Payton in second year of return to Paoli Rams dugout

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

Jeremy Payton took over the baseball program at alma mater Paoli (Ind.) Junior-Senior High School on the second day of official practice in 2022 and was soon coaching the Rams in games.
As the 1994 Paoli graduate approaches his second season in 2023, Payton has been able to actually prepare.
“We didn’t have a lot of time to break things down,” says Payton. “We’re way ahead of the curve.
“We’re already way ahead of where we were last year. I didn’t know where kids played when I took over.”
Players — mostly pitchers — who are not involved in basketball have been attending IHSAA Limited Contact Period sessions and preparing their arms and bodies for the season.
“They been throwing 30 to 45 minutes two days a week,” says Payton. “They come in tired from doing weights and conditioning.”
The first official day of IHSAA practice is March 13.
Coming back to high school baseball Payton had to familiarize himself with the pitch count rule (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). When he last coached the limit was based on innings.
“That was definitely learning curve last year,” says Payton. “The kids didn’t have the endurance and the ability to cover more than 40 or 50 pitches early and that was different than what I was used to.”
Payton’s coaching staff includes varsity assistant Jeremy Reynolds, volunteer Davis Minton (Class of 2020) and junior varsity coach Ashton Minton (Class of 2019).
In a group of about 24 players for varsity and junior varsity squads, there are three seniors and eight or nine freshmen.
Among returnees is junior Trey Rominger, who only struck out three times in 65 plate appearances while hitting .327 with a .431 on-base percentage, in 2022 has been drawing college interest. He is already the school’s all-time leading rusher in football.
There are also a number of travel ball players.
“We’ve got a lot of good things coming,” says Payton. “It’s just a matter of getting all the pieces in the right spot.”
Aron Busick (Class of 2020) is on the baseball team at Oakland City (Ind.) University.
Paoli (enrollment around 400) is a member of the Patoka Lake Athletic Conference (with Crawford County, Mitchell, Orleans, Perry Central, Springs Valley and West Washington).
The Rams are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Clarksville, Crawford County, Eastern (Pekin) and Providence. Paoli has won eight sectional titles — the last in 1995.
Paoli plays on Trinkle Field (named for Ken Trinkle, who pitched in 216 big league games for the New York Giants in 1943, 1946-48 and Philadelphia Phillies in 1949).
As a U.S. Army Corporal during World War II, Trinkle saw action in the “Battle of the Bulge” and was awarded a Bronze Star.
The on-campus facility recently got upgrades to sod, dirt and warning track and an updated seating area and locker room. The old press box was torn down and a storage room was put in its place.
As a feeder system there is Paoli Youth Diamond Sports (T-ball to 12U) and a school-affiliated junior high program for Grades 6-8. That team has 18 games scheduled April 4-May 22 with home dates at Trinkle Field. The team plays PLAC and non-conference opponents.
Payton’s baseball coach at Paoli was Tom Stuckwisch.
“He was a mentor,” says Payton of Stuckwisch. “He was our baseball coach, math teacher and assistant football coach.
“He was easy to approach. He was very laid-back.
“You didn’t have to make the game real complicated. Just go out and play and relax. Do the little things right and good things happen.”
During Payton’s prep career, the Rams were won about three quarters of their games. The 1993 team won a sectional then lost to Jasper and Scott Rolen in the regional. The 1994 team — ranked among the state’s Top 20 — was edged 2-1 by Springs Valley in the sectional championship game.
Payton graduated from the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville.
He moved back to town in 2000 and was a Rams baseball assistant for four years in the mid-2000’s on the staffs of John Hahn and Kyle DeSpain.
Hahn played baseball at Butler University in Indianapolis. DeSpain holds the Hanover (Ind.) College single-season record for doubles with 25 in 2001.
After his baseball stint, Payton served as head softball coach at Paoli through 2012.
Outside of coaching, he is an independent financial advisor in town. Jeremy and wife Marci have two children — Addie (13) and Collier (9) — in Paoli schools.
“My son loves baseball,” says Payton. “He’s been coming to practices and throwing and hitting.”

Jeremy Payton.

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Hoover now steering Perry Central Commodores

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

Ryan Hoover is now in charge of the baseball program at Perry Central Junior-Senior High School in Leopold, Ind.
The 2023 season will be Hoover’s first as a varsity head coach.
The past two years Hoover coached Evansville North’s middle school team. He has been a travel ball coach the past four or five years, including with the Evansville-based and Jeremy Johnson-run Razorback Baseball Club and an assistant on Adam Hines’ staff at Henderson (Ky.) County High School.
Perry Central (enrollment around 400) is a member of the Patoka Lake Athletic Conference (with Crawford County, Mitchell, Orleans, Paoli, Springs Valley and West Washington).
The Commodores are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Evansville Mater Dei, Forest Park, North Posey, South Spencer and Tell City. Perry Central has not yet won a sectional title.
During the fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period, Hoover had Perry Central players working two days a week for two hours. Most of the time was spent on defense with hitting at the end of the sessions.
This winter has been mostly two days a week of weight training and two days of hitting and arm care (with weighted baseballs).
Hoover pays attention to his pitchers and has paid attention to pitch counts even before experiencing the rule set in place by the IHSAA (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).
“I make sure they’re getting proper rest, proper stretching and getting loose the proper way before they go out and (throw) 100 percent and really hurt their arm,” says Hoover, who wants to make sure those who might go on to college baseball are ready for the rigors of throwing which that entails.
Recent Perry Central graduates who went on to college diamonds include the Class of 2021’s Brayden Stowe (Brescia University in Owensboro, Ky. before arm injury), Reece Davis (Southeastern Illinois College) and 2021’s Wes Scamahorn (Oakland City).
Class of 2023’s Garrett Scamahorn — brother of Wes — has committed to Oakland City. Class of 2024’s Travis Kellems — a lefty pitcher and outfielder — has been receiving collegiate interest.
A 2016 graduate of Morristown (Ind.) Junior-Senior High School, Hoover was a four-year varsity baseball starter for three head coaches — Tim Hancock in 2013, Royce Carlton in 2014 and Josh Bassett in 2015 and 2016.
“(Carlton) did a real good job of teaching me about being a family as a program,” says Hoover. “The more you treat you treat your teammates as family, the harder you’re going to play for each other.
“(Bassett) put a lot of responsibility on me. When he came in I was the only returning starter. He taught me how to be a leader.”
Hoover played all over the diamond for the Yellow Jackets, but mostly at third base.
In two seasons at Vincennes (Ind.) University, Hoover was also a utility player though most of his time was spent at second base.
Chris Barney is the Trailblazers head coach.
“He taught me how to come in and get your business done,” says Hoover of Barney. “You go in, work hard and understand who you are as a player.”
Hoover did not play past VU. He transferred and earned an Information Technology degree at Indiana University-Bloomington in 2019. He now has a daytime job as an IT professional, part of the time for Perry Central.
The Commodores play and practice on-campus. On Hoover’s wish list is the leveling of the playing surface.
Hoover’s assistant coaches include Jason Hubert (who helped Hoover with the Razorbacks last summer), Andrew Harpenau and Chad Hubert at the high school. Guiding the junior high team (a mix of seventh and eighth graders which play in the spring and use the varsity field) is Brayden Stowe (son of former Perry Central head coach Adam Stowe) and Zander Poole.
Besides the junior high team, which plays in the spring against mostly Pocket Athletic Conference schools plus Owensboro Catholic another feeder is Perry Central Youth Baseball for ages 7 to 12.
“I’m pretty involved making sure we get as much participation as possible,” says Hoover. “It’s exciting for the future.”
Hoover has committed to coach a Razorbacks 14U team this summer.
Ryan and Stephanie Hoover were married in October 2022. She is a University of Evansville graduate and a physical therapist in Princeton, Ind.

Ryan Hoover.

Ryan and Stephanie Hoover.

Alum Reister emphasizes ‘little things’ with Henryville Hornets

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

Henryville (Ind.) Junior/Senior High School’s uniforms say “Hornets.” But first-year head baseball coach and alum Cody Reister wants “guys that have the dog in them.”
“We want to be tough defensively and on the base paths — someone that executes all the time,” says Reister (Class of 2013). “That’s our focus. Everyone can hit to some extent, but not everyone can do the little things well.”
Reister played for and coached with Jeff Schroeder who led the Henryville for 27 seasons.
As a student and player at Hanover (Ind.) College — where pitched for Panthers coach Shayne Stock (the 6-foot-3 right-hander was 6-1 out of the bullpen as a senior) — Reister would help out Schroeder’s Henyrville teams when he could.
Reister was born in Jeffersonville, Ind., and moved from Salem, Ind., to Henryville in second grade. He played American Legion baseball for Doc Boyd’s Scottsburg Post 234 team and later Ricky Romans’ Floyds Knobs Post 42 squad.
After graduating HC in 2017 with a History degree, Reister came home and became a middle school science teacher and to coach in the boys basketball and baseball programs.
As Henryville approaches the start of official practice March 14, Reister sees six or seven players with mound potential.
During conditioning, his players have been throwing footballs to build up arm strength.
A year ago, Reister worked almost exclusively with pitchers and catchers.
“We threw a ton of fastballs and change-ups,” says Reister. “It’s just as effective as anything if you can do it correctly.”
The competitor in Reister would not have been receptive to the pitch count rule (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) when he played. But the coach in him understands.
“It puts you in-tune with development and what you’re guys can do,” says Reister. “I understand the reasoning for it.”
Reister, who is assisted by Henrville classmate Bailey Hall as well as Tim Hawkins, expects have have 12 or 13 players in 2022.
“We’re pretty light this year,” says Reister. “We have a bunch of kids in middle school. Hopefully we get them to continue on (with baseball).”
As a feeder system, there is Henryville Youth Sports (wee-ball to 12U) and Henryville Elite (a teams for Grades 6-8 not affiliated with the school that plays in the spring and summer).
The Hornets play on a diamond located on the west side of campus.
“Our field is very, very nice,” says Reister of the facility with Bermuda grass in the infield.
Henryville (enrollment around 300) is a member of the Southern Athletic Conference (with Borden, Crothersville, Lanesville, New Washington and South Central (Elizabeth).
Other non-conference foes include Brownstown Central, Charlestown, Clarksville, Corydon Central, Orleans, Paoli, Perry Central, Providence, Rock Creek Academy, Salem, Seymour, Scottsburg, Silver Creek, Southwestern (Hanvover) and Trinity Lutheran.
In 2021, the Hornets were part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping with Austin, Clarksville, Crawford County, Eastern (Pekin) and Providence. Henryville has won six sectional titles — the last in 2008.
March 2 marked 10 years since a EF4 tornado caused extensive damage to Henryville, killing one person and destroying the schools.
Rise Above Mental Health/Illness is a podcast hosted by Henryville senior athletes Caleb Lehaceanu, J.D. Michael and Tyler Orberson. The latest episode was dedicated to the tornado. Senior Sam Gilles, who was inside the elementary on that unforgettable day in 2012, was a podcast guest.
Reister is to be on the student-led podcast in the near future.
To follow the Hornets, see the Henrville High School Baseball page on Facebook.

Cody Reister.

Henryville (Ind.) Junior/Senior High School’s baseball field.

Hafele, Rock Creek Academy just getting started

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

Rock Creek Community Academy in Sellersburg, Ind., fielded its first baseball team in 2021.
The Jay Hafele-coached Lions played at the junior varsity level and did not participate in the IHSAA tournament. RCCA ended the season with 13 players. More than half of the team had played little or no organized baseball.
“A lot of people came out because they wanted to try it,” says Hafele, who expects the numbers and Baseball I.Q. to climb.
“I think we’re going to have 20 this year,” says Hafele, a 1998 Evansville Harrison High School graduate who played three years of college baseball and is teaching Physical Education, Health and Life Skills to high school and middle school students at the K-12 institution (it became a charter school in 2010). “We’ll have more knowledgeable people than we’ve ever had that played Little League and (baseball’s) been a part of their life.
“We don’t have a field (on-campus) yet, but that’s in the works.”
Rock Creek played and practiced last spring at Silver Creek Township Park, which is less than a mile from the school.
Two public high schools — Silver Creek and Charlestown — are 1.3 and 6.1 miles away, respectively.
More participation means the possibility of more pitchers which will help with the IHSAA pitch count rule.
“Our rule of thumb is let the hitter get himself out,” says Hafele. “Throw strikes. That’s all we need.”
Other concepts that the coach sees as important are sportsmanship, leadership, fun and the ability to move on from mistakes.
“We’re not letting the last play effect your next play,” says Hafele. “I can’t emphasize that enough.
“Just get the next out.”
Hafele hopes his team — which again play a JV slate in 2022 — will be able to scrimmage Charlestown in the preseason to more-prepared for games.
B.J. Paro is one of his assistants and Hafele hopes to have more.
The Lions’ 2021 schedule included Indiana’s Cannelton, Columbus Christian, Crawford County, Henryville, Jennings County, Lanesville, Perry Central, Providence, Scottsburg, Shawe Memorial, Springs Valley and West Washington and Kentucky’s Whitefield Academy.
Rock Creek Community Academy (enrollment around 180) is an independent with no athletic conference affiliation.
An IHSAA Limited Contact Period goes from Aug. 30-Oct. 16. With Rock Creek’s size (about 180 in the top four grades) and many players in football (seven of nine 2021 baseball starters played that sport and Hafele has been on the coaching staff) or soccer, the Lions have not worked out in the fall.
RCCA’s football team practices on-campus, but rents space at Woehrle Athletic Complex, which is five miles from campus in Jeffersonville, Ind., for home games.
An outfielder as a player, Hafele played for head coach Andy Rice at Harrison then for one season for Mike Goedde at the University of Southern Indiana before transferring to John A. Logan College, a National Junior College Athletic Association member in Carterville, Ill., and played one season for Jerry Halstead.
From there, Hafele went to NCAA Division I McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., but never suffered a shoulder injury and never played for the Cowboys.
He played his final college season for Rick Parr at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, where he earned a bachelor’s degree.
Jay and wife Jill, who also teaches at Rock Creek, have three children — son Cooper (12), daughter Skylar (7) and son Chase (2).

Rock Creek Community Academy’s 2021 baseball team coached by Jay Hafele (back right) and B.J. Paro (back left). (Lowe Sports Media Photo)

Rock Creek Community Academy’s Kendrick Payton and Chris Graham in 2021. (Lowe Sports Media Photo)

Rock Creek Community Academy’s Jonah Cannon in 2021. (Lowe Sports Media Photo)

Rock Creek Community Academy’s Johny Knuckles and Kendrick Payton in 2021. (Lowe Sports Media Photo)

Rock Creek Community Academy’s Jaleb Treat in 2021. (Lowe Sports Media Photo)

Rock Creek Community Academy’s Chris Graham and head baseball coach Jay Hafele in 2021. (Lowe Sports Media Photo)

Rock Creek Community Academy’s Brenden Short in 2021. (Lowe Sports Media Photo)

Rockport wins 11th Indiana American Legion Baseball championship

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

For the 11th time, Rockport Post 254 toted away the hardware.
Rockport beat Crawfordsville Post 72 by a 4-2 count in the Indiana American Legion Baseball Senior State Finals championship game.
The contest was staged Tuesday, July 27 at CFD Investment Stadium at Highland Park in Kokomo and closed out a five-day run for the eight-team double-elimination tournament.
Rockport (20-7) came out of the winners’ bracket, meaning that losers’ bracket survivor Crawfordsville (20-12) had to win twice to earn its first state crown and instead took home its first runner-up trophy.
Post 254 and Post 72 advanced to the championship game with wins in Monday’s semifinals.
With the state crown, Rockport moves on to the Great Lakes Regional Wednesday through Sunday, Aug. 4-8 at Dale Miller Field in Morgantown, W.Va.
Besides the Indiana champion, there will be state title-takers from Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
Eight regional winners advance to the American Legion Baseball World Series Thursday through Monday, Aug. 12-16 on Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C.
Post 254 prevailed Tuesday by staying away from the big Post 72 inning.
“That’s been one of the secrets of this bunch,” said Rockport manager Jim Haaf, who has been involved with all 11 state titles. “They overcome and they did it several times today.”
Crawfordsville plated one run in the top of the seventh inning.
Drew Bradley (2021 Danville Community High School) led off with a walk.
With two outs, Post 254 right-handed starter Jake Stuteville (South Spencer Class of 2021) reached the 105-pitch count limit (he finished with 107 while finishing a batter) was spelled by right-hander Reece Davis (Perry Central Class of 2021), who yielded a single to center from George Valencia (Fountain Central Class of 2020) that plated Bradley then coaxed a championship-clinching infield pop-up.
“I trusted my fastball,” said Stuteville, who struck out six, walked three and gave up five hits and two runs in his 5 1/3 innings. “It was moving.
“I just had confidence in myself.”
Rockport scored one run in the sixth for a 4-1 lead.
Right-hander Landen Southern (Clinton Prairie Class of 2021) reached the pitch limit (he tossed 109 while being allowed to finish a batter) and was relieved by Bradley with the bases loaded and two outs after a pair of Southern strikeouts.
Bradley walked Ashton Tindle (South Spencer Class of 2022) to force in Bren Miller (Tell City Class of 2021), who led off the inning with a single to left) and the frame ended with a strikeout.
Southern gave up four runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.
There were runners at first and second base against Stuteville at the close of the Post 72 sixth.
“It’s rough,” said four-year Crawfordsville manager Kyle Proctor, who saw his team strand eight runners, including four in scoring position. “I think we could have won the championship, but they beat us the first time and put us in the losers’ bracket, making it a lot tougher.”
Jacob Braun (North Montgomery Class of 2021) rapped a one-out single to left and Matthew Harris (Tri-West Hendricks Class of 2021) drew a walk before an inning-ending forceout and third base off the bat of Zach Fichter (Crawfordsville Class of 2021).
The Rockport fifth ended with a defensive gem. Post 72 first baseman Cade Walker (Seeger Class of 2021) made a diving catch of a line drive by Jackson Raaf (South Spencer Class of 2022) and threw to shortstop Owen Gregg (North Montgomery Class of 2020) to double off Jalen Johnson (South Spencer Class of 2022), who had reached on an error and stolen second base. Southern was on the mound for Crawfordsville.
Stuteville worked his way in and out of a jam in a scoreless Crawfordsville fifth.
With one out. Fichter was hit by a pitch, Bradley reached on an error and Austin Motz (Crawfordsville Class of 2022) walked to lead the bases before Stuteville got a strikeout and fly-out to end the threat.
“Our pitcher got squared away,” said Haaf. “Then we made some plays and began to hit the ball a little bit.”
Rockport went down 1-2-3 against Southern in the fourth with swinging strikeout, pop-up and looking strikeout.
Post 72 sent four batters to the plate against Stuteville in a score-free fourth and left Braun at first base following a two-out single to left.
Rockport went scorless against Southern in the third.
Crawfordsville turned a double play for the first two outs — shortstop Gregg to sprawling first baseman Walker.
The inning ended when Crawfordsville left fielder Ficther took away a hit from Diond’re Jacob (Tell City Class of 2021). Fichter made a dive and catch heading toward the fence.
Crawfordsville went down in order against Stuteville in the third with a fly-out, groundout and strikeout.
Post 254 went up 3-1 with two runs in the second.
Wes Scamehorn (Perry Central Class of 2021) drew a lead-off walk and scored on a two-run home run by Houston Compton (South Spencer Class of 2022).
The blast to left came on a 3-2 delivery from Southern that concluded an at-bat where Compton fouled off three pitches.
Post 72 pulled even at 1-1 with a run against Stuteville in the second.
Braun lashed a lead-off double to left, moved to second on a single to left by Walker and scored on a fielder’s choice forceout by Harris.
The frame ended with Rockville catcher Raaf firing to second baseman Johnson to cut down Harris attempting to steal.
Rockport scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the first.
Raaf drew a one-out walk from Southern and later scored on a single to center by Davis.
Southern struck out the side in Crawfordsville first.
Crawfordsville’s roster was full of older players so Proctor expects a different look next summer.
“We scout in the spring and see which players can join us,” says Proctor. “We play for everything. (Players) don’t pay anything.”
Indiana crowned its first American Legion Baseball state champion in 1926.

INDIANA AMERICAN LEGION
SENIOR STATE FINALS
(At Kokomo)
Championship
ROCKPORT POST 254 4,
CRAWFORDSVILLE POST 72 2
Crawfordsville 010 000 1 — 2 6 2
Rockport 120 001 x — 4 7 1
Landen Southern (L), Drew Bradley (6); Jake Stuteville (W), Reece Davis (7, S).
Crawfordsville: Hits — Jacob Braun 3, Owen Gregg 1, George Valencia 1, Cade Walker 1. 2B — Braun. RBI — Valencia 1, Matthew Harris 1. Runs — Braun, Bradley. LOB — 8.
Rockport: Hits — Davis 3, Bren Miller 2, Jackson Raaf 1, Houston Compton 1. HR — Compton. 2B — Davis. RBI — Compton 2, Davis 1, Ashton Tindle 1. Runs — Raaf 1, Compton 1, Miller 1, Wes Scamahorn 1. SB — Davis, Jalen Johnson. LOB — 5. T — 2:08.
Records: Rockport 21-11, Crawfordsville 20-12.

Rockport Post 254 won the 2021 Indiana American Legion Baseball state title in the senior division. (Steve Krah Photo)

Hannon builds relationships with Paoli Rams baseball

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Aaron Hannon was drawn to coaching because of the coach-player relationship.

Hannon enjoyed that as a baseball catcher at John Adams High School‘ in South Bend, Ind., with head coaches Joel Reinebold (now at South Bend Clay) and Scott Sherry (now at Whiteland) and assistant John Huemmer (now at Mishawaka).

“They built that relationship with me,” says Hannon, who is heading into his sixth season as head baseball coach at Paoli (Ind.) High School  in Orange County and is also the defensive coordinator for Rams football. “All three are examples of people who are building people and not just players.

“They took the time to develop kids.”

Hannon played football at Hanover (Ind.) College for Wayne Perry, a man who took the same approach to coaching. 

“He found it just as important to mentor and mold young men and as make football players,” says Hannon. “I respect him and everything he did for me.”

Hannon, who graduated from Adams in 2001 and Hanover in 2005, is emphasizing fundamentals with his Paoli baseball players while building a sense of trust.

“If you can’t do the basic things it’s going to be difficult,” says Hannon. “When we build those relationships, I can ask things of them and they are willing to go the extra mile.

“When they are comfortable, they can have conversation with you that they can’t have when you keep kids at a distance.”

Hannon wants his young athletes to discover the reason for doing things in a certain way.

“Why are we doing this?,” says Hannon. “We have to understand the why.

“The fun part as a coach is seeing the kids take ownership once they understand what’s going on. It’s not just adults pulling the strings.”

Hannon is assisted in 2021 by Springs Valley Junior-Senior High School graduate Chris Meehan and Forest Park Junior-Senior High School alum Jaxon Cronin.

“As coaches, we don’t take things for granted,” says Hannon. “We don’t assume the kid knows something. I think the kids appreciate that.

“We want to make sure we’re all on the same page and in the same flow.”

Hannon wants his players to shoot him straight and he returns the favor.

“You have to be honest,” says Hannon. “Kids respect honesty.”

The same concepts — honesty and communication — are at work for Hannon as a fifth grade math teacher at Throop Elementary in Paoli.

“Feedback is huge,” says Hannon. “Kids can tell you things you had no idea was going on.

“It’s just important for me to listen to what that kid is saying.”

Paoli (enrollment around 430) is a member of the Patoka Lake Athletic Conference (with Crawford County, Mitchell‘, Orleans, Perry Central, Springs Valley and West Washington).

The Rams are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping with Eastern Greene, Linton-Stockton, Mitchell (the 2021 host), North Knox and South Knox‘. Paoli has won eight sectional crowns — the last in 1995.

Aside from conference and sectional games, the Rams are slated to play Eastern (Pekin), Scottsburg, Shoals, Northeast Dubois, Brownstown Central, Henryville, Lanesville, North Harrison and Cannelton. The Rams are to take part in the May 15 Les Page Classic at Loogootee (which also features Princeton Community and Tecumseh).

Paoli play its home games on a lighted on-campus diamond called Trinkle Field. It is named in honor of Ken Trinkle, a Paoli native who pitched for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies in the 1940’s and served as a corporal in the U.S. Army during World War II.

The high school program is fed by seventh and eighth graders who play and practice in the spring on Trinkle Field.

Paoli Youth Diamond Sports serves players age 4 through sixth grade at Paoli Community Park.

With Hannon coaching football and many athletes involved in football, cross country and tennis in the fall, most off-season baseball team activities started after Christmas break.

Of 23 players in the program, one is a senior. With COVID-19 taking away the 2020 season, the last time three of those players appeared in a varsity game was as freshmen in 2019.

“We’ll have lots of competition and varying lineups to see what are best combination is,” says Hannon. “I’m excited. It’s been very fun group to worth with so far.”

Seven seniors graduated in 2020, including current Indiana Tech reserve squad player Aron Busick. 

Aaron and wife Terri Hannon have four children — Michael (17), Tyler (13), Kalyn (11) and Beau (3). Michael Hannon is currently on the Paoli track team. Tyler Hannon plays junior high baseball. Kalyn is involved in elementary volleyball and then goes to youth softball. Beau Hannon is enjoying being a part of it all.

Aaron and Paoli graduate Terri met at Hanover, where she was on the softball team. 

Aaron and wife Terri Hannon have four children — Michael (17), Tyler (13), Kalyn (11) and Beau (3). Michael Hannon is currently on the Paoli track team. Tyler Hannon plays junior high baseball. Kalyn is involved in elementary volleyball and then goes to youth softball. Beau Hannon is enjoying being a part of it all.

Aaron and 1999 Paoli graduate Terri met at Hanover, where she was on the softball team. 

Aaron Hannon (Paoli baseball coach)

Hester takes the wheel for Charlestown Pirates

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

A familiar face is now in charge of the Charlestown (Ind.) High School baseball program. 

Brian Hester, a 1987 Charlestown graduate who served nine seasons as an assistant to former head coach Ricky Romans (who led CHS baseball for 17 years) and the past five with Southern Indiana Rawlings Tigers travel organization, is now leading the Pirates on the diamond.

“Ricky has an amazing passion for the game,” says Hester, who came back on board at Charlestown in December. “He loves the game. He studies the game.”

Hester played high school baseball for Mike Hall.

“He was caring with his players,” says Hester. “I could go to him for anything I needed.

“He’s one of the reasons I started teaching and got into coaching.”

After one season playing for Rick Parr at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Hester concentrated on his studies. He is now a Robotics teacher at Charlestown Middle School after beginning his professional life as a mechanical engineer. He also serves on the Charlestown City Council.

Hester calls Parr one of the greatest hitting instructors he’s ever been around.

The former Boston Red Sox minor leaguer had a knack for breaking down the swing and bringing out the best in a hitter.

“Coming out of high school I was mainly a pull hitter,” says Hester. “He opened up my eyes to using the whole field and being a multi-faceted hitter.

“He was one of the very first guys I heard talk about letting the ball travel deep into the (strike) zone.”

Hester says that by letting the ball travel, the hitter can see it a little deeper and can still generate bat speed and power to the opposite field while opening up the defense.

Another coach to have an impact on Hester is Larry Owens, who played for rival Jeffersonville (Ind.) High School and Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Don Poole when Hester was playing and is now head baseball coach at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky. The two have since worked the same camps.

“Larry is charismatic and has a contagious baseball mind,” says Hester.

Hester, who followed his baseball playing career, by traveling all over the country competing in top-flight slow pitch softball tournaments, has his Charlestown players competing during IHSAA Limited Contact Period winter workouts.

“We compete internally all the time,” says Hester. “I have a good group of (10) seniors who love hard work and competing.”

Hester has been getting his Pirates to understand what it means to have love and passion for the game and and enjoying being on the team.

“A lot of that comes from Larry Owens,” says Hester.

Expecting around 24 players in the program this spring, Hester and assistants Bryan Glover, Tony Kailen, George Roberts and Brady Hester will lead a program in varsity and junior varsity competition. Of the five coaches, only Kailen is not a Charlestown graduate.

The site of the Pirates baseball field is the same that Hester knew as a player, but the facility was totally overhauled almost a decade ago.

The former practice football field was turned into a softball field and now baseball and softball share not only a hitting building but a walkway and common area with a concession stand between the two diamonds.

“There’s great energy for our games,” says Hester. 

Charlestown (enrollment around 715) is a member of the Mid-Southern Conference (with Austin, Brownstown Central, Clarksville, Corydon Central, Eastern of Pekin, North Harrison, Salem, Scottsburg and Silver Creek).

The Pirates are part of an IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping with Brownstown Central, Corydon Central, Madison Consolidated, North Harrison, Salem, Scottsburg and Silver Creek. Charlestown has won two sectional titles — 1999 and 2009.

Non-conference games on the 2021 schedule include Borden, Christian Academy of Indiana, Jennings County, Lanesville, New Washington, Perry Central and South Central (Elizabeth).

Invitees to the May 15 Charlestown Invitational include Boonville, Lebanon and Providence.

While Hester was a Charlestown assistant he helped establish middle school baseball. Not affiliated with the school system, games are played during the spring. This year, Hester expects one team of sixth, seventh and eighth graders. 

Another feeder for CHS baseball is Charlestown Little League. 

There is no travel organization solely-dedicated to Charlestown players and Hester would like to see that change. 

Greater Clark County Schools includes Charlestown and Jeffersonville. Silver Creek School Corporation is nearby.

Recent Charlestown graduates on college baseball teams include right-handed pitchers Andrew Snider (Morehead, Ky., State University) and Drew Fifer (Frontier Community College in Fairfield, Ill.).

Two current seniors — right-handed pitcher Eric Wigginton (Spalding University in Louisville) and utility infielder Matthew McCoy (Hanover, Ind., College) — have made college baseball commitments.

Two others from the Class of 2021 weighing their options are catcher Nathaniel Kimbrell and right-handed pitcher Jacob Glover.

Ronni Hester, Brian’s wife, is in retail management. Brian and Ronni have three sons — Brady (22), Dalton (18) and Boomer (13) plus one grandson. Dalton Hester is a Charlestown senior. Boomer Hester is a seventh grader who plays football, basketball, wrestling and baseball with the middle school team and the Rawlings Tigers.

Brian Hester, a 1987 Charlestown (Ind.) High School graduate, is now head baseball coach at his alma mater. He was a Pirates assistant for nine years on the staff of Ricky Romans and coached the past five with the Southern Indiana Rawlings Tigers travel organization.

Chaney wants school, community to be proud of Mitchell Bluejackets baseball

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Jerry Chaney has been the head baseball coach at Mitchell (Ind.) Senior High School for nine seasons.

He has general goals for the Lawrence County-based Bluejackets — on and off the field.

“My main focus is to turn boys into men that our school and community can be proud of,” says Chaney, who teaches Business, coaches junior varsity girls basketball and is the Students Against Drunk Driving director at MHS. “I want to teach them the fundamentals of baseball and what it takes to become a successful program.”

In 2019, there were 22 playing baseball for MHS. Feeding the Bluejackets at the high school level is a junior high program with about 16 players.

While there are no current players yet committed to play college baseball, Mitchell graduate Tanner Simpson is a left-handed pitcher at Marian University in Indianapolis.

Mitchell calls Gary Seitzinger Field home. The facility was a sectional host site a year ago.

“Our field is well taken care of, and our staff continually works on it,” says Chaney. “We are looking into a turf home plate area, an outside hitting facility and improving areas in front of dugouts.”

Seitzinger and Logan Gore are Chaney assistants.

Chaney is a 1985 Bedford (Ind.) North Lawrence High School graduate. He played for Mike Short while with the Stars and tries to apply lessons he learned with his players.

“Mike was a gentleman off and on the field,” says Chaney. “He was very organized and cared about us.”

After high school, Chaney played catcher at Oakland City (Ind.) University, where he received his B.A. degree in education. He holds a masters of education from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Chaney was a varsity baseball assistant at BNL for 13 seasons, serving primarily as the hitting coach. He has also been head baseball coach at Eastern Greene High School in Bloomfield, Ind.

Mitchell (enrollment around 475) is a member of the Patoka Lake Athletic Conference (with Crawford County, Orleans, Paoli, Perry Central, Springs Valley and West Washington) and plays home and away games against each league team.

Last season’s non-conference opponents for Mitchell have included Bloomfield, Brownstown Central, Corydon Central, Eastern Greene, Linton-Stockton, Loogootee, Salem, Scottsburg and Shoals.

The Bluejackets are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping with Eastern Greene, Linton-Stockton, North Knox, Paoli and South Knox. Mitchell has won 10 sectional crowns — the last in 2006.

Jerry and Sonya Chaney have been married for 13 years and have five children.

Jerry Chaney has been head baseball coach at Mitchell (Ind.) Senior High School for nine seasons.

 

Ingram looking to grow the game with West Washington Senators

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Brent Ingram went to Indianapolis to attend college.

His first two teaching jobs were in Gas City, Ind., and Switz City, Ind.

Then the Washington County, Ind., native came back south and became an educator and a coach at a school just up the road from where he grew up.

Ingram is a 2011 graduate of Salem (Ind.) High School. He had three coaches in four years. The last one was Brett Miller.

The Lions’ two county rivals were West Washington and Eastern (Pekin). His father, Larry Ingram, was head coach at Eastern for 29 seasons, concluding in 2011.

After earning his degree in kinesiology with an emphasis on physical education at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in 2015, Brent Ingram worked one year each as a teacher only at Mississinewa High School and White River Valley High School.

Then West Washington Junior-Senior High School principal MaryAnne Knapp called to say that the Senators needed a P.E. teacher and a head baseball coach.

To his his, he is just the second head baseball coach in the history of the program that was also a teacher.

“That’s a big deal to be able to recruit kids,” says Ingram. “Our numbers are better. We expect to have eight or nine freshmen.”

Ingram took both teaching and coaching positions in 2017-18 and made his father one of his assistants.

“I grew up around a baseball coach and a baseball setting and I loved every minute of it,” says Ingram, who counts Larry Ingram, Tim Barksdale and Lincoln Jones as West Washington assistants.

Barksdale is the former director of the youth league in Campbellsburg and a school board member. Jones teaches business at West Washington. The North Harrison High School graduate pitched for four years at Franklin (Ind.) College.

The 2000 baseball season will be Brent Ingram’s third at the IHSAA Class 1A school of about 290 students.

The first season saw the Senators on the wrong end of many run-rule games. That only happened a couple times last spring.

“They’ve improved,” says Ingram, who has had about a dozen players in the program and on a few occasions — such as days when baseball games and track meets fell on the same day — went into games with just nine. There was a time he his left fielder was playing with the broken arm. “It makes you sweat a little bit. If the guys are willing to put the time in, they’re going to play.”

Moving players around the diamond is the norm.

“We’ve had bunch of different lineups in the last few years,” says Ingram. “That’s for sure.”

Baseball is a priority at West Washington as evidenced by the building a junior high diamond next to the high school facility — Claude C. Combs Field (named for the former Senators head coach and current school board member).

The junior high team is affiliated with the school system and coached by West Washington Elementary principal Tom Rosenbaum and West Washington Community Schools superintendent Keith Nance.

A training building with indoor mounds and batting cages will also benefit the Senators.

Whether that will translate into any home runs at Combs Field remains to be seen. While is is 300 feet down the lines and 350 to center, the field sits up on a hill and the wind seems to always be blowing in.

Ingram has never witnessed a game-time home run there.

Combs Field is lighted and has brick dugouts, raised fences all the way around and, recently, a turf home plate area was added.

“For a 1A, we have awesome facilities,” says Ingram.

The Senators are part of a sectional grouping with Crothersville, New Washington and Shawe Memorial. West Washington, a sectional host the past two years, has yet to win a sectional title.

As a member of the Patoka Lake Athletic Conference (with Crawford County, Mitchell, Orleans, Paoli, Perry Central and Springs Valley), the Senators play home and away games against each league team.

Besides Eastern (Pekin) and Salem, past non-conference opponents have included Borden, Christian Academy of Indiana, Clarksville, Crothersville, Evansville Christian, North Harrison, Orleans, Scottsburg, Shoals, Southwestern (Hanover) and Trinity Lutheran.

The Ingrams (from left): Brooke, Nick, Dustin, Larry, Luke, Janis and Brent. Brent Ingram is head baseball coach at West Washington High School in Campbellsburg, Ind. Larry Ingram, who was head coach at Eastern (Pekin) for 29 years, is one of his assistants. Brent and Dustin are the sons of Larry and Janis. Nick and Luke are the sons of Dustin and Brooke.

Denbo looks for Springs Valley Blackhawks to take ownership of team

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Rob Denbo is entering his first season as head baseball coach at Springs Valley Junior-Senior High School Springs Valley Junior-Senior High School in French Lick, Ind., in 2019.

But the 1989 graduate of the school wants his Blackhawks to know it’s not his team.

“I want to empower the kids,” says Denbo. “I want them to feel like it’s their team.

“I want them to have fun.”

Springs Valley has 13 players in the program — four seniors, four juniors, one sophomore and four freshmen.

“We have a pretty solid core,” says Denbo, who looks for lefty senior pitcher/first baseman/center fielder Christian Tucker to be the team leader. “They’ll all play at some point.

“We’re going to play a lot of freshmen. I’m looking forward to playing from the youngest to the oldest. When we come together and we’re going to be really hard to beat. I’m really excited for them.”

Denbo played baseball for the Blackhawks for four years — the last two for head coach Larry Pritchett.

“He was always very even-keeled,” says Denbo of Pritchett. “He was always excited for us, but he kept his emotions in-check.

“He also had a very dry sense of humor. He had a way of keeping the practices light. We all enjoyed playing for him.”

Pritchett did not believe in fancy plays and neither does Denbo.

“We won several games by keeping it simple,” says Denbo. “I try to do that as well.”

Denbo was a Springs Valley assistant coach the past two years under brother-in-law Bob Greger.

“They’ve bought into a new way of doing things,” says Denbo of the current squad. “I’m looking forward to watching them.”

Denbo, who is assisted by Henry Cruz, Seth Dickey and Broc Warner, has incorporated a good deal of drill work into Blackhawk practices.

“We get a lot of reps in the cage,” says Denbo. “We encourage good habits and create some muscle memory.

“The best way to do it is to have a drill that reinforces the right way to do something. They need to feel it.”

Denbo has noticed that his players are developing the ability to find their own flaws and correct them.

“I don’t have to say anything,” says Denbo. “They can self-correct. It’s not because I’m telling them to.”

Springs Valley (enrollment around 260) is a member of the Patoka Lake Athletic Conference (with Crawford County, Mitchell, Orleans, Paoli, Perry Central and West Washington).

Conference opponents play each other twice, but only the first meeting counts in the standings.

Non-conference foes include Barr-Reeve, Cannelton, Crothersville, Eastern (Pekin), Northeast Dubois, Salem, Scottsburg, Shoals, South Central, Trinity Lutheran and Wood Memorial.

The Blackhawks are part of an IHSAA Class 1A sectional grouping with Cannelton, Northeast Dubois, Tecumseh and Wood Memorial. Northeast Dubois hosted the sectional in 2017. It moved to Cannelton in 2018. It is to be at Tecumseh in 2019. Springs Valley has won 17 sectional championships — the last in 2004.

SV home games are played on-campus on a field that was overhauled two years ago.

“We bulldozed the entire infield under and completely re-did it,” says Denbo. “We’re in really good shape.”

The field has lights, which comes in handy for twilight doubleheaders.

A junior high team of about 18 players also uses the field in the spring. Made up mostly of seventh and eighth graders with a few sixth graders, they play about as many games as the high school varsity.

Springs Valley Youth League and travel baseball organizations, including the Lost River Posse, are also feeders for the high school program.

Denbo played baseball for four years and football for two at DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind. His head coaches were Ed Meyer (baseball) and Nick Mourouzis (football).

After graduating in 1993, Denbo went into journalism and later switched to the hospitality business. He is internal communications manager for French Lick Resort.

Rob and Stacy Denbo have been married 21 years and have three daughters — Andi (19), Emma (17) and Alayna (14).

Members of the 2019 Springs Valley High School baseball team attend a game at Indiana University in Bloomington. Rob Denbo (third from left) is the head coach of the Blackhawks.