 2: Seymour vs. Floyd Central.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Jeffersonville vs. Bedford North Lawrence. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Jeffersonville 26 (2019), New Albany 22 (2016), Bedford North Lawrence 14 (2017), Seymour 14 (1995), Floyd Central 13 (2015), Jennings County 11 (2006).

Evansville Reitz 

Game 1: Jasper vs. Castle.
Game 2: Evansville North vs. Evansville Harrison. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Evansville Reitz vs. Evansville Central. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Jasper 38 (2017), Castle 15 (2019), Central 9 (2017), Harrison 7 (2016), North 5 (2013), Reitz 5 (2015).

Class 3A

Griffith 

Game 1: Hammond Gavit vs. Hammond Clark. 

Game 2: Calumet vs. Griffith.
Game 3: Hammond vs. Game 1 winner. 

Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Griffith 17 (2019), Clark 9 (2011), Hammond 7 (1999), Gavit 5 (1997), Calumet 3 (1990).

Kankakee Valley 

Game 1: Knox vs. Culver Academies.
Game 2: Hanover Central vs. Kankakee Valley. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: River Forest vs. Glenn. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Glenn 9 (2017), Culver Academies 4 (1997), Kankakee Valley 4 (1999), Hanover Central 1 (2011), Knox 1 (1996), River Forest 0.

South Bend Clay 

Game 1: South Bend Clay vs. South Bend St. Joseph. 

Game 2: Mishawaka Marian vs. New Prairie. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): St. Joseph 15 (2019), Clay 12 (2013), Mishawaka Marian 9 (2016), New Prairie 3 (2005).

Northwestern 

Game 1: Peru vs. Western.
Game 2: Twin Lakes vs. Benton Central.
Game 3: West Lafayette vs. Maconaquah. 

Game 4: Northwestern vs. Game 1 winner.
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Benton Central 25 (2009), Western 20 (2019), Twin Lakes 12 (1993), Northwestern 9 (2014), West Lafayette 9 (2011), Peru 5 (2018), Maconaquah 3 (1994).

Wawasee 

Game 1: Jimtown vs. Tippecanoe Valley.
Game 2: Lakeland vs. Wawasee.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: West Noble vs. NorthWood. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.

Titles Won (Most Recent): NorthWood 12 (2018), Lakeland 11 (2008), Jimtown 9 (2007), West Noble 8 (2006), Wawasee 6 (1997), Tippecanoe Valley 5 (2012).

Garrett 

Game 1: Angola vs. Fort Wayne Bishop Luers.
Game 2: Garrett vs. Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran. 

Game 3: Leo vs. Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger.
Game 4: New Haven vs. Game 1 winner.
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): New Haven 13 (2019), Dwenger 11 (2016), Concordia 8 (2018), Leo 8 (2012), Luers 7 (2012), Angola 5 (2019), Garrett 3 (1973).

Bellmont 

Game 1: Marion vs. Norwell.
Game 2: Mississinewa vs. Heritage.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Bellmont vs. Oak Hill. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Marion 20 (1998), Bellmont 19 (2016), Norwell 16 (2017), Heritage 9 (2015), Mississinewa 3 (2006), Oak Hill 3 (2006).

Yorktown 

Game 1: Hamilton Heights vs. Delta.
Game 2: Jay County vs. Guerin Catholic.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: New Castle vs. Yorktown. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Yorktown 17 (2019), Delta 13 (2016), New Castle 13 (2014), Jay County 9 (2019), Hamilton Heights 2 (2012), Guerin 0.

North Montgomery 

Game 1: Crawfordsville vs. Lebanon.
Game 2: North Montgomery vs. South Vermillion. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Northview vs. Frankfort.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Crawfordsville 17 (2013), Frankfort 13 (2019), North Montgomery 12 (2018), Lebanon 11 (2014), South Vermillion 10 (2019), Northview 9 (2017).

Brebeuf Jesuit 

Game 1: Greencastle vs. Danville Community.
Game 2: Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter vs. Tri-West Hendricks. 

Game 3: Brebeuf Jesuit vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Ritter 17 (2019), Brebeuf 14 (2017), Greencastle 12 (1994), Danville 8 (2015), Tri-West Hendricks 7 (2018).

Beech Grove 

Game 1: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard vs. Beech Grove. 

Game 2: Indianapolis Shortridge vs. Herron.
Game 3: Indianapolis George Washington vs. Game 1 winner. 

Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 11 (2007), Beech Grove 6 (2014), Indianapolis Washington 2 (1978), Herron 0, Shortridge 0.

Owen Valley 

Game 1: West Vigo vs. Owen Valley.
Game 2: Edgewood vs. Indian Creek.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Sullivan vs. Brown County. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Sullivan 16 (2015), West Vigo 14 (2018), Edgewood 12 (2019), Indian Creek 6 (2019), Brown County 1 (1993), Owen Valley 1 (1975).

Lawrenceburg 

Game 1: South Dearborn vs. Batesville.
Game 2: Greensburg vs. Connersville.
Game 3: Rushville Consolidated vs. Lawrenceburg. 

Game 4: Franklin County vs. Game 1 winner.
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Lawrenceburg 20 (2017), Connersville 18 (2010), Batesville 12 (2018), South Dearborn 12 (2019), Greensburg 9 (2016), Franklin County 7 (2013), Rushville 5 (1999).

Silver Creek 

Game 1: Silver Creek vs. Charlestown.
Game 2: Scottsburg vs. Corydon Central.
Game 3: Brownstown Central vs. Salem.
Game 4: Madison Consolidated vs. North Harrison. 

Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Madison 22 (2009), North Harrison 9 (2015), Silver Creek 9 (2019), Scottsburg 6 (1996). Salem 3 (1996), Brownstown Central 2 (2016). Charlestown 2 (2009), Corydon Central 2 (2010).

Southridge 

Game 1: Washington vs. Princeton Community. 

Game 2: Gibson Southern vs. Vincennes Lincoln. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Pike Central vs. Southridge. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Vincennes Lincoln 17 (2019), Gibson Southern 9 (2014), Washington 9 (2018), Princeton 6 (1991), Southridge 5 (2019), Pike Central 1 (1989).

Evansville Bosse 

Game 1: Evansville Bosse vs. Evansville Memorial. 

Game 2: Heritage Hills vs. Boonville.
Game 3: Mt. Vernon vs. Game 1 winner. 

Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Memorial 29 (2019), Mount Vernon 17 (2015), Boonville 12 (2017), Heritage Hills 7 (2011), Bosse 3 (2010).

Class 2A

Whiting 

Game 1: Wheeler vs. Bowman Academy.
Game 2: Lake Station Edison vs. Whiting.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Illiana Christian vs. Hammond Bishop Noll. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Noll 27 (2018), Wheeler 5 (2008), Lake Station Edison 4 (2005), Whiting 4 (2019), Bowman Academy 0, Illiana Christian 0.

Hebron 

Game 1: North Newton vs. Hebron.
Game 2: North Judson-San Pierre vs. Rensselaer Central. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Boone Grove vs. Winamac Community. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Boone Grove 13 (2018), North Newton 12 (2019), North Judson 8 (2006), Rensselaer Central 7 (2003), Hebron 4 (2017), Winamac 3 (1999).

Westview 

Game 1: LaVille vs. Bremen.
Game 2: Central Noble vs. Prairie Heights. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Fairfield vs. Westview. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Bremen 11 (2016), Westview 9 (2014), Fairfield 6 (2010), LaVille 4 (2019), Central Noble 3 (2012), Prairie Heights 2 (1984).

Eastside 

Game 1: Churubusco vs. Bluffton.
Game 2: South Adams vs. Woodlan.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Adams Central vs. Eastside. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Churubusco 10 (2015), South Adams 9 (2018), Adams Central 8 (2016), Bluffton 5 (2019), Eastside 5 (2018), Woodlan 2 (2006).

Wabash 

Game 1: Wabash vs. Carroll (Flora).
Game 2: Rochester Community vs. Lewis Cass. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Whitko vs. Manchester. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Rochester 11 (2014), Wabash 10 (2019), Manchester 9 (2016), Carroll 6 (2015), Lewis Cass 6 (2018), Whitko 1 (2017).

Delphi Community 

Game 1: Seeger vs. Western Boone.
Game 2: Lafayette Central Catholic vs. Clinton Prairie. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Delphi Community vs. Fountain Central. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Lafayette Central Catholic 17 (2018), Fountain Central 10 (2009), Delphi 5 (2019), Seeger 5 (2015), Clinton Prairie 4 (1993), Western Boone 2 (1983).

Eastern (Greentown) 

Game 1: Tipton vs. Eastbrook.
Game 2: Blackford vs. Madison-Grant.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Eastern (Greentown) vs. Taylor. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Blackford 17 (2017), Taylor 7 (2015), Tipton 7 (2009), Madison-Grant 6 (2012), Eastbrook 4 (2004), Eastern (Greentown) 2 (1999).

Lapel 

Game 1: Muncie Burris vs. Lapel.
Game 2: Monroe Central vs. Frankton.
Game 3: Alexandria Monroe vs. Winchester Community. 

Game 4: Wapahani vs. Elwood Community.
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner.
Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Wapahani 16 (2019), Alexandria 9 (2019), Elwood 8 (2014), Frankton 7 (2018), Lapel 7 (2015), Monroe Central 1 (2014), Muncie Burris 1 (1982), Winchester 1 (1986).

Centerville 

Game 1: Union County vs. Centerville.
Game 2: Shenandoah vs. Northeastern.
Game 3: Hagerstown vs. Game 1 winner. 

Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Shenandoah 12 (2006), Hagerstown 11 (2019), Union County 8 (2018), Centerville 7 (2011), Northeastern 4 (2004).

Heritage Christian 

Game 1: Triton Central vs. Indianapolis Scecina. 

Game 2: Eastern Hancock vs. Heritage Christian. 

Game 3: Knightstown vs. Game 1 winner. 

Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Scecina 9 (2019), Heritage Christian 8 (2017), Knightstown 6 (2016), Triton Central 3 (2012), Eastern Hancock 1 (1976).

Cascade 

Game 1: Monrovia vs. Park Tudor.
Game 2: Speedway vs. Cascade.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: University vs. Covenant Christian (Indianapolis). 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Speedway 9 (2019), Park Tudor 7 (2013), Cascade 6 (2005), University 4 (2019), Covenant Christian 2 (2018), Monrovia 0.

Southmont 

Game 1: South Putnam vs. Parke Heritage. 

Game 2: Cloverdale vs. North Putnam.
Game 3: Southmont vs. Game 1 winner. 

Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Southmont 6 (2017), Cloverdale 4 (1984), North Putnam 4 (2007), South Putnam 4 (2010), Parke Heritage 0.

South Ripley 

Game 1: Switzerland County vs. Milan.
Game 2: North Decatur vs. South Ripley.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: South Decatur vs. Southwestern (Hanover). 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): South Ripley 7 (2008), Switzerland County 4 (2018), Milan 3 (2015), South Decatur 2 (1976), North Decatur 1 (2011), Southwestern 1 (1999).

Eastern (Pekin) 

Game 1: Henryville vs. Providence.
Game 2: Clarksville vs. Eastern (Pekin).
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Austin vs. Crawford County. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Providence 18 (2017), Clarksville 14 (2018), Austin 8 (2019), Henryville 6 (2008), Eastern 4 (2012), Crawford County 1 (1977).

Mitchell 

Game 1: South Knox vs. Linton-Stockton.
Game 2: Paoli vs. Mitchell.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: North Knox vs. Eastern Greene. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Mitchell 10 (2006), Linton-Stockton 9 (2017), Paoli 8 (1995), North Knox 6 (1998), Eastern Greene 5 (2013), South Knox 3 (2007).

Tell City 

Game 1: Tell City vs. Forest Park.
Game 2: Perry Central vs. South Spencer.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: North Posey vs. Evansville Mater Dei. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): South Spencer 23 (2017), Tell City 16 (1997), Evansville Mater Dei 12 (2014), North Posey 9 (2019), Forest Park 4 (2002), Perry Central 0.

Class 1A

Washington Township 

Game 1: Westville vs. Covenant Christian (DeMotte). 

Game 2: Kouts vs. Washington Township.
Game 3: Marquette Catholic vs. Morgan Township. 

Game 4: Hammond Academy of Science & Technology vs. 21st Century Gary. 

Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Washington Township 9 (2019), Kouts 5 (2011), Morgan Township 4 (2018), Marquette Catholic 3 (2007), Covenant Christian 0, HAST 0, 21st Century 0, Westville 0.

LaCrosse 

Game 1: South Central (Union Mills) vs. Culver Community. 

Game 2: LaCrosse vs. Argos.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Oregon-Davis vs. Triton. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): South Central (Union Mills) 16 (2019), Culver Community 8 (2013), Triton 4 (2015), LaCrosse 3 (2002), Argos 1 (1998), Oregon-Davis 1 (1976).

Fremont 

Game 1: Fort Wayne Canterbury vs. Bethany Christian.
Game 2: Elkhart Christian Academy vs. Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. 

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Fremont vs. Lakewood Park Christian.
Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian 14 (2017), Fremont 7 (2019), Canterbury 2 (2014), Bethany Christian 1 (1987), Elkhart Christian 1 (2013), Lakewood Park Christian 0.

Caston 

Game 1: Southwood vs. Northfield. 

Game 2: West Central vs. Pioneer.
Game 3: North White vs. North Miami. 

Game 4: Caston vs. Game 1 winner. 

Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Northfield 10 (2018), North White 10 (2016), Southwood 4 (2014), Caston 1 (2012), North Miami 1 (2019), Pioneer 1 (2016), West Central 1 (1975).

Riverton Parke 

Game 1: Covington vs. Attica.
Game 2: Faith Christian vs. North Vermillion. 

Game 3: Riverton Parke vs. Game 1 winner. 

Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Covington 12 (2018), Riverton Parke 9 (2019), Attica 8 (2017), North Vermillion 5 (1997), Faith Christian 0.

Frontier 

Game 1: Rossville vs. Frontier.
Game 2: Sheridan vs. South Newton.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Tri-County vs. Clinton Central. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): South Newton 8 (2017), Frontier 7 (2014), Rossville 6 (2019), Tri-County 6 (2011), Clinton Central 1 (2005), Sheridan 1 (2004).

Liberty Christian 

Game 1: Liberty Christian vs. Wes-Del.
Game 2: Daleville vs. Tri-Central.
Game 3: Southern Wells vs. Anderson Preparatory. 

Game 4: Cowan vs. Game 1 winner.
Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner.
Championship: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Daleville 11 (2019), Cowan 6 (2010), Wes-Del 5 (2011), Tri-Central 3 (2004), Anderson Prep 0, Liberty Christian 0, Southern Wells 0.

Seton Catholic 

Game 1: Union City vs. Tri.
Game 2: Seton Catholic vs. Randolph Southern.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Blue River Valley vs. Cambridge City Lincoln. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Tri 4 (2007), Blue River Valley 3 (2019), Seton Catholic 3 (2014), Cambridge City Lincoln 2 (1994), Union City 2 (2018), Randolph Southern 1 (2010).

White River Valley 

Game 1: Clay City vs. Eminence.
Game 2: Shakamak vs. White River Valley.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: North Central (Farmersburg) vs. Bloomfield. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Shakamak 25 (2019), North Central (Farmersburg) 8 (2011), Bloomfield 2 (1971), Clay City 2 (2016), Eminence 1 (2005), White River Valley 1 (2014).

Bethesda Christian 

Game 1: Bethesda Christian vs. Providence Cristo Rey. 

Game 2: Tindley vs. Traders Point Christian.
Game 3: Indiana Deaf vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Bethesda Christian 2 (2011), Indiana Deaf 0, Providence Cristo Rey 0, Tindley 0, Traders Point 0, 

Morristown 

Game 1: Southwestern (Shelbyville) vs. Indianapolis Lutheran. 

Game 2: Greenwood Christian Academy vs. Edinburgh.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner.
Game 4: Waldron vs. Morristown. 

Championship: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Indianapolis Lutheran 13 (2019), Edinburgh 4 (2017), Greenwood Christian 3 (2016), Morristown 2 (2008), Southwestern 1 (1999), Waldron 1 (2001).

Jac-Cen-Del

Game 1: Oldenburg Academy vs. Trinity Lutheran. 

Game 2: Jac-Cen-Del vs. Rising Sun.
Game 3: Hauser vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Jac-Cen-Del 8 (2016), Rising Sun 7 (2019), Trinity Lutheran 6 (2019), Hauser 5 (2018), Oldenburg Academy 4 (2010).

South Central (Elizabeth) 

Game 1: Lanesville vs. Christian Academy of Indiana. 

Game 2: Orleans vs. South Central (Elizabeth).
Game 3: Borden vs. Game 1 winner.
Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Orleans 9 (2018), South Central (Elizabeth) 7 (2019), Lanesville 5 (2019), Borden 4 (2018), Christian Academy 2 (2009).

West Washington 

Game 1: Crothersville vs. New Washington.
Game 2: Shawe Memorial vs. West Washington. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Shawe Memorial 3 (2001), New Washington 1 (1998), Crothersville 0, West Washington 0, 

North Daviess 

Game 1: Shoals vs. Loogootee.
Game 2: Vincennes Rivet vs. North Daviess. 

Game 3: Barr-Reeve vs. Game 1 winner. 

Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Loogootee 21 (1994), Barr-Reeve 12 (2019), North Daviess 7 (2015), Vincennes Rivet 9 (2014), Shoals 0.

Northeast Dubois 

Game 1: Northeast Dubois vs. Tecumseh.
Game 2: Wood Memorial vs. Cannelton.
Game 3: Springs Valley vs. Game 1 winner. 

Championship: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner. 

Titles Won (Most Recent): Springs Valley 17 (2004), Tecumseh 15 (2019), Northeast Dubois 10 (2017), Cannelton 5 (1993), Wood Memorial 3 (2011).

Regionals

Saturday, June 5

Class 4A

LaPorte 

Game 1: Chesterton winner vs. Merrillville winner. 

Game 2: Northridge winner vs. Plymouth winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Kokomo 

Game 1: Carroll (Fort Wayne) winner vs. Lafayette Jefferson winner. 

Game 2: Huntington North winner vs. Westfield winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Plainfield 

Game 1: Pendleton Heights winner vs. Franklin Central winner. 

Game 2: Ben Davis winner vs. Plainfield winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Jasper 

Game 1: Mooresville winner vs. Bloomington North winner. 

Game 2: New Albany winner vs. Evansville Reitz winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Class 3A

Griffith 

Game 1: Griffith winner vs. Northwestern winner.
Game 2: Kankakee Valley winner vs. South Bend Clay winner. Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Bellmont 

Game 1: Garrett winner vs. Yorktown winner. 

Game 2: Bellmont winner vs. Wawasee winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Danville 

Game 1: North Montgomery winner vs. Owen Valley winner. 

Game 2: Beech Grove winner vs. Brebeuf Jesuit winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Southridge 

Game 1: Silver Creek winner vs. Southridge winner.
Game 2: Evansville Bosse winner vs. Lawrenceburg winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Class 2A

Whiting 

Game 1: Eastside winner vs. Whiting winner. 

Game 2: Hebron winner vs. Westview winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Lafayette Central Catholic 

Game 1: Lapel winner vs. Eastern (Greentown) winner. 

Game 2: Delphi Community winner vs. Wabash winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Cascade 

Game 1: Cascade winner vs. Centerville winner.
Game 2: Heritage Christian winner vs. Southmont winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Evansville Mater Dei (Bosse Field) 

Game 1: South Ripley winner vs. Eastern (Pekin) winner. 

Game 2: Mitchell winner vs. Tell City winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Class 1A

South Bend Washington (Four Winds Field) 

Game 1: LaCrosse winner vs. Washington Township winner. 

Game 2: Caston winner vs. Fremont winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Carroll (Flora) 

Game 1: Seton Catholic winner vs. Liberty Christian winner. 

Game 2: Riverton Parke winner vs. Frontier winner. 

Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Morristown 

Game 1: White River Valley winner vs. Morristown winner. 

Game 2: Jac-Cen-Del winner vs. Bethesda Christian winner. Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Lanesville 

Game 1: North Daviess winner vs. Northeast Dubois winner. Game 2: South Central (Elizabeth) winner vs. West  Washington winner.
Championship: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner. 

Semistates

(Teams TBD)

Saturday, June 12

North 

LaPorte
Kokomo (Municipal Stadium) 

South 

Mooresville
Jasper (Ruxer Field) 

State Finals

Monday, June 21
Class TBA — North Semi-State winner vs. South Semi-State winner, 5 p.m. ET /4 p.m. CT.

Class TBA — North Semi-State winner vs. South Semi-State winner, 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT.

Tuesday, June 22
Class TBA — North Semi-State winner vs. South Semi-State winner, 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT.

Class TBA — North Semi-State winner vs. South Semi-State winner, 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.

Namisnak reflects on Elkhart Central championship of ’13, today’s game

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

It was one special season and Mike Namisnak was a part of it.

Elkhart Central went 32-1 and won the IHSAA Class 4A state baseball championship in 2013.

“Not many people in this area can say they had the chance to go to the State Finals much less win State,” says Namisnak, who is now 26. 

The Blue Blazers reigned at the Elkhart Sectional, LaPorte Regional and South Bend Semistate before topping Indianapolis Cathedral 1-0 for the right to dogpile at at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

Namisnak was a designated hitter in the title game and one of nine seniors in the ECHS lineup.

Tanner Tully led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run — one of three Blazer hits off Ashe Russell — then pitched a five-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts.

There was also left fielder Kaleb DeFreese, shortstop Cory Malcom, first baseman Riley Futterknecht, center fielder Matt Eppers, second baseman Casey Ianigro, third baseman Austin McArt and catcher Kyle Smith. Devin Prater and Nick Ponce were also seniors on that team.

Junior right fielder Jesse Zepeda was the lone non-senior in the starting combo (he went on to play at Bethel College and start the Indiana Black Caps travel organization). Junior Mike Wain was a pinch runner.

Look at the game program and you’ll see Central wearing baby blue uniforms. During the tournament run, they broke out “camouflage” tops and that’s what they wore in taking the title.

Tully pitched at Ohio State University and is now in the Cleveland Indians system.

DeFreese went on to play at Indiana Wesleyan University and become an athletic trainer.

Malcom pitched at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and became a regional sales manager.

Futterknecht pitched at DePauw University and became a regional sales manager.

Eppers, who was the 4A L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award winner in 2013, played at Ball State University and became a national sales and product manager.

Ianigro became an office with the Elkhart Police Department.

McArt went on to become a regional sales manager at Forest River. Malcom, Futterknecht, Eppers and McArt all landed at Forest River Inc.

Smith became a television news editor.

Namisnak played one year at Concordia University Ann Arbor, two at Goshen College and then ended his baseball career because of elbow surgeries (the third baseman hurt his arm while diving for a ball in the summer).

He earned his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Southern Indiana and recently became a purchasing agent at Heartland RV.

Namisnak grew up in Elkhart and played at Osolo Little League and in the Elkhart Babe Ruth system as well as travel ball for the Michiana Scrappers. Prater was a Babe Ruth and Scrappers teammate.

These days, Namisnak teaches baseball lessons in his spare time and plays slow pitch softball.

“I break it down with basic fundamental stuff,” says Namisnak of his lessons approach. “It got me into college. If I can do it, anybody can do it.”

Mike gives credit to older brother Andy (Elkhart Central Class of 2007) for first teaching him the game.

“From the time I could walk we were playing Wiffle Ball in the back yard,” says Namisnak. “I’d got to his games and we’d work on stuff together. He taught me how to understand the game.”

Andy Namisnak went on to play club baseball at Indiana University.

Steve Stutsman was the Elkhart Central coach that guided the champion Blazers in 2013.

“Coach Stuts was a laid-back coach to me,” says Namisnak. “He had his moments where he’d get fired up and get on us. 

“He knew he had a talented team. He gave us the right direction.”

Namisnak came along at a time where he played varsity baseball on the old and new fields at Elkhart Central. 

He liked having a clubhouse in the back of the dugout at the new field. But he appreciated the older diamond along Goshen Avenue.

“It’s an old classic field, which I enjoyed,” says Namisnak.

He recalls that when the Elkhart River overflowed its banks and water was lapping against the back of the dugout, the field was still playable.

Namisnak still follows Major League Baseball and is a long-time Chicago Cubs fan.

“It’s nice seeing they have a decent team this year,” says Namisnak. “This shorter season was something of a needed thing (during the COVID-19 pandemic).”

Namisnak has come to embrace the designated hitter in both leagues.

“It’s always fun to see a pitched hit a home run,” says Namisnak. “But the universal DH rule should be kept after this COVID stuff. 

“It just makes more sense to me.”

Count Namisnak a fan of expanded playoffs with a compacted schedule.

“More postseason baseball — I’m not going to complain about that,” says Namisnak. “There are no fans at the games so I don’t mind the no days off. Otherwise, you want that home field advantage.

“It plays like high school or Little League ball, not with 50,000 people screaming.”

CGI fans in the stands on TV is too much for Namisnak. But he’s on-board with the cardboard cut-outs. Some teams have taken to giving the fan the the ball if it strikes the cut-out.

Then there’s the extra-inning rule where a runner is placed at second base to start an inning.

“That reminds me of slow pitch softball,” says Namisnak. “It’s not a huge fan of that rule for MLB games.

“It’s just a weird season to sit down and watch baseball.”

It’s a different baseball world from 2013. Was that really only seven years ago?

Mike Namisnak plays slow pitch softball these days. He was a senior on the 2013 IHSAA Class 4A state baseball champions at Elkhart (Ind.) Central High School.

Nearly five decades in, Chesterton’s Campbell still enjoys the challenge

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Jack Campbell is in his 48th season as head baseball coach at Chesterton High School.

He keeps coming back at the Porter County, Ind., because he enjoys what each season might bring.

“It’s a challenge every year,” says Campbell, an Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer with more than 700 career victories, 19 sectional titles and three regional crowns to his credit since the 1971 season.

In 2018, Campbell faced the challenge of having five returning senior pitchers all likely to play college baseball and getting enough innings for each of them.

“It’s been a good problem,” says Campbell, who takes his 18-8 Trojans into the IHSAA Class 4A LaPorte Regional Saturday, June 2, after they bested Merrillville 17-0, Hobart 11-0 and Valparaiso 7-0 to win the 2018 Chesterton Sectional. “You like to win a lot of ball games. But when it comes down to it, if your kids can advance and get part of their education paid for that becomes really important.”

Those five arms bring a combined 31 feet, 5 inches to the hill.

Right-handers Austin Peterson (6-foot-6) and Grant Brunt (5-11) have committed to play at Purdue University while left-hander Brayden Cortwright (6-7) is headed to Western Illinois University and right-hander Chris Torres (6-4) to Wabash Valley College in Mt. Carmel, Ill. According to Campbell, lefty Stephen Gilbertsen (5-10) is considering a walk-on role at the University of Illinois.

Peterson, who has just one loss in his prep career, is the ace of the staff. He plays first base when he’s not pitching.

Campbell is not a fan of the IHSAA pitch count rules adopted in 2017 (1 to 35 pitches requires 0 days rest; 36 to 60 requires 1 day; 61 to 80 requires 2 days; 81 to 100 requires 3 days; and 101 to 120 requires 4 days).

“There was nothing wrong with 10 innings every three days,” says Campbell. “I’ve been doing this for 48 years and I haven’t had any problems with arms. I was a pitcher.

“It’s not the pitches he throws as a pitcher, it’s what he does next.”

Going into the field after pitching and being asked to throw from deep in the hole at shortstop or from the outfield takes a toll on the arm.

Campbell says there’s bound to overuse by playing and working at baseball 12 months a year and using the same muscles.

“We only played 23 of the 28 games we could have played this spring,” says Campbell. “(Travel teams) are playing 50 and 60 games in the summer time.”

The pitch count rule came into play in the 2017 Chesterton Sectional championship game against Andrean.

The Trojans were leading the 59ers 3-1 when Peterson hit the 120-mark for the day (he pitched in the semifinals against Crown Point and relieved in the finals). With Peterson off the mound, Andrean rallied and won 4-3.

Chesterton plays Duneland Athletic Conference rival Lake Central at 10:30 a.m. CST Saturday. The Trojans and Indians split two games during the regular season.

“Both teams are playing pretty well. It should be a good ball game,” says Campbell, whose team is hitting around .350 in 2018.

The top offensive producers have been junior Chris VanEekeren, senior Tommy Benson (eight home runs and 29 runs batted in), Peterson (24 RBI) and senior Logan Lawson.

The second semifinal at the LaPorte Regional pits Northern Indiana Conference and backyard rivals Mishawaka and Penn. The championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.

Besides Chesterton and champion Lake Central, the DAC includes Crown Point, LaPorte, Merrillville, Michigan City, Portage and Valparaiso. The past few seasons, teams have played home-and-home series on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Before that, conference games were played Monday, Wednesday and Friday one week and Tuesday and Thursday the next in a double round robin. That format allowed an ace pitcher to be used more often.

Campbell kids if the current conditions were applied when Ken Schreiber was racking up 1,010 victories and seven state titles at LaPorte, he might not have as much hardware.

Looking back to 1976, John Vail and Arden Smith regularly started conference games and used their 10-inning limited on two-game tournament days. One would start and the other would relieve in the morning and then they’d do it again in the championship game.

“Schreib, he was the best tournament coach I’ve ever seen,” says Campbell of the 13-time Hall of Famer who passed away in 2017. “He was the master.”

There’s another reason Campbell does not like the current restrictions.

“Limiting things — pitching-wise — hurts statistics when you nominate for all-state or all-stars,” says Campbell. “In some places, they have more opportunities to pitch. The pitch count rule, it’s just wrong.

“There was nothing wrong with the way the rules were to begin with. Look at football. With concussions, how can you let a kid carry the ball 35 times? In basketball, you should limit the number of 3’s because you’re hurting the shooter’s arm. How many spikes do you get in volleyball?”

Campbell has enjoyed loyalty from his athletes over the years. Just the other day, he received a text that reminisced about the Trojans’ 1988 regional champions.

His 2018 coaching staff includes five former players — Justin Jenks (varsity assistant), Spencer Sutton (varsity volunteer), Chad Dzierba (junior varsity volunteer), John Houseman (freshmen coach) and Toby Gentry (freshmen volunteer). Volunteer Scott Jenks is also on the varsity staff while Rich Myers leads the JV.

Campbell graduated from Lake Station Edison High School in 1962. He went to Indiana University on a basketball scholarship. In the days before freshmen could play on the varsity in college, he won one letter in basketball and three in baseball.

He played for two Hall of Famers — Branch McCracken on the hardwood and Ernie Andres on the diamond — and led the Big Ten Conference in hitting (.361) as an all-conference first baseman during his senior season of 1966.

Campbell began his career as an educator at Valparaiso, working his way up from junior high to high school coaching positions.

After 3 1/2 years in Valpo, he started teaching physical education at Baily Elementary in Chesterton. This is his 48th year in that role.

For the past 30 winters, he has also been Chesterton’s head girls basketball coach and amassed 369 victories, three sectional championships and one regional title. His Trojans went 20-3 in 2017-18 and shared Indiana Basketball Coaches Association District 1 Coach of the Year honors.

Jack and Carol Campbell have four daughters — Carrie, Jill, Jackie and Cat. All four played basketball at Chesterton for their father. Jill went on to play basketball and softball at Valparaiso University, Jackie basketball at Colorado State University and Cat basketball at Indiana Wesleyan University. Carrie (3), Jill (2), Jackie (4) and Cat (3) have given their parents a dozen grandchildren.

Jack Campbell has been the head baseball coach at Chesterton (Ind.) High School since the 1971 season.

Penn’s Dikos puts program first and piles up hardware

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Everyone knows that the white “P” on those black caps stands for Penn.

But it could just as season stand for another “P” word.

“Bottom line: It’s not a person, it’s the program,” says Penn High School head baseball coach Greg Dikos. “Everybody contributes. You can plug anybody in.”

That’s the way Dikos has operated for three decades on Bittersweet Road in Mishawaka.

The program-first method works.

As the Kingsmen get ready for an IHSAA Class 4A Kokomo Semistate game against Zionsville Saturday, June 10 (following the 1 p.m. 2A game), they are led by a man who has led the program to 702 wins, including 18 sectionals, 10 regionals, three semistates and four state championships (1994, 1998, 2001, 2015) plus 18 Northern Indiana Conference titles in his 30 seasons as head coach (he’s been in the program for 37).

Chasing championships is what they do at Penn.

“Those are definitely our expectations,” says Dikos, who was inducted into the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2011. “We try to make the kids realize that when they sign up as freshmen.”

Dikos, 60, ticks off the trademarks of the Penn program: “Hard work. Teamwork. Discipline. Commitment.”

While the Kingsmen have numerous NCAA Division I commits in the 2017 lineup, including Niko Kavadas (Notre Dame), Nolan Metcalf (Kansas) and Trevor Waite (Dayton) plus NAIA two-sporter Matt Kominkiewicz (Saint Francis, Ind. for baseball and football), this is not a typical year.

“We have hard-working kids that come in and give it their all, play together,” says Dikos. “Comparatively speaking, with other athletes around the area, we just hold our own because we play as a team.”

Discipline means showing up on time consistently and following Penn’s athletic code of conduct year-round.

Dikos demands discipline in the school building and class room. His players are not allowed to cut class, get tardies or give the teacher a hard time.

“They know the first person the teacher goes to is me,” says Dikos. “If it gets to me, I know that teacher is frustrated. We’ll take care of it right away.”

Penn High School coaches expect their athletes “to be champions on and off the field” and that’s certainly the case in baseball.

Baseball-playing Kingsmen put in a commitment of quality time. Dikos and long-time assistant Jim Kominkiewicz no longer lead five-hour workouts. They’ve learned to get the job done in about 1 1/2. But players are expected to work. Athletes put in countless hours on their own in the fall and winter, working on skills and lifting weights.

The 2016-17 school year was the first for full-time strength and conditioning coach Matt Cates, who puts Penn athletes through sport-specific exercises either during the school day, before or after.

“Our kids have developed immensely,” says Dikos, a health and physical education teacher at PHS. “It’s going to benefit the freshman class this year the most because they’re going to have four years of Cates.”

Players are willing to put in the quality time because of their baseball adoration.

“It’s a difficult sport if you love it. It’s an impossible sport if you don’t love it,” says Dikos. “The kids that make it to their senior year really love it. They have fun doing baseball stuff.

“You just try to built that chemistry and that will lead to the fun.”

While early-season workouts are more regimented, as Penn gets deeper into the postseason, practices at Jordan Automotive Group Field tend to be more relaxed and players are encouraged to enjoy the experience.

Typical of tournament time, Dikos gave his tournament roster the day off Monday so he could work with his younger players. In many years, the Kingsmen have been practicing for the state tournament, the summer travel season and running a youth camp all in the same week.

In addressing players and parents at the beginning of each season Dikos makes one promise: The season will not be perfect.

“We go through the same things that other teams do,” says Dikos. “We have our same problems that other team do. We just try to deal with them as effectively as we can. We try to nip it in the bud.”

Working through those problems present a life lesson.

“You’re not going to get along with your soulmate every single day.,” says Dikos. “You’re going to have problems with you marriage, with your job. These are things you have to work out. These are values I hope are learned going through our program that kids can take with them in college and the rest of their lives.”

Dikos likes the way Paul Holaway puts it.

“We don’t expect perfection; we expect to be exceptionally good,” says Dikos in quoting his senior manager. “You never perfect baseball. It’s always a learning process and change. It’s a series of adjustments every level that you go up

“We (coaches) have that expectation that we’re going to win. Once you build that, the kids go in there expecting that same thing.”

Many Penn baseball alumni were in the crowd to see the ’17 Kingsmen beat Goshen and Elkhart Central (win No. 700 for Dikos) to win the Elkhart Sectional and Lake Central and Andrean to take the LaPorte Regional.

“It really pumped our kids up a lot seeing their ex-teammates,” says Dikos. “I imagine there’s pressure in not letting those guys down, not letting the program down.

“But it’s certainly not emphasized by the coaching staff.”

Besides Kominkiewicz, who played for IHSBCA Hall of Famer Len Buczkowski at South Bend Adams (graduating in 1973) with his quarter century in the program, the staff features Tom Stanton (Penn Class of 2000), John Westra (Sturgis 2003), Elliott Lares (Penn 2014), Brian Lares (Penn 2008) and Collin McNamara (Penn 2014).

Positional coaches are Dikos (catchers), Stanton (pitchers) Kominkiewicz (infielders) and Westra (outfielders). The other help at the junior varsity or freshmen levels.

Trust is big for Dikos, who has come to rely on the opinions of “Komo.”

“He’s one guy you can depend on,” says Dikos of Kominkiewicz. “I know he’s going to be here everyday. He’s going to give it his all.

“One thing he and I have in common is we just want to win. We just try to put our best nine on the field regardless of who it is.”

The current Penn lineup is not the one that took the field at the beginning of the spring.

“It’s something a veteran staff is able to figure out,” says Dikos. “The parents expect their kids to be given a chance. The kids expect to be given a chance — unless it happens to another kid.

“They don’t understand why you stick with a kid for a few games. In reality, you’re giving them the kind of chances you give everybody. You play yourself out of a position. Some parents and players think it should happen faster or they should be given a little more time. “

All the coaching experience really helps.

“We might lose a game along the way trying to figure things out,” says Dikos. “That’s something parents will have a hard time getting a grip on.

“We’re thinking about making a state tournament run.”

Even in a school the size of Penn, there are multi-sport athletes. Dikos just doesn’t see as many as a he once did.

“It beginning to become quite the rarity but not because of (the coaching staff),” says Dikos. “We encourage multi-sport athletes.”

There are five of those on the 2017 baseball tournament roster

“In the past, it was a lot more,” says Dikos. But kids are beginning to specialize.”

Looking to children of Greg and Sally Dikos, sons Greg Jr. and Garrick were three-sport athletes through junior year at Penn and two-sport athletes as seniors. Daughter Sarah played multiple sports in junior high and found her talents led her to just volleyball in high school.

Dikos keeps the lines of communication open with Penn’s other head coaches.

“The only thing we ask is that the athletes tell us what’s going on and are respectful of everybody,” says Dikos. “We don’t want anybody short-changed. If the kids really want it, it’s workable.”

Dikos is a 1975 Swartz Creek (Mich.) High School and 1979 Ball State University graduate who played briefly in the Atlanta Braves organization and has been giving back to the game ever since.

Greg Dikos (center) and long-time assistants Jim Kominkiewicz (left) and Tom Stanton (right) have helped Penn High School into the 2017 Class 4A Kokomo Semistate. Dikos is in his 30th season as head baseball coach and has 702 win and four state titles on his resume. (Steve Krah Photo)

 

Upp has storied LaPorte baseball program back in regional

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

LaPorte has three dozen IHSAA sectional baseball championships to its credit.

But the Slicers had experienced a title drought.

Until 2017.

The orange and black will not only be hosting but playing in the Class 4A LaPorte Regional for the first time since 2010.

Coach Scott Upp’s team earned that right by winning the Plymouth Sectional.

“Pitching and defense — that was the story of the sectional,” says Upp, who got commanding mound performances from Andy Samuelson and Chandler Banic. “We didn’t knock the cover off the ball. We got timely hits.”

LaPorte advanced through the sectional by beating South Bend Clay, Mishawaka and Plymouth.

“All three of those programs are well-known throughout northern Indiana,” says Upp.

The regional field at Schreiber Field features Andrean (25-7) against LaPorte (22-8) in Game 1, Lake Central (23-8) against Penn (24-6) in Game 2 and the regional final at night Saturday, June 3. Andrean is No. 6 in the final Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association 4A poll. LaPorte, Lake Central and Penn all received votes.

Between the four schools, they have won 18 state crowns (LaPorte 8, Andrean 5, Penn 4 and Lake Central) 1).

Upp knows from his experience as a LaPorte player (he’s a 1986 graduate who played for and later coached with IHSBCA Hall of Famer Ken Schreiber) knows about the intensity and urgency of postseason baseball.

“You have your regular season and your second season,” says Upp. “If you can get hot or be playing your best ball at that time.”

LaPorte lost to Chesterton in the regular-season finale, but took the time between then and their sectional games and “got back to the basics.”

“We got individual time in with defense and hitting,” says Upp. “Our pitchers got a chance to breathe a little bit.”

Getting that chance to practice and refresh is just what the Slicers needed going into the sectional.

While LaPorte has won plenty of sectionals, Upp notes that it has become a tougher proposition since the class system came along with the 1998 season (the year he took over for Schreiber 11 games in).

With all the state’s biggest schools and, in the case of Andrean (playing “up” in class because of the IHSAA success factor, postseason success is not a given.

“We seem to have different sectional champs every year and there’s nothing wrong with that,” says Upp. “It’s good baseball.

“I’m not making excuses for LaPorte and why we’ve had a seven-year span. It is more difficult.”

Upp calls IHSAA state tournament games “a rough way to go.”

“In high school baseball, you take one guy on the mound and that team becomes totally different,” says Upp. “And it’s a one-and-done tournament.”

There are no series or second chances.

The coach notes that there are not too many back-to-back champions in the Duneland Athletic Conference (which also includes Chesterton, Crown Point, Lake Central, Merrillville, Michigan City, Portage and Valparaiso) either.

The 2017 Slicers were tied for first place in the DAC going into the final two games with Chesterton. LaPorte lost both games against Chesterston and split two games each with Crown Point, Lake Central and Valparaiso, finishing 9-5 and in fourth in the conference.

Chesterton won it at 11-3 (then lost to Andrean in the Chesterton Sectional championship game).

It’s all-Slicer coaching staff at LaPorte. Everyone played their high school baseball on Schreiber Field.

Jeff DeMass (Class of 2005) is the pitching coach. Rob Schellinger (1998) has moved up from the junior varsity to be a varsity assistant. Mark Manering (1981) is a volunteer varsity coach. The JV Slicers are led by Kevin Upp (2010) with help from Blake Hindsley (2005).

The rich traditions of the program are detailed in a book, Slicer Baseball: A Cut Above (produced by Prime Time Publications LLC, dba Indiana Football Digest) and sold by LaPorte High School.

Scott Upp, a 1986 LaPorte High School graduate, has been the Slicers’ head baseball coach since early in the 1998 season. His 2017 team will play in the IHSAA Class 4A LaPorte Regional. (Steve Krah Photo)

Pishkur, Andrean 4A sectional champions for first time

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

After nearly two decades, Andrean High School baseball is going back to LaPorte’s Schreiber Field.

Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Dave Pishkur last took his 59ers to the home of the Slicers in 1998 — the year Hall of Famer Ken Schreiber retired.

Andrean — a private school with about 475 students in Merrillville playing “up” because of the IHSAA success factor (the 59ers were 3A state champions in both 2014 and 2015) — will take part of the Class 4A LaPorte Regional Saturday, June 3.

Game 1 pits Northwest Crossroads Conference champion Andrean (25-7) against LaPorte (22-8) with the second semifinal featuring Lake Central (23-8) against Penn (24-6) with the regional final at night.

Joe Plesac, Ryne Pishkur, Tyler Ochi, Pat Antone and Bob Ochi are Dave Pishkur’s 2017 assistant coaches.

Pishkur took over as Andrean head coach for the 1980 season and played at LaPorte every year 1982-98.

“I had a very good, competitive relationship with Ken,” says Pishkur. “For many years, we were their first game of the season.

“I’ve thanked Schreib many, many times for being a mentor … I stole many ideas from Ken Schreiber.”

Pishkur’s 59ers of 2017 will go against the Scott Upp-coached Slicers after Andrean bested Portage 3-1, Valparaiso 9-5 and Chesterton 4-3 to win the Chesterton Sectional.

The Trojans, coached by IHSBCA Hall of Famer Jack Campbell, sent three straight NCAA Division I-caliber pitchers to the mound (juniors Grant Brunt, Austin Peterson and Chris Torres) against the 59ers who countered with one (sophomore Mike Doolin).

Pishkur, who surpassed 900 coaching wins in 2016, notes the difference between 4A and 3A is the ability to have a deeper mound staff and batting order.

“It’s way more challenging to play the 4A schools,” says Pishkur. “We enjoy playing 3A because we think we are a pretty good 3A school. In all likelihood, we’ll be back in 3A next year.”

With its enrollment, Andrean (which also competed in 4A in 2016 and lost to Chesterton in the Merrillville Sectional championship game) would be in the middle of the IHSAA pack in 2A. Rules don’t allow for a team going up because of the success factor to go down more than one class.

Winning against bigger schools at tournament time is satisfying.

“A 4A sectional championship means a heck of a lot,” says Pishkur. “That’s so rewarding for our kids to compete and beat schools significantly larger than us.”

Pishkur, a 1971 Andrean graduate who also serves as alumni director, has more to say about playing out of class.

“I understand to some extent that the success factor is to even up the playing field,” says Pishkur. “They say private schools recruit. We just have open enrollment. More and more public schools (have gone to open enrollment and) have the same advantage that the so-called private schools had.”

By rule, the 59ers went up after the back-to-back state championships. Pishkur notes that graduation took the majority of those players and yet the school still went to 4A for two years.

“I don’t know how you remedy that,” says Pishkur.

The coach sees no cure for his lifelong obsession with the sport and he’s not seeking one.

“It’s a love affair with the game of baseball and, in particular, Andrean High School,” says Pishkur, who has had dozens of relatives attend the school, including his wife (Gretchen) and three children (Ryne, Courtney and Mark). “Not everybody is blessed with a job that they enjoy going to. It’s not a chore to get up in the morning. It’s not a chore to go to the school.”

Andrean started its baseball program in Pishkur’s junior year (1969-70) and played around a dozen games and treated it more like a recreation than a competitive venture.

“We were a basketball/football school,” says Pishkur.

The 59ers were 9-9 in 1979. The next season, Pishkur got a team featuring Dan Dakich to win more than 20 games and the first of the program’s 27 sectional titles (Andrean has also gone on to take 12 regionals, six semistates, five 3A state crowns — 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015 — and a 3A state runner-up finish in 2004).

“The culture was changed because we took it more seriously,” says Pishkur. “Nobody had ever pushed them. We pushed. We had three-hour practices.”

Pishkur remains close with members of that ’80 team.

“They established the program so future teams would know what to expect,” says Pishkur.

Mark Pishkur, a four-year player for his father and a 2012 Andrean graduate, never expected to play baseball again but got the chance five years after his high school days.

His senior year, Mark played the field but could not bat because of injuries incurred his junior and senior years though he did lay down two left-handed bunt singles.

After his last 59ers game, Mark walked away from the diamond for good.

Or so he thought.

Time had healed him and made him stronger. He added life and movement to his fastball, hitting the gun around 84 or 85 mph.

In the fall of 2016, he walked on at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fla., and impressed enough to be considered for a scholarship in the spring.

However, he hurt his arm during the winter and decided against pitching with pain or the possibility of a Tommy John reconstructive surgery.

Sidearmers and submariners are not unusual at Andrean. Pishkur likes to have at least one player in the program give it a try.

“A lot of kids can’t change arm angles,” says Pishkur. “But it’s a look you don’t see very often in high school.”

Dave Pishkur is in his 38th season as head baseball coach at his alma mater — Andrean High School. His teams have won more than 900 games and taken five state championships. (Andrean Photo)