Owner Craig Wallin and Northern League president Don Popravak have announced a new home venue for the Miracle in 2024 — the Elkhart (Ind.) High School Athletic Complex. The diamond is located next to softball and soccer fields and across the Elkhart River from the Elkhart Freshmen Academy and the Rice Field football stadium and the older baseball field.
Says Wallin, “I’m really looking forward to playing at our new team in Elkhart.”
Says Popravak, “I believe the new location is ideal for the franchise’s growth. Playing minutes from the central downtown area will attract an even larger fan base.”
The 2023 Miracle, which competed with the Griffith Generals, Indiana Panthers, Lake County Corn Dogs, Northwest Indiana Oilmen and Southland Vikings, featured Northern League MVP Dawson Willis plus Bryce Lesher and Conor Gausselin. Dawson hit .322 and was the league leader in stolen bases with 28. Lesher drove in a league-best 39 runs. Gausselin paced the circuit with 64 strikeouts and tied for most victories with six.
Moell (pronounced Mail) surrendered the only hit two out into the last frame of his seven-inning outing against the Elkhart County Miracle Friday, July 14 at NorthWood High School’s Field of Dreams Complex in Nappanee, Ind. He finished with eight strikeouts, four walks and one hit batsmen over 113 pitches.
A 2022 Munster (Ind.) High School graduate coming off his first season at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., Moell has made eight appearances (all starts; a league high) for Southland and is 4-1 with a 3.92 earned run average, circuit-pacing 45 strikeouts and 37 walks and 41 1/3 innings.
“It means a lot to me when I go out there and pitch because you only get so many opportunities to pitch compared to the amount of work you put in,” says Moell. “I love it.”
He enjoys giving other players a boost.
“I do a good job of knowing what the team needs,” says Moell. “Sometimes we need a strikeout to get the team going.
“Even though I haven’t swung the bat in awhile I think I still have an impact on that side coming off the field and going right into hitting.”
Moell subbed in a few games with the Northern League’s Crestwood Panthers in 2022.
Sullivan Stickann, a 2017 Highland (Ind.) High School graduate, is 2023 Southland manager. He was freshman coach at Munster when Moell was a senior and was an assistant at Olive-Harvey College in 2023.
“He’s really big into player development,” says Moell of Stickann. “He loves baseball than about anybody.
“That’s who I want to play for as a coach.
“He gave me the opportunity without even seeing me play.
“I’m just really thankful for this team that summer. We players who have the ability to pick each other up. It’s a long season and everybody has bad days.
Northern League all-star catcher Matt Merk has been there as a steadying force as has shortstop Jack Fitzharris.
“There are guys who have shown confidence in me when I haven’t had confidence in myself,” says Moell, who plays home games with the Vikings at Dowling Park in Hammond, Ind.
Johns Hopkins went 48-8 and finished as the NCAA Division III national runner-up in 2023.
Moell pitched two innings and had two strikeouts and one walk over two games.
“This summer I was able to figure it out a little more,” says Moell. “I got a little more confidence and I’m ready to go back and hopefully grab a spot.”
Centennial Conference member Johns Hopkins had many graduate students and seniors in pitching roles in 2023. Moell’s class is full of arms.
“We’re going to have a serious impact on the pitching staff (in 2024),” says Moell, who turns 20 in October.
“He just knows baseball all the way around,” says Moell of Babb. “He’s kind of a wizard with the stuff he knows.”
Babb works with pitchers. But Ryan Graves and Andrew Furman share Blue Jays pitching coach duties.
“Graves is big on pitch calling and how to work hitters,” says Moell. “Furman (who has a Master of Psychological and Brain Sciences and teaches at the University of Maryland) is really good with the mechanical stuff. He knows a lot. He’s a really smart guy.”
Furman is able to find other pitchers to compare to his Johns Hopkins hurlers for instruction purposes.
“He helped me out a ton this past year,” says Moell.
Crisler, a 2014 graduate of Hammond Bishop Noll Institute, hit .541 with 12 home runs, 45 runs batted in, 38 runs scored and six triples as a senior and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves. He played at Purdue Northwest.
“He was a really good hitter,” says Moell of Crisler. “That was something I never had as a pitcher. He could tell you how things looked from the plate.
“Another thing was that he was really big into competition. To that point I hadn’t been much of a competitor. By the time I was done with him I was really wanting to go out there and win.”
Moell got into a few junior varsity games as a Munster freshman in 2019, lost his sophomore season to the COVID-19 pandemic then played on the varsity as a corner infielder, outfielder and pitcher for Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Bob Shinkan as a junior and senior in 2021 and Mike Mikolajczyk in 2022.
The hurler was 5-1 with four saves and a 3.00 ERA on the bump while earning IHSBCA Academic All-State and all-Northwest Crossroads Conference honors his final prep campaign.
“Everything was Munster Baseball to that guy,” says Moell of Shinkan, who passed away Feb. 24, 2022. “It was definitely an honor to have him in his last year as a coach and to make that semistate run.”
The 2021 Mustangs won Merrillville Sectional and LaPorte Regional titles.
Prior to his senior year, Moell looked into many high-academic colleges and universities.
“I had really good grades,” said Moell. “I didn’t want it to go to waste and I still wanted to play baseball.”
After sending multiple emails to Johns Hopkins, he got an invitation to a camp there, performed really well and received an offer Oct. 24, 2021 to join the Blue Jays the following fall.
“I had to get all papers in by Nov. 1,” says Moell, who did meet that deadline and is now a Public Health Studies on the Pre-Med track. With his athletic background and interests, he is considering specializing in orthopedics or sports medicine.
Two Major League Baseball players that Moell enjoys watching are Chicago Cubs right-handed starter Marcus Stroman and Cleveland Guardians righty reliever James Karinchak.
“I love how (Stroman) plays,” says Moell. “He’s athletic and shows anybody can pitch. He’s not the biggest guy. But he’s a big pitchability guy.
“(Karinchak) and I throw similar pitches. He’s a big high fastball and 12-6 curveball guy. He throws with just a ton of emotion.”
The 6-foot, 190-pound Moell’s arm angle is way over the top.
Some have said it looks like he’s trying to launch the ball into orbit.
He throws a four-seam fastball, curveball and splitter.
The four-seamer tends to be clocked in the mid-80’s with the 12-to-6 curve in the low 70’s.
Moll tries to get lift on the four-seamer with batters swinging under a pitch that travel around 2000 rpm and over a curve that goes 2100 to 2200.
So it’s fastball up and curveball down.
“Where a lot of people like to see inside-outside, I think it’s easier to go up-and-down,” says Moell. “I think that’s why I’ve been successful.”
The splitter, which is similar to a change-up, is thrown with about 1100 to 1200 rpm.
“I try to kill the spin on that and the speed difference helps a lot,” says Moell. “I move my fingers away from the ball and that’s how I get it to drop.
“It helps especially late in the game when (the opponent) has been seeing fastballs all day.”
On a good day, Moell’s four-seamer gets 19 inches of vertical break and the splitter gets eight.
Will is the youngest son of Stephen and Ginger Moell and younger brother of Noah Moell (23).
Stephen Moell works in the finance department for speciality subcontractor Crown Corr Inc. in Crown Point, Ind. Ginger Moell is a music teacher at Aux Sable Middle School in Joliet, Ill. Noah Moell (Munster Class of 2018) is a former prep soccer player who went on to marketing and event operations with the Chicago Bears.
A 2020 NWHS graduate, he did not get to play baseball on the turf at NorthWood’s Field of Dream Complex as a Panther since that made its debut in 2023.
But the 5-foot-9, 200-pound Miller does romp on the carpet this summer with the Northern League’s Elkhart County Miracle. The first-year franchise plays home games at NorthWood.
“It is pretty cool,” says Miller, who was born in Goshen, Ind., and grew up in Nappanee. “In high school there was talk of us getting a turf field complex, but it was just rumors.
“I’m pretty excited for the kids nowadays that they have this facility. It’s definitely one of the nicest in northern Indiana.”
Patrolling center field for the Wilson Valera-managed Miracle, Miller has played in 30 games, the righty swinger is hitting .281 (27-of-96) with one triple, six doubles, 15 runs batted in, 16 runs scored, a .780 OPS (.415 on-base percentage plus .365 slugging average) and 10 stolen bases.
“I’m just trying to keep my weight back, really jump on the fastball and be aggressive,” says Miller of his offensive approach. “I don’t try to think too much in the (batter’s) box.
“I try to steal on the first couple of pitches if we’re not laying down a bunt. It just depends on how my legs are feeling that day.”
The right-handed thrower has also logged two innings on the mound for the Miracle.
Miller switched from the infield to the outfield around his 15U summer (he played much of his travel ball for the Michiana Scrappers).
“I bounced around out there,” says Miller. “I found my home in the center field the past couple of years.
“In the infield you’re kind of secluded to your own spot. In the outfield you have more range and I like to go out there and roam.”
His Twitter page (@jadenmillerr) shows a photo of him laying out for a catch in the Miracle’s first-ever game on May 31 .
In 22 games (all starts) in 2021, he hit .239 (16-of-67) with four RBIs, 15 runs, .329 on-base percentage and nine stolen bases.
Miller played in 40 games (39 starts) in 2022 and hit .341 (46-of-135) with four homers, two triples, 10 doubles, 32 RBIs, 31 runs, a .948 OPS (.415/.533) and 19 stolen bases.
“They have a great fan base,” says Miller of the Clayton Hicks-coached DACC Jaguars. “It’s pretty cool having kids coming up to you wanting you to sign baseballs and stuff like that (at Elkhart County Miracle games) and just asking about the game. It gives you a little bit of meaning. You’re playing for somebody else other than individual stats or whatnot.
“It gives you a little bit of perspective. It is a game. Just go out there and have fun. People are looking up to you. Don’t have a poor attitude about it.
“God gifted you with the ability to go out there and play a game so you have fun with it.”
Miller transferred to Indiana Tech — an NAIA school in Fort Wayne, Ind. — and split his time between the JV and varsity for the Kip McWilliams-coached Warriors.
With the Tech varsity in 2023, Miller got into 10 games (two as a starter), scored three runs and stole one base.
“I’ve grown a lot there,” says Miller. “There’s been some bumps in the road, but I couldn’t be happier to be there.”
With two full teams, Tech has a competitive atmosphere for playing time or a spot on the travel roster.
“It definitely keeps you on your toes,” says Miller. “You just come ready to practice and play hard.”
Jay Sheets was head baseball coach at NorthWood when Miller was a freshman, playing on the junior varsity for Greg Estepp.
A.J. Risedorph took over as head coach in Miller’s sophomore year.
“It’s just his experience mixed with his confidence that makes him a great coach,” says Miller of Risedorph, who was a pitcher at Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne (now Purdue Fort Wayne). “He’s able to speak up and not only coach you up as a player but coach you up as a person.”
When throwing to his players, Risedorph usually tossed “BP fastballs.”
But not always.
“Every now and then he would whip off a couple curveballs, change-ups or two-seamers and show off a little bit,” says Miller. “He was pretty cool to be around.”
Miller broke his leg during his freshman football season. Since he could not put pressure on the limb, he made swimming his winter sport that year rather than wrestling. Brother Ethan Miller (NorthWood Class of 2019) was also on the squad and also in football, wrestling and baseball.
Their mother — Jodi Miller (who is now the nurse at NorthWood) — was a swimmer at Goshen High School.
“She really pushed me on that,” says Jaden. “It was great rehab for my leg.
“I had a great time.”
He went back to football the next fall, wrestling the next winter and baseball the next spring. His senior baseball season was called off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jaden’s father — Danny Miller — is co-owner of Gen-Y Hitch in Nappanee.
Ethan Miller played baseball at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Valley Community College. Youngest brother Devin Miller is heading into the eighth grade. He is in football, baseball and golf.
Through games played July 2, the Elkhart County Miracle (13-17) are in fourth place in the six-team league standings. The top four teams make the Northern League playoffs.
Ethan Lengfelder is scheduled to make his sixth appearance and fourth start for the Elkhart County County Miracle today (June 21 at 7:10 p.m. CDT) against the Northwest Indiana Oilmen at Oil City Stadium in Whiting, Ind.
The last time the 22-year-old right-hander pitched he threw a nine-inning no-hitter — the first in the Northern League since 2014, fifth in league history and only the third one that was not combined.
Lengfelder held the Lake County CornDogs hitless in a 6-1 win for a first-year franchise at the NorthWood High School Field of Dreams Complex in Nappanee, Ind. — the Elkhart County Miracle’s home diamond. He faced 31 batters, striking out three, walking three and hitting one. The last out was a strike out of clean-up hitter Ray Hilbrich, who socked three home runs in Week 1, after falling behind 3-0 in the count.
For the second time in the first three weeks of the season, Lengfelder was selected Pitcher of the Week — this time unanimously.
Self-described as “too quirky,” Lengfelder showed up late the day of his no-no after his daytime construction job with Doug Walls (Walls by Walls in Niles, Mich.) and was scolded by Elkhart County manager Wilson Valera.
Then Lengfelder took off his Crocs and began chasing fly balls barefoot on the NorthWood turf.
“Closer to game time I zone in a little bit,” says Lengfelder.
Once the game started — even though he had a no-hitter going — Lengfelter was on the steps of the dugout and yelling at everyone.
While others won’t talk to anyone on their start day, that’s not Lengfelder’s way.
“As Wilson says: I’m loco,” says Lengfelder. “I’m crazy.”
He also noticed how his Miracle teammates backed him up.
“My defense played behind me amazingly,” says Lengfelter, noting that shortstop Dawson Willis was especially good and catcher Javier Guevara called a fine game.
After almost surrendering an early home run, Lengfelder settled in. When he walked a couple batters in the fourth inning, he came back to the dugout, walked into a storage closet known as the “Rage Room,” got his frustration out and was fine again.
Lengfelder, who is 6-foot-1 1/2 and 204 pounds and pitched at Bethel University in Mishawaka, Ind., in the spring of 2023, began the season at the back of the Miracle’s bullpen. He used 20 pitches to record six outings in his first two outings of the summer and is now 2-1 with a 2.45 earned run average, 12 strikeouts and 11 walks in 22 innings.
Last summer, Lengfelder was with the Omaha, Neb.-based Corn Belt League’s Royal Blue Dogs. Eli MacDonald, an infielder going into his third year at Bethel, was a teammate.
By November, they were reunited with the Pilots when Lengfelder who had moved from Iowa Western to Williston (N.D.) State Community College.
Head coach Seth Zartman and pitching coach Kiel Boynton welcomed Lengfelder to Bethel and began helping with his development.
“Both of them have been very big in the process of getting me where I am today,” says Lengfelder. “When I got to Bethel I was very raw. I had no pitching coach for two years. I had a lot of potential. I was very robotic and not fluid.
“I can’t thank them enough.”
He pitched in nine games (eight in relief) for Bethel in the spring, going 0-1 with eight strikeouts and six walks in 11 2/3 innings.
This summer, Lengfelder is living with Bethel volunteer assistant Rob Bjorkland.
By reaching out to recruiting coordinator Evan Sharpley, Lengfelder found his way to the Miracle, where he gets to work with pitching coach Pedro Valera.
“He doesn’t know very much English, but he knows the game very well,” says Lengfelder.
So how do you do better after a no-hitter? Lengfelder says the goal is to throw a maximum of 12 pitches an inning.
Once a high-velocity hurler, the right-hander had to become a different kind of hurler after a shoulder injury.
“I dropped all the way down from 87 (mph) to 75,” says Lengfelder. “I recovered all the way back up to 84.
“Mentally, I changed how I pitch. I knew couldn’t blow it past people anymore.”
Instead, he pitches to contact as a command/ground ball pitcher — something that works well for big leaguer Kyle Hendricks.
“I make guys pound it into the ground or pop up,” says Lengfelder. “I’ve been told since I was 12 that I throw a very heavy ball.”
Throwing from a “2 o’clock” arm slot, Lengfelder mixes five pitches — a two-seamer, knuckle curve, splitter, ghost fork and Vulcan change-up.
He learned some of those grips on Twitter from the Pitching Ninja (Rob Friedman).
When not pitching, Lengfelder has also developed the habit of heading for the press box in the second inning to chat on-air with the Miracle play-by-play man — especially when it’s Preston Andrews (NorthWood Class of 2024). Team founder Craig Wallin is a veteran broadcaster.
“I love talking and I like bringing guys up,” says Lengfelder. “Our broadcast/booth team is amazing.”
When Lengfelder began college he wanted to be a sports writer.
“I figured out I hate writing,” says Lengfelder, who is now a Criminal Justice major with minors in Psychology and Forensic Science and has the goal of police chief or detective.
He has two years of remaining college eligibility and plans to use at least one to complete his undergraduate degree and may go a second year for a masters.
Born Omaha and raised in Missouri City, Iowa, Lengfelder played baseball and hockey — he was a goaltender and roots for the Boston Bruins — around the area.
He pitched in a few varsity games as an eighth grader in 2015 and then logged four full varsity seasons — two at Logan (Iowa)-Magnolia High School, one for Treynor (Iowa) High School (while attending Heartland Christian which did have a team) and the last one at Missouri Valley High School.
High school baseball is mostly a summer sport in Iowa with the regular season generally beginning around May 15.
Ethan’s mother — Jolene Weinrich Lengfelder — teaches special education in Omaha.
“I gained a lot of my caring personality from her,” says Ethan. “I try to help as many people as I can. The best way to help people is to just be there for them.
“It’s super hard for people to understand that, which is weird because it takes nothing to care. It takes nothing to smile and be nice.”
Lengfelder makes sure to great the little kids at the field and has even been stopped for autographs at the gas station.
“It’s awesome. The whole community has been good to us.”
Ethan Lengfelder. (Elkhart County Miracle Photo)Ethan Lengfelder. (Elkhart County Miracle Photo)Ethan Lengfelder. (Elkhart County Miracle Photo)Ethan Lengfelder (left), Wilson Valera, Craig Wallin and Pedro Valera. (Elkhart County Miracle Photo)Ethan Lengfelder’s two-seamer grip.Ethan Lengfelder’s knuckle curve grip.Ethan Lengfelder’s splitter grip.Ethan Lengfelder’s ghost fork grip.Ethan Lengfelder’s Vulcan change grip.Ethan Lengfelder. (Elkhart County Miracle Photo)
It was a night of firsts. The summer wood-bat Northern League’s Elkhart (Ind.) County Miracle played its inaugural contest Wednesday, May 31 on the turf at NorthWood High School’s Field of Dreams Complex in Nappanee and earned the first victory in franchise history. Elkhart County bested the visiting Crown Point-based Lake County CornDogs 6-3 to make Wilson Valera a winner in his first game as Miracle manager. “It makes me feel very good and to play the best team in the league,” said Valera after the Miracle topped the NL champions from 2022 and gave them their first loss of the young 2023 season. “Now we know we can do it. Hopefully we can continue to play this way.” Elkhart County led 3-0. Lake County (4-1) tied it at 3-3 with three runs in the sixth inning. The Miracle responded with two in the bottom of the sixth and added one in the seventh.
On-field firsts … Starting lineup: lf Rickey Nye (1-3), 2b Cole Mason (0-3), 1b Bryce Lesher (1-5), c Javier Guevara (2-2), 3b Angel Perez (0-3), cf Jaden Miller (1-3), ss Evan Laws (2-4), dh Dylan Rost (0-3), rf Hunter Christunus (1-3), p Conor Gausselin (6 IP, 6 K’S, 3 BB). Strikeout: Gausselin fanned Lake County lead-off batter Zach Zychowski in the first inning. Hit: Lead-off man Nye’s single to center field to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Home run: Guevara’s three-run blast to left field in the first inning. Stolen base: Miller swiped second base after being hit by a pitch in the first inning. Double play: Third baseman Perez to second baseman Mason to first baseman Lesher in the fourth inning. Relievers: Right-hander Ethan Lengfelder in the seventh inning and righty Robino Vazquez Vallejo in the eighth and ninth. Umpires: Corey Stewart behind the plate and Steve Kajzer on the bases.
Off-the-field firsts … Ceremonial first pitch: William Lee (Vendor Bill’s Bar-B-Que). National anthem singer: Les Eads (member of Hideous Business, a band who entertained prior to the game). Mascot: Scooter made his gameday debut.
The homestand continues with games at 7 p.m. Thursday vs. the Indiana Panthers, Friday vs. the Southland Vikings and Saturday vs. Northwest Indiana Oilmen and 2 p.m. Sunday vs. the Indiana Panthers. Former Chicago Cubs player Ben Zobrist is slated to throw out the ceremonial first pitch and sign autographs Saturday.
Dylan Rost was born in Elkhart, Ind., and will be an infielder on the first Elkhart County Miracle summer baseball team. “It’s very close to home and I knew they were going to create a team that’s competitive of his decision to join the club — which is a hybrid of college and professional players — and opens the 2023 Northern League season at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 31 on the turf at NorthWood High School’s Field of Dreams Complex, 2101 N. Main St., Nappanee (accessible off S.R. 19 via C.R. 150). “The goal in the summer is to get reps, play competitive baseball and get better. “I think everybody’s excited to play and it’s cool to meet guys from all over.” Miracle founder Craig Wallin says a roster that will reach 25 and be led by manager Wilson Valera will represent six states and four nations — the United States, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Evan Sharpley, who helped put together the Miracle roster, reached out to Rost and the player accepted the invitation right away. “Being able to play with some buddies that I know was also going to be a big thing, too.” Rost, a 2021 Elkhart High School graduate, just completed his second season at the NCAA Division III University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In 2022-23, the 5-foot-9 Rost has played in 20 games for Warhawks teams that went 36-11 and 30-13. When looking for a college program, Rost was impressed the the school’s track record and facilities and contacted the UWW staff which includes head coach John Vodnelich, who has won 683 games and coached two NCAA D-III national championship teams (2005 and 2014). Last summer, the Whitewater team went to Europe with Vodenlich as its guide. “He had a ton of connections,” says Rost of Vodenlich, who played for the Warhawks then in Europe, including Slovenia. “We would be able to go to restaurants and they would be open just for us. “If I were to go by myself I wouldn’t have near the experience that I had.” The 2023 season opened March 15 with nine games in Pensacola, Fla. As a D-III school, the team practices for 16 days in the fall culminated with a five-game intrasquad series. “In November and December is no baseball at all, pretty much all weight room,” says Rost. “Once we get back from winter break in January we’re full go.” Rost, who turned 21 in February, is a General Management major. “I’ve had thoughts of going into teaching, working in an athletic office and coaching,” says Dylan, who is the oldest son of teacher/Elkhart head baseball coach Scott Rost and head volleyball coach/athletic director Jacquie Rost. Younger brother Quinn Rost (Elkhart Class of 2025) also plays baseball and football. Dylan began organized baseball at Cleveland Little League in Elkhart then went with the Michiana Scrappers travel organization through high school. Last summer he played in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., and expected to go back this summer by the CSL was dissolved. The Elkhart County Miracle has regular-season games slated until Aug. 3. Northern League (rebranded from the Midwest Collegiate League) opponents include the Northwest Indiana Oilmen, Lake County CornDogs, Indiana Panthers, Griffith Generals and Southland Vikings. Valera spent four days leading Miracle players through workouts at Elkhart High. “I can see a lot of potential in each one of them,” says Valera. “If we spend more time together we’re going to be stronger. “We are very young. Hopefully by the end of the season they are going home better than the way they came. “Our purpose is to work hard and be good human beings.” Josh Gleason, former Goshen College athletic director and current Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is the team chaplain. With Preston Andrews (NorthWood Class of 2024) as play-by-play announcer, Miracle games will be broadcast by Michiana Promotions on Federated Media stations (mostly on 101.9 FM or 1340 AM with Saturday night games will air on 95.3 MNC according to News/Talk 95.3 Michiana’s News Channel.
Dylan Rost. (Steve Krah Photo)
The 2023 Elkhart (Ind.) County Miracle baseball team. (Steve Krah Photo)
For the better part of two decades, Craig Wallin and his partners have attempted to get pro baseball for the place where he lives. The longtime broadcaster who called games for the South Bend (Ind.) White Sox and Notre Dame and has been the voice of NorthWood High School sports in recent years announced that the Elkhart County Miracle are finally going to take the field with games airing on Federated Media stations (mostly on 101.9 FM or 1340 AM with Saturday night games will air on 95.3 MNC according to News/Talk 95.3 Michiana’s News Channel program director John Zimney). The franchise in the Northern League — a six-team wood bat circuit comprised of teams with rosters of amateur and professional players. Other clubs include the Griffith (Ind.) Generals, Indiana Panthers, Lake County CornDogs (Crown Point), Northwest Indiana Oilmen (Whiting) and Southland Vikings (Hammond). Oil City Stadium in Whiting was host to the 2022 Northern League All-Star Game. While the Panthers are a traveling team, the others are in Lake County with Elkhart County being around 80 miles to the east. “What we’re trying to build from the (Illinois-Indiana) border to Elkhart and developing all the markets in-between in inter-city tourism,” Popravak said, noting that the footprint of the league is about 100 to 120 miles wide and 50 to 75 miles long. “There’s 1.5 million people that live within that geographic area.” The inaugural Miracle season is slated to open Friday, May 31. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. on the turf at the new NorthWood Field of Dreams in Nappanee, where the team will call home for its first few seasons. The regular season is to close Aug. 3. “We’re pumped about this opportunity,” Miracle founder and president Wallin said at a press conference Tuesday, March 24. “(Ron Bedward) and I started talking 16 years about bringing a minor league team to Elkhart County. We’ve been working diligently on plans.” Northern League president Don Popravak talked about the niche independent minor league baseball plays in 2023. “It is very important because in 2020 Major League Baseball took control of affiliated minor leagues,” Popravak said. “It used to be run as an independent operation.” The first month or so with MLB in charge, the affiliated minors were trimmed of 40 franchises down to 120. “Forty franchises translates to 1,200 playing jobs along with managers, coaching staff and everything else,” Popravak said. “We felt that it creates a great opportunity for a league like us.” The MLB First-Year Player Draft is now just 20 rounds. For years it was 40. The Northern League (which has a linneage dating back to 1902) seeks to attract talent overlooked by MLB. “It gives a young player another chance to prove himself and develop,” Popravak. “That’s what we’re all about — developing talent.” The Miracle will carry a roster of 30 to 35 players with many staying with host families. Some will be professionals and college players may earn through Name Image and Likeness (NLI) agreements. Popravak, who has a broadcast background, notes that the Northern League has sent many young person working on league productions on to ESPN and minor league teams all over the country. “It’s another part of developing talent for the next level,” Popravak said. Former Notre Dame football and baseball player and Seattle Mariners minor leaguer Evan Sharpley is Director of Player Operations for the Miracle. Former Baseball America Executive of the Year John Baxter is senior advisor for the Miracle. As South Bend White Sox, he hired Wallin in 1988. Wallin said the field manager will be introduced soon. Popravak said the league has been exploring more than a dozen markets across northern Indiana for expansion. According to Wallin, tickets will be priced at $10, $8 and $6. “It’s all about affordable family fun,” Popravak. “It’s about families and putting smiles on the faces of younger people and having them come out to the ballpark.” Bill’s Bar-B-Que in Elkhart will be a concession partner. Wallin said a 10,000 seat facility with a retractable roof that can house baseball and professional soccer is being planned. It will be adjacent to a 5,000-seat arena for ice hockey and minor league basketball. Wallin shared a rendering by the Troyer Group Tuesday. At the present, the complex would be near on a tract near the C.R. 17 exit off the U.S. 20 By-Pass in Elkhart. It’s one of the places Wallin and his group have had land contracts off and on over the years as they have worked to bring baseball to the county. Plans for a new stadium and team were revived in 2013 and a stadium was to open in 2014, but that never came to pass. Why Elkhart County? “We chose Elkhart County because it’s been home for me for (about 45 years),” Wallin said. Bringing in the baseball team is a way of adding to the quality of life to the Elkhart/Goshen area. The seven stars in the Miracle logo represent seven Elkhart County cities or towns. It’s been more than a century since the county had a team with professionals. The 1910 Elkhart Blue Sox were part of Organized Baseball and played in the Class D Indiana-Michigan League. The independent Indiana State League of 1888 and a reorganized ISL of 1890 featured teams from Elkhart. For more information on the Elkhart Miracle visit elkhartcountymiracle.com, call (574) 309-7176 or email cttcom@aol.com.
Craig Wallin, founder and president of the Elkhart County Miracle. (Steve Krah Photo)
Rendering of proposed multi-use stadium. (Troyer Group Image)
Pardon the pun, but Brayden Risedorph is on the rise on the national baseball showcase scene. A fireballing right-handed pitcher from Kendallville, Ind., Risedorph took part Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Baseball Factory All-America Game at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. The event featured 40 invitees from around the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Taking the mound for the National team in the eighth inning, Risedorph produced a 1-2-3 frame with two groundouts sandwiched around a strikeout. On Aug. 2-5, Risedorph was a part of the East Coast Pro in Hoover, Ala. He was assigned to the Reds for that showcase. Risedorph, who is in the East Noble High School Class of 2022, was at the invitation-only Prep Baseball Report Pro-Case Midwest July 6 at Triton College in River Grove, Ill., where his fastball was clocked at 95 mph and sat at 93 to 95 during his simulated inning. This fall, the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder is playing for the Cincinnati Reds Scout Team with tournaments in central Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin and the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Association World Championship slated for Oct. 7-11 in Jupiter, Fla. Risedorph drew some notice before, but really began turning heads in recent months. “I was always pretty decent, but this summer is where I took my biggest step,” says Risedorph, 18. “I just kept making a lot of little jumps and kept getting invited to bigger and bigger things.” After one of the games of the East Coast Pro, Risedorph was approached by Ben Simon, an advisor/agent based in the Cleveland suburb of Moreland Hills, Ohio. Knowing the reputation of developing pitchers by head coach Jon Goebel, Risedorph committed last fall to play at National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Parkland College in Champaign, Ill., beginning in 2022-23, but has been getting interest from larger schools. Risedorph is a two-way player at East Noble, manning one of the infield corners when not pitching. In 2021, he hit .329 (24-of-73) five home runs, one triple, six doubles, 25 runs batted in and 19 runs scored in 26 games for Knights head coach Aaron Desmonds. In eight mound appearances, Risedorph was 3-3 with 2.00 earned run average, 60 strikeouts and 18 walks in 35 innings. As a pitcher-only with 5 Star Midwest National. Risedorph went to PBR tournaments at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., and LakePoint Baseball Complex in Emerson, Ga., and racked up five shutouts. Throwing from a low three-quarter overhand arm slot, which gives him much natural run, Risedorph throws a four-seam fastball which has maxed out at 96 mph. He also uses a slider, change-up and, sometimes, a curve or splitter. “It goes straight left with a lot of horizontal break,” says Risedorph of his slider. “It ooks like a fastball then at the last second it dives to the left.” It’s a “circle” change that Risedorph throws when taking something off his hard stuff. His curve is of the “11-to-5” variety. He uses his middle and index fingers and throws his splitter like his fastball and it dives at the plate. Born and raised in Kendallville, Brayden is the youngest of Randy and Iolet Risedorph’s four sons, behind A.J., Ryan and Eric. Former Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne pitcher A.J. Risedorph is the head baseball coach, assistant boys basketball coach and dean of athletics at NorthWood High School in Nappanee, Ind.
Brayden Risedorph with Cincinnati Reds Fall Scout Team at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.
Brayden Risedorph in 2021 East Coast Pro in Hoover, Ala.
Brayden Risedorph in 2021 East Coast Pro in Hoover, Ala.
A youth circuit with ties to various northern Indiana school communities has began its 2021 diamond season.
Boys of Summer Baseball League fields teams for 10U and 12U all-star recreation and junior high school squads. Teams play by modified IHSAA rules.
The BSBL also sanctions a 54/80 junior high state tournament. Younger squads also participate in the Town & Country Baseball state tournament in July.
The following school districts are represented in 2021: Bethany Christian (junior high), Bremen (10U, 12U, junior high), Concord (12U, junior high), Fairfield (10U, 12U, 2 junior high teams), Goshen (junior high), Jimtown (J-Shock junior high), Northridge (10U), NorthWood (12U, junior high), Plymouth (2 10U teams, 2 12U teams), Rochester (12U), Tippecanoe Valley (10U, 12U) and Westview (12U). The latter team is coached by former big league pitcher Eric Stults.
Going into the Week of May 24, Fairfield (6-1) leads the 10U division, Plymouth Red (10-1) the 12U group and Fairfield White (5-1) the junior high league.
The BSBL was started by Tracy Farmwald then ran by Zach Benko. Kent Kauffman took over just before the 2020 season.
As commissioner, Kauffman has organized the loop and set up a website for the non-profit organization.
“It makes it easier for parents to see what’s going on,” says Kauffman. “(BSBL) is more of a developmental league. They get used to playing together and used to a system.”
Cost to enter the league is $225 per team. Host teams are responsible for baseballs and paying for umpires.
“We’re providing an economical option for good baseball,” says Kauffman. “We get some kids that have never played and they fall in love with baseball.”
Since the league has teams as part apart as LaGrange County and Rochester, Kauffman tries to accommodate distance when making out the schedule.
In the past, Wawasee and Whitko have fielded BSBL teams.
“My goal is that we are able to expand,” says Kauffman. “We will go to divisions if necessary.”
The BSBL was able to complete a 2020 schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic, starting after July 4.
“We worked together to make sure it was safe for players and fans,” says Kauffman.
“There was nothing for that age group between sixth grade and high school,” says Kauffman. “The coaches wanted to keep the boys together playing as a team and to have more oversight.”
Whitehead is in his 19th season leading the Panthers program. He is also the Upper School athletic director at the private K-12 school (Grades K-5 in the Lower School, 6-8 in the Middle School and 9-12 in the Upper School – 9-12). The institution, which has about 375 in the Upper School, sports a 100 percent college placement rate.
“We’re big on education-based athletics and helping shape these young men and prepare them for their future,” says Whitehead. “It’s about having them learn lifelong lessons through baseball and what it means to be a good teammate, be focused, win and lose with grace and learn how to compete.
“Pretty soon they’ll have to compete in the game of life and it’s pretty tough out there.”
As far as the baseball part of the equation?
“We want to be fundamentally sound, have a high baseball I.Q., throw strikes (as pitchers) and make the right play,” says Whitehead. “We play fundamentally well and we execute.”
Park Tudor has 21 players in the program in 2021 and plays both a varsity and junior varsity schedule. That means players are asked to play multiple positions and many get a chance to pitch.
The baseball-playing schools see each other once each during the season.
The Panthers are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping with Cascade (the 2021 host), Covenant Christian, Monrovia, Speedway and University. Park Tudor has won seven sectional titles — the last in 2013. A 1A state championship was earned in 1999 (Bob Hildebrand was head coach).
Micah Johnson, a 2009 Park Tudor graduate, was a standout at Indiana University and played in the majors for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. He is now blossoming in the art world, frequently traveling back and forth from Indy to LA.
Current Panthers senior C.J. Richmond has committed to Western Illinois University. Whitehead says he expects that underclassmen will have a chance to play college baseball.
Park Tudor plays its home games on its campus located on College Avenue — about three miles northwest of Bishop Chatard High School and three miles northeast of Butler University.
A large backstop/net system was just installed at the Panthers’ field, which typically hosts IHSAA sectional and regional tournaments but with the construction of a new wellness center those events will be hosted in 2021 by Cascade.
In a non-COVID-19 year, Park Tudor will usually field a sixth grade team and a seventh/eighth grade squad that take on area independent and public middle schools.
“This is not a normal year,” says Whitehead. “(Grades 6-8) are practicing but not competing due to the pandemic.”
Whitehead is a 1996 graduate of Crawfordsville High School, where he played for Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer John Froedge and longtime assistant Rhett Welliever and was a teammate of current Athenians head coach Brett Motz.
“My four years we won a lot of ball games,” says Whitehead. “Coach Froedge was a big fundamentals guy. We were the start of Crawfordsville being really good.
“We went 30-3 and lost to Portage in semistate my junior year. That’s when there was one class.”
A celebration honoring Froedge was postponed in 2020 and is slated for Saturday, May 15 when Park Tudor plays at Crawfordsville. Bruce Whitehead, Courtney’s father, was Athenians AD for many years.
Courtney Whitehead played three seasons of college baseball — two at Indiana University Purdue University (IUPUI) for Bret Shambaugh and one at Goshen College for Todd Bacon.
Purdue University presented Whitehead with a Secondary Education degree in 2000. He earned a masters in Athletic Administration from Western Kentucky University in 2013. Whitehead is also in charge of awards for the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.
As AD at Park Tudor, Whitehead oversees an athletic department that has 20 varsity teams, including baseball, boys golf, boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, girls softball, girls tennis, boys track and field and girls track and field in the spring.
“I’ve got good people to help me to manage events and good set of coaches,” says Whitehead. “We communicate well.”
Whitehead began his coaching career at Lowell (Ind.) High School, assisting Kirk Kennedy in football and Mike Magley in basketball.
He was then a football assistant to Sean Tomey at Lafayette Central Catholic High School in the same school year that he helped Jamie Sailors with Harrison High School (West Lafayette) baseball.
Assisting Whitehead at Park Tudor in 2021 are Toby Rogers, Fred Pinch and Madison Foster with the varsity and Brent Smith and Lane Waters with the JV. Rogers played high school ball at Bloomington South then at IUPUI for Shambaugh. Pinch is from the Washington D.C. area. Foster, a 2012 Park Tudor graduate, played for Whitehead and was on three consecutive semistate teams before playing at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois.
Brent Smith is the father of former Whitehead player Calvin Smith. Harrison graduate Waters played baseball for the Raiders then basketball at Calvin University in Michigan.
Courtney and wife Beth have two sons and a daughter — all attending Park Tudor — freshman Nolan (as in Nolan Ryan), sixth grader Camden (as in Camden Yards in Baltimore) and second grader Addison (as in Clark and Addison, site of Wrigley Field in Chicago).
“My wife is a big sports and baseball person,” says Courtney Whitehead.
Many of Whitehead’s relatives are in the Nappanee/Bremen area.
A.J. Whitehead, who was a basketball standout at NorthWood High School in Nappanee and Bethel College (now Bethel University) in Mishawaka, Ind., is associate director of strength and conditioning at Purdue.
Courtney Whitehead is head baseball coach and athletic director at Park Tudor School in Indianapolis.
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