NAIA conference tourneys here; UIndy on 11-game win streak

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Qualified NAIA teams play this week in conference tournaments.

Regular-season champion Taylor University is the top seed and host of the Crossroads League May 1-6 at Winterholter Field in Upland, Ind. The Kyle Gould-coached Trojans are 37-13 overall and went 30-6 in league play.

Indiana Wesleyan University (33-13, 27-9) is the No. 2 seed, University of Saint Francis (34-15, 24-12) No. 3, Huntington University (29-19, 23-13) No. 4, Mount Vernon Nazarene University (22-24, 18-18) No. 5, Marian University (22-25, 17-19) No. 6, Spring Arbor University (22-26, 16-20) No. 7 and Grace College (18-30, 12-24) No. 8.

The River States Conference is May 2-6 at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Indiana University Southeast (29-17, 20-4) is the No. 2 seed. Indiana University-Kokomo (30-19, 18-6) is No. 4 and Oakland City University (38-14, 17-7) No. 5.

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference is May 1-7  with host sites the first three days and a best-of-3 championship series May 6-7.

Indiana Tech (27-22, 24-8) is the No. 3 seed and will compete in the Concordia Pod.

The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference is May 4-9 at Duly Health & Care Field in Joliet, Ill.

Indiana University South Bend (18-32, 10-22) is the No. 5 and Calumet College of St. Joseph (21-29, 14-18) No. 8.

At 11 games, NCAA Division II University of Indianapolis has the state’s best winning streak through the Week of April 22-28.

The Al Ready-coached Greyhounds are 32-14 overall and 27-5 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The Taylor Trojans have won their last nine. 

Riding a six-game win streak is Kip McWilliams’ Indiana Tech Warriors.

NCAA Division I Purdue University has strung together four wins, including one April 26 against Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Greg Goff’s Boilermakers are 29-15 in all games and 11-4 in the Big Ten Conference.

Ryan Roth’s Grace Lancers have also won four straight. 

Five programs are on three-game win streaks — Thad Frame’s Huntington Foresters, Ian MacDonald’s Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats, Grant Bellak’s NCAA Division III Hanover College Panthers, Adam Rosen’s NCAA D-III Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Fightin’ Engineers and Jeff Mercer’s NCAA D-I Indiana University Hoosiers.

Hanover is 24-11 overall and 15-3 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

RHIT is 21-14 in all games and 12-6 in the HCAC.

Indiana is 25-18-1 overall and 10-5 in the Big Ten.

The Hoosiers go to Purdue Friday though Sunday, May 3-5.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through April 28

NCAA D-I

Indiana State 31-9 (14-4 MVC)

Purdue 29-15 (11-4 Big Ten)

Ball State 25-18 (12-9 MAC)

Indiana 25-18-1 (10-5 Big Ten)

Evansville 24-19 (12-6 MVC)

Notre Dame 22-20 (7-17 ACC)

Southern Indiana 19-25 (8-10 OVC)

Butler 17-26 (3-9 Big East)

Purdue Fort Wayne 15-28 (8-13 Horizon)

Valparaiso 13-28 (5-13 MVC)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 32-14 (27-5 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 17-25 (7-19 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Hanover 24-11 (15-3 HCAC)

Anderson 22-14 (12-6 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 21-14 (12-6 HCAC)

DePauw 20-13 (9-3 NCAC)

Wabash 19-17 (5-7 NCAC)

Franklin 18-17 (7-11 HCAC)

Manchester 14-21 (7-11 HCAC)

Earlham 13-19 (5-13 HCAC)

Trine 10-25 (2-16 MIAA)

NAIA

Oakland City 38-14 (17-7 RSC) 

Taylor 37-13 (30-6 CL)

Saint Francis 34-15 (24-12 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 33-13 (27-9 CL)

IU-Kokomo 30-19 (18-6 RSC)

IU Southeast 29-17 (20-4 RSC)

Huntington 29-19 (23-13 CL)

Indiana Tech 27-22 (24-8 WHAC)

Marian 22-25 (17-19 CL)

Calumet of St. Joseph 21-29 (14-18 CCAC)

Grace 18-30 (12-24 CL)

IU South Bend 18-32 (10-22 CCAC)

Goshen 12-36 (7-29 CL)

Bethel 11-35 (6-30 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 10-42 (2-22 RSC)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 16-25 (3-18 MCCAA)

Vincennes 13-38 (5-23 MWAC)

Results Through April 28

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, April 23

Southern Indiana 4, Belmont 3 (11 inn.)

Northern Illinois 10, Valparaiso 9

Wednesday, April 24

Indiana 7, Ball State 7 (12 inn.)

Butler 10, Eastern Illinois 6

Purdue 10, Evansville 6

Central Michigan 2, Notre Dame 0

Purdue Fort Wayne 4, Toledo 3 (13 inn.)

Thursday, April 25

Eastern Illinois 4, Southern Indiana 2

Southern Indiana 8, Eastern Illinois 1

Friday, April 26

North Carolina State 10, Ball State 2

Seton Hall 7, Butler 3

Evansville 4, Missouri State 1

Indiana 8, Rutgers 3

Southern Illinois 3, Indiana State 2

Wake Forest 4, Notre Dame 3

Purdue 9, Northwestern 3

Wright State 5, Purdue Fort Wayne 1

Illinois-Chicago 8, Valparaiso 6

Saturday, April 27

North Carolina State 9, Ball State 3

Seton Hall 13, Butler 1

Evansville 8, Missouri State 7

Indiana 12, Rutgers 6

Indiana State 9, Southern Illinois 7

Notre Dame 11, Wake Forest 3

Purdue 10, Northwestern 7

Wright State 11, Purdue Fort Wayne 4

Southern Indiana 14, Eastern Illinois 3

Illinois-Chicago 3, Valparaiso 2

Sunday, April 28

North Carolina State 11, Ball State 3

Butler 3, Seton Hall 2

Missouri State 19, Evansville 8

Indiana 18, Rutgers 6

Indiana State 7, Southern Illinois 2

Notre Dame 8, Wake Forest 7

Purdue 11, Northwestern 3

Wright State 2, Purdue Fort Wayne 1

Valparaiso 20, Illinois-Chicago 0

NCAA D-II

Tuesday, April 23

Indianapolis 6, Findlay 2

Wednesday, April 24

Lewis 6, Purdue Northwest 5

Thursday, April 25

Wisconsin-Parkside 4, Purdue Northwest 2

Friday, April 26

Indianapolis 14, Truman 1

Saturday, April 27

Indianapolis 7, Truman 6

Indianapolis 9, Truman 7

Wisconsin-Parkside 4, Purdue Northwest 0

Wisconsin-Parkside 14, Purdue Northwest 13

Sunday, April 28

Indianapolis 12, Truman 5

Wisconsin-Parkside 13, Purdue Northwest 10

NCAA D-III

Tuesday, April 23

Spalding 6, Hanover 5

Wednesday, April 24

Wabash 11, Anderson 0

Franklin 13, Wilmington 2

Maryville 12, Hanover 2

Thursday, April 25

Wabash 14, Greenville 8

Friday, April 26

Hanover 7, Earlham 6

Manchester 10, Mount St. Joseph 8

Alma 5, Trine 4

Saturday, April 27

Anderson 9, Bluffton 4

Anderson 12, Bluffton 5

DePauw 9, Kenyon 3

Kenyon 17, DePauw 5

Hanover 14, Earlham 8

Hanover 14, Earlham 2

Transylvania 7, Franklin 6

Transylvania 14, Franklin 4

Manchester 13, Mount St. Joseph 2

Mount St. Joseph 9, Manchester 1

Rose-Hulman 11, Defiance 10

Alma 20, Trine 5

Alma 9, Trine 2

Wabash 21, Oberlin 8

Wabash 12, Oberlin 7

Sunday, April 28

Bluffton 9, Anderson 8

DePauw 14, Franklin 7

Franklin 10, DePauw 9

Rose-Hulman 14, Defiance 1

Rose-Hulman 12, Defiance 5

NAIA

Tuesday, April 23

Cumberlands (Ky.) 12, IU-Kokomo 2

IU South Bend 5, Saint Francis (Ill.) 2

Saint Francis (Ill.) 16, IU South Bend 6

IU Southeast 13, Campbellsville 3

Bethel (Tenn.) 17, Oakland City 12

Wednesday, April 24

Grace 5, Bethel (Ind.) 4

Grace 4, Bethel (Ind.) 3

Thursday, April 25

Grace 6, Bethel (Ind.) 2

Grace 5, Bethel (Ind.) 3

Calumet of St. Joseph at 6 Judson 2

Calumet of St. Joseph 19, Judson 0

Taylor 10, Goshen 0

Taylor 10, Goshen 2

Marian 6, Huntington 4

Huntington 6, Marian 1

Shawnee State 3, IU-Kokomo 1

Shawnee State 5, IU-Kokomo 0

Point Park 6, IU Southeast 3

Point Park 6, IU Southeast 3

Spring Arbor 3, Indiana Wesleyan 0

Indiana Wesleyan 10, Spring Arbor 2

Oakland City 17, Alice Lloyd 5

Oakland City 15, Alice Lloyd 1

Saint Francis (Ind.) 7, Mount Vernon Nazarene 6

Saint Francis (Ind.) 7, Mount Vernon Nazarene 1

Friday, April 26

West Virginia Tech 10, IUPU-Columbus 4

Roosevelt 17, IU South Bend 15

Roosevelt 12, IU South Bend 1

Indiana Tech 10, Cornerstone 4

Indiana Tech 8, Cornerstone 7

Indiana Wesleyan 8, Spring Arbor 2

Indiana Wesleyan 3, Spring Arbor 2

Saint Francis (Ind.) 3, Mount Vernon Nazarene 2

Mount Vernon Nazarene 4, Saint Francis (Ind.) 2

Saturday, April 27

Calumet of St. Joseph 4, Judson 3

Calumet of St. Joseph 2, Judson 0

Taylor 26, Goshen 2

Taylor 8, Goshen 7

Huntington 13, Marian 3

Huntington 7, Marian 1

West Virginia Tech 14, IUPU-Columbus 4

Roosevelt 12, IU South Bend 8

Roosevelt 11, IU South Bend 9

Indiana Tech 19, Cornerstone 4

Indiana Tech 7, Cornerstone 3

Sunday, April 28

St. Ambrose 16, Calumet of St. Joseph at St. Ambrose 15

St. Ambrose 12, Calumet of St. Joseph at St. Ambrose 4

Junior College

Thursday, April 25

Lansing 18, Marian’s Ancilla 1

Lansing 6, Marian’s Ancilla 0

Lincoln Trail 5, Vincennes 1

Friday, April 26

Lansing 12, Marian’s Ancilla 2

Lansing 10, Marian’s Ancilla 2

Saturday, April 27

John Wood 8, Vincennes 0

John Wood 14, Vincennes 4

Sunday, April 28

John Wood 13, Vincennes 12

John Wood 8, Vincennes 7

Indiana University Southeast victory streak reaches 10

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

NAIA’s Indiana University Southeast is on the biggest roll among the state’s college baseball programs.

Through the Week of March 25-31, the Brett Neffendorf-coached Grenadiers (21-12 overall, 13-2 in the River State Conference) have won 10 in a row. 

Mason White is hitting a head-turning .438 with 12 home runs and 50 runs batted in. Ethan Burdette (.358, 0 HR, 19 RBIs) and Logan Murphy (.357, 1 HR, 17 RBIs) have also been very productive for IUS. Murphy hit for the cycle (single, double, triple, homer) Saturday, March 30 against Brescia.

NCAA Division I’s Indiana State University (6) and Ball State University (5) are on win streaks as well as NAIA’s Indiana Tech (5), Oakland City University (4), Grace College (3), Indiana University-Kokomo (3) and Saint Francis (3).

NCAA D-II Indianapolis saw its win streak stopped Friday, March 29 at 17.

At 21-5, Mitch Hannahs’ ISU Sycamores have the best mark among Indiana’s D-I teams. Dominic Listi (.379, 0 HR, 13 RBIs) and Luis Hernandez (.376, 7 HR, 31 RBIs) are among offensive leaders.

Rich Maloney’s BSU Cardinals with Michael Hallquist (.370, 11 HR, 34 RBIs) and Greg Goff’s Purdue Boilermakers with Luke Gaffney (.381, 6 HR, 36 RBIs) are both 17-12.

Kip McWilliams’ Indiana Tech Warriors (11-17) have rebounded from an 0-6 start. Luke Huerta (.396, 1 HR, 11 RBIs), Eli McDonald (.360, 3 HRs, 20 RBIs) are among the hitting stars.

Andy Lasher’s OCU Mighty Oaks (28-10) features Oliver Hamiltion (.384, 4 HRs, 22 RBIs).

Ryan Roth’s Grace Lancers (11-20) has Maximo DeLeon (.336, 2 HR, 19 RBIs).

The attack of Drew Brantley’s IUK Cougars (24-13) includes Jack Leverenz (.403, 4 HR, 28 RBIs).

Dustin Butcher’s USF Cougars (20-13) can turn to Ayden Lichtensteiger (.362, 5 HR, 34 RBIs).

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through March 31

NCAA D-I

Indiana State 21-5 (5-1 MVC)

Ball State 17-12 (5-7 MAC)

Purdue 17-12 (2-4 Big Ten)

Indiana 15-14 (1-2 Big Ten)

Notre Dame 14-12 (2-10 ACC)

Butler 12-14 (0-0 Big East)

Southern Indiana 12-15 (3-3 OVC)

Evansville 11-16 (2-4 MVC)

Valparaiso 10-16 (2-4 MVC)

Purdue Fort Wayne 10-18 (4-5 Horizon)

NCAA D-II

Indianapolis 17-10 (13-3 GLVC)

Purdue Northwest 9-12 (1-7 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III

Anderson 14-9 (4-2 HCAC)

Franklin 13-7 (4-3 HCAC)

Hanover 13-8 (4-2 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 11-10 (3-4 HCAC)

DePauw 9-8 (0-0 NCAC)

Wabash 9-9 (0-2 NCAC)

Earlham 8-11 (2-5 HCAC)

Trine 8-11 (0-2 MIAA)

Manchester 8-14 (2-5 HCAC)

NAIA

Oakland City 28-10 (11-4 RSC) 

IU-Kokomo 24-13 (12-3 RSC)

Taylor 23-11 (16-4 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 21-9 (15-5 CL)

IU Southeast 21-12 (13-2 RSC)

Saint Francis 20-13 (10-10 CL)

Huntington 18-13 (13-7 CL)

Marian 16-13 (11-7 CL)

Calumet of St. Joseph 14-20 (7-9 CCAC)

Indiana Tech 11-17 (8-4 WHAC)

IU South Bend 11-19 (3-9 CCAC)

Goshen 11-20 (6-13 CL)

Grace 11-20 (5-14 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 10-27 (2-13 RSC)

Bethel 9-21 (4-16 CL)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 13-11 (0-5 MCCAA)

Vincennes 11-21 (4-8 MWAC)

Results Through March 31

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, March 26

Ball State 12, Southern Indiana 5

Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 14, Evansville 6

Indiana 12, Middle Tennessee State 5

Indiana State 8, Purdue 7

Vanderbilt 3, Valparaiso 2

Thursday, March 28

Ball State 7, Ohio 6

Butler 6, Indiana 2

Evansville 12, Southern Illinois 2

North Carolina State 10, Notre Dame 0

Milwaukee 10, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Morehead State 11, Southern Indiana 10

Friday, March 29

Ball State 12, Ohio 3

Indiana 11, Butler 2

Indiana 22, Butler 3

Southern Illinois 10, Evansville 6

Indiana State 10, Illinois-Chicago 6

North Carolina State 7, Notre Dame 6

Ohio State 8, Purdue 2

Milwaukee 3, Purdue Fort Wayne 1

Southern Indiana 8, Morehead State 7

Bradley 6, Valparaiso 4

Saturday, March 30

Ball State 14, Ohio 7

Indiana 22, Butler 3

Butler 8, Indiana 5

Evansville 11, Southern Illinois 10 (10 inn.)

Indiana State 9, Illinois-Chicago 8 (11 inn.)

North Carolina State 7, Notre Dame 6

Ohio State 12, Purdue 10

Purdue Fort Wayne 9, Milwaukee 5

Morehead State 18, Southern Indiana 9

Valparaiso 9, Bradley 2

Sunday, March 31

Indiana State 4, Illinois-Chicago 1

Purdue 7, Ohio State 1

Valparaiso 13, Bradley 2

NCAA D-II

Thursday, March 28

Indianapolis 21, Rockhurst 4

Friday, March 29

Rockhurst 12, Indianapolis 4

Rockhurst 5, Indianapolis 4

Purdue Northwest 4, Grand Valley State 1

Grand Valley State 4, Purdue Northwest 1

Saturday, March 30

Rockhurst 17, Indianapolis 10

Saginaw Valley State 9, Purdue Northwest 2

Saginaw Valley State 14, Purdue Northwest 3

NCAA D-III

Monday, March 25

DePauw 12, Union (N.Y.) 2

Earlham 19, Bluffton 11

Bluffton 8, Earlham 7

Franklin 17, Defiance 4

Franklin 17, Defiance 0

Ohio Northern 17, Trine 3

Tuesday, March 26

Centre 13, Hanover 10

Wednesday, March 27

DePauw 5, St. Olaf 2

Manchester 10, Hope 8

Wabash 8, Rose-Hulman 2

Thursday, March 28

Colby 6, DePauw 4

Colby 3, DePauw 2

Friday, March 29

Mount St. Joseph 12, Earlham 10

Franklin 8, Manchester 5

Manchester 14, Franklin 4

Transylvania 13, Rose-Hulman 8

Hope 8, Trine 1

Hope 6, Trine 5

Saturday, March 30

Hanover 15, Anderson 4

Anderson 9, Hanover 8

Mount St. Joseph 7, Earlham 6

Mount St. Joseph 12, Earlham 2

Franklin 16, Manchester 7

Transylvania 5, Rose-Hulman 4

Transylvania 16, Rose-Hulman 6

Denison 9, Wabash 0

Denison 9, Wabash 4

NAIA

Monday, March 25

Huntington 11, Bethel (Ind.) 1

Huntington 2, Bethel (Ind.) 1

Spring Arbor 17, Goshen 9

Spring Arbor 16, Goshen 4

Indiana Tech 16, Michigan-Dearborn 2

Indiana Tech 14, Michigan-Dearborn 1

Tuesday, March 26

Calumet of St. Joseph 11, Saint Francis (Ill.) 4

Calumet of St. Joseph 13, Saint Francis (Ill.) 3

IU-Kokomo 14, Indiana Tech 1

Indiana Tech 6, IU-Kokomo 5

IUPU-Columbus 6, Wright State-Lake 1

IU-South Bend 1, Judson 0

IU-South Bend 5, Judson 2

Thursday, March 28

Bethel (Ind.) 4, Indiana Wesleyan 1

Indiana Wesleyan 13, Bethel (Ind.) 5

Grace 17, Goshen 0

Grace 6, Goshen 1

Taylor 14, Huntington 2

Huntington 3, Taylor 0

Grace Christian 14, IUPU-Columbus 7

IUPU-Columbus 21, Grace Christian 1

Mount Vernon Nazarene 13, Marian 3

Marian 8, Mount Vernon Nazarene 0

Spring Arbor 7, Saint Francis (Ind.) 4

Saint Francis (Ind.) 1, Spring Arbor 0

Friday, March 29

Saint Xavier 9, Calumet of St. Joseph 2

Saint Xavier 9, Calumet of St. Joseph 5

IU-Kokomo 8, IUPU-Columbus 1

Saint Ambrose 9, IU South Bend 8

Saint Ambrose 5, IU South Bend 4

IU Southeast 9, Brescia 7

Indiana Tech 8, Cleary 7

Indiana Tech 11, Cleary 4

Oakland City 8, Midway 4

Oakland City 6, Midway 0

Saturday, March 30

Indiana Wesleyan 10, Bethel (Ind.) 4

Indiana Wesleyan 7, Bethel (Ind.) 5

Calumet of St. Joseph 6, Saint Xavier 2

Saint Xavier 8, Calumet of St. Joseph 3

Grace 14, Goshen 7

Huntington 8, Taylor 5

Taylor 8, Huntington 5

IU-Kokomo 8, IUPU-Columbus 3

IU-Kokomo 16, IUPU-Columbus 4

Saint Ambrose 8, IU South Bend 3

Saint Ambrose 17, IU South Bend 16

IU Southeast 22, Brescia 12

IU Southeast 8, Brescia 6

Indiana Tech 9, Rochester 6

Indiana Tech 11, Rochester 6

Oakland City 8, Midway 5

Saint Francis (Ind.) 16, Spring Arbor 3

Saint Francis (Ind.) 5, Spring Arbor 2

Junior College

Tuesday, March 26

Vincennes 16, Olney Central 12

Thursday, March 28

Lansing 6, Marian’s Ancilla 1

Friday, March 29

Kalamazoo Valley 13, Marian’s Ancilla 4

John A. Logan 12, Vincennes 6

Pawlik to spend graduate year at Indiana Wesleyan

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Jeff Pawlik has enjoyed competing with friends throughout his athletic life.

He will get to do that with a new set of pals as a baseball graduate transfer at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.

Pawlik, a 2019 graduate of Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind., spent the past four seasons (2020-23) at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., with 2020 being curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic leading to an extra year of eligibility which he will use at IWU. 

The Lancers and Wildcats are both members of the NAIA and the Crossroads League.

“I’m thankful to Grace baseball for the four years I was able to play there,” says Pawlik, who turned 23 in June. “It was a big part of my life and where I found a true passion for the game.

“I’m thankful for everyone who helped me there and all the relationships I was able to build.”

Pawlik’s head coach with the Lancers was Ryan Roth.

“I really enjoyed it,” says Pawlik of his time playing for Roth. “He treated me with care and gave me an opportunity to play which is something I’m really thankful for in my life.”

Pawlik developed a special bond with Grace assistant Justin Love.

“The coach that has impacted me the most is Coach Love,” says Pawlik. “He developed a work ethic and a mindset in me that helped me be successful in baseball. I don’t think I’d be in the place I am now without him coaching me and being there for me on and off the field. 

“He’s definitely a big part of my life and my baseball career.”

Deciding not to play in the summer of 2021, Pawlik stayed at Grace, lifted weights and worked with Love on his swing.

“It’s probably one of the best things I’ve done,” says Pawlik.

In 153 games at Grace, the lefty swinger hit .267 (136-of-509) with 11 home runs, two triples, 35 doubles, 94 runs batted in, 102 runs scored, a .788 OPS (.379 on-base percentage plus .409 slugging average) and 16 stolen bases.

In 2023, Pawlik batted at a .293 (43-of-147) clip with seven homers, one triple, 10 doubles, 35 RBIs, 40 runs, .962 OPS (.445/.517) and 11 steals in 46 games.

Pawlik, a 6-foot-3, 205-pounder, knocked in five runs in a Feb. 19 against Aquinas at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.

He tied a program record with three doubles in a game vs. Aquinas in 2022.

After producing 12 multi-hit games in 2022, he posted 11 in 2023 as Grace tied the single-season school record for victories with 21.

In his first 11 games with the 2023 Xenia (Ohio) Scouts of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, Pawlik was hitting .250 (8-of-32) with nine RBIs and six runs.

The Colby Watilo-managed Scouts are affiliated with Athletes In Action. 

Pawlik played for AIA’s Rochester (N.Y.) Ridgemen (managed by former Richmond (Ind.) Roosters infielder Taylor Hargrove) during the 2022 New York Collegiate Baseball League summer slate and had such a good experience that he jumped at the chance to play in Xenia.

A lefty-throwing first baseman, Pawlik prides himself on his D.

“At a young age I learned defensive play wins the game so I’ve always had a big drive to the best at that,” says Pawlik, who counts reading the hitter and making the necessary plays as keys at first base. 

While Penn now his turf, that was not the case when Pawlik was there. Grace has also had grass and dirt. IWU has a turf field.

“The natural field has helped me become the fielder I am because you don’t get the luxury of turf hops and you learn to deal with bad hops,” says Pawlik.

After Pawlik announced he would transfer for his grad year, he talked to Ian MacDonald — who is now head coach at Indiana Wesleyan.

“There was super high interest from both sides,” says Pawlik. “I just really like how they carry themselves and what they’re about at (Indiana) Wesleyan.”

He visited the campus a couple of weeks into the summer.

“I loved everything about it —  the coaches, the facilities. A couple of days after that I decided to make it official and make it my home for my fifth year.”

IWU went 41-20-1 overall and 26-10 in the Crossroads League and made its first NAIA World Series appearance in 2023.

Born in South Bend, Ind., Jeff Pawlik grew up in nearby Granger with parents Rod and Lisa and sister Lexie.

Rod Pawlik is a longtime Penn football assistant coach.

Lisa Pawlik is a Health/Physical Education teacher and former head volleyball coach. She guided Penn to state championships in 2010 and 2011 — the first one with the help of Lexie Pawlik (Class of 2011), who went on to play at the University of South Carolina and Western Michigan University and was a coach as Lexie Banks.

“(My parents) instilled in me the hard work ethic growing up,” says Pawlik. “I was always in the gym with them or on the field. I got to see them go about their business. 

“They also taught me to have short-term memory if things aren’t going well and just move on to the next.”

Jeff played at what is now Harris Township Baseball Softball and was in travel ball with the Granger Irish, Michiana Scrappers, Mark Haley-coached South Bend Cubs and Mike Marks-coached Hitters Edge (Sturgis, Mich.).

Pawlik was on the Penn varsity as a junior and senior, playing for Greg Dikos (who is Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer and recently became a six-time state champion coach).

“It was a good experience,” says Pawlik of his time with the Kingsmen. “I had a lot of fun. Those were my buddies growing up. 

“We just got along really well and it was a super-competitive atmosphere.”

Rod and Lisa also played videos of Michael Jordan for their son.

“I could see how competitive he was and how intensely he played the game,” says Pawlik. “Watching how successful that made him made me want to play the same way.

“Obviously I don’t have the same talent he does, but I can carry myself in the same way.”

Pawlik, who has been honored as CSC Academic All-District and Academic all-conference during his career, earned a Sport Management degree with a Business Administration minor and began working on his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Grace and says he will look to finish it at IWU.

Jeff Pawlik. (Grace College Photo)

Jeff Pawlik. (Grace College Photo)

Jeff Pawlik. (Grace College Photo)

Jeff Pawlik. (Grace College Photo)

Jeff Pawlik. (Grace College Photo)

Grace righty Etchison spending ’23 summer in Alaska

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Evan Etchison pitches for Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., during the school year.

This summer, the 21-year-old right-hander is taking the mound and making memories more than 3,600 miles away as member of the five-team Alaska Baseball League’s Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks.

“It’s amazing. The views are unreal. The teammates, coaching and Athletes in Action staff are amazing,” says Etchison. “I’m so excited for the rest of the summer. It’s been so fun.”

Etchison, who helped Daleville (Ind.) High School to an Indiana High School Athletic Association Class 1A state title in 2018 and graduated from the Delaware County school in 2020 (a season lost to the COVID-19 pandemic), pitched for the  Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League’s Xenia (Ohio) Scouts in 2022. 

That came about through a connection between Grace head coach Ryan Roth, general manager Jason Lester and field manager Tim Cole.

Like Xenia, Chugiak-Eagle River is affiliated with Athletes In Action — a sports ministry. 

When Cole went to lead the team in Alaska and asked Etchison to join him he gladly accepted the invitation.

So far, he has made two mound appearances with four strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings.

A typical day for Etchison begins with a van picking he and teammates up at their host family’s house at around 10:15 a.m. for a gym session at The Alaska Club. There the pitcher can get in a lift and do recovery work if he was on the mound the night before.

Then comes discipleship time when players listen to speakers or share their faith stories.

Next comes a trip to the locker room. If it’s a home game, the players have jobs. They get the field prepared, set up the souvenir shop and set out the signs etc.

Batting practice is two hours before a 6 p.m. game. If the Chinooks are on the road then they go there by van. The farthest drive is about 30 minutes.

Alaska is sometimes called “Land of the Midnight Sun.”

“It’s crazy,” says Etchison. “It think the only time it’s dark is from 1 to 3 a.m. We get home from the game and it feels like it’s (5 p.m.). It’s really almost midnight.

“It definitely took me awhile to get used to it. Our host family is super nice. They provided some blackout curtains for us.”

The Alaska Baseball League uses a unique “sudden death” extra-inning rule.

If a game is tied after nine innings the 10th inning is played as normal. 

If it is still tied after that there is a home plate meeting.  The home team decides if it wants to hit or play in the field. 

The extra inning starts with a runner on first base. If the hitting team score before three outs it wins. If the field team hold the team from scoring it wins. 

Says Etchison, “It is an absolutely electric atmosphere because you know someone is winning it that half inning.”

Etchison did not play in the summer of 2021. He worked at a local warehouse and worked out at Grace at night.

“I lost a lot of weight and got in better shape,” says Etchison. “My freshman year we were coming off COVID-19 and I did not have the passion I had in high school. But getting back in a routine and getting after it everyday that summer got me back where I needed to be.

“I found that love and passion for the game again.”

Born and raised in Anderson, Ind., Etchison began pitching with the Jason Stecher-coached Indiana Renegades while still in grade school. He then played for the Indiana Magic, Indiana Eagles and Indiana Prospects. He was with the 18U Prospects in 2020 — the year the COVID-19 pandemic took away his senior season at Daleville.

The Terry Turner-coached Broncos beat University 4-2 in nine innings for the 1A title in 2018. Etchison, then a sophomore, pitched the first seven innings and whiffed nine. He also produced two of his team’s seven hits.

“He just knows the game,” says Etchison, who was a varsity player for Turner from the start of his prep career. “He’s just a great coach. He’ll be straight with you.

“He’s just a great coach.”

During his junior high and high school years, Etchison worked with brothers Michael Earley and Nolan Earley as well as Mike Shirley and Justin Wechsler at The Barn in Lapel, Ind., and played in Shirley’s highs school fall league.

“That’s where I found my love for grinding, working hard and getting better at baseball,” says Etchison. 

Also a first baseman in high school, Etchison landed as a pitcher-only at Grace, where he now has two years of remaining eligibility.

“It’s amazing,” says Etchison of playing for Roth. “He’s trying to grow the program which is awesome.”

Roth led the NAIA Crossroads League’s Lancers to a 21-27 record in 2023. That tied the school record for single-season victories.

“What he’s doing is working,” says Etchison. “I can got to him whenever I need to. He listens to me. 

“He’ll reason with me. It’s been great.”

Besides head coaching duties, Roth coordinates Lancer hurlers.

“He’s developed my pitching,” says Etchison. “I wanted to get better.

“My first year I added slider and changed my arm mechanics.”

Throwing from a three-quarter overhand arm slot, the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Etchison uses a four-seam fastball, change-up, curveball and slider and sometimes mixes in a two-seamer.

His four-seam topped out at 91 mph at Grace and sat at 86-89.

He throws a “circle” change and 12-to-6 curve.

The righty describes the action on his slider.

“It moves horizontally like a fastball until it gets to the plate then it sweeps or dives,” says Etchison.

In 2023, he made nine mound appearances (all starts) and went 3-0 with two complete games, one shutout, a 4.09 earned run average, 51 stikeouts and 22 walks in 50 2/3 innings. For the second straight year he was named to the all-Crossroads League second team.

In three seasons (2021-23), Etchison has pitched in 36 games (25 starts) and is 7-8 with two saves, 4.56 ERA, 175 K’s and 71 walks in 148 innings.

The Sport Management major and Pre-Law minor has been honored as an NAIA Scholar Athlete in 2022 and 2023.

Evan is the son of Marc and Beth Etchison and older brother of Connor Etchison.

Marc Etchison works at Anderson University and is an assistant football coach at Alexandria-Monroe High School. 

Beth Etchison teaches special education at Highland Middle School in Anderson and is a retired volleyball coach. She was head coach at Daleville when Evan was in high school.

Connor Etchison (Alexandra-Monroe Class of 2023) is bound for Grace as a track and field thrower.

Evan Etchison. (Grace College Photo)

Evan Etchison. (Grace College Photo)

Evan Etchison. (Grace College Photo)

Evan Etchison. (Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks Photo)

Oakland City ‘mighty’ strong out of the gate

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

NAIA member Oakland City University is off to a 15-1 start to the 2023 baseball season.
The Andy Lasher-coached Mighty Oaks pushed their win streak to seven with four more this week.
Heritage Hills High School graduate Sam Pinckert (.357) and Evansville Central alum Garrett Causey (.351) lead OCU in hitting.
Right-handers Hunter Callahan (3-0), Vincennes Lincoln product Blake Mincey (2-0) and North Vermillion alum Luke Osborn (2-0) account for nearly half the pitching victories.
Another NAIA squad — Grace (8-3) — enjoyed a 3-1 week.
The Ryan Roth-coached Lancers are led offensively on the season by Sam Newkirk (.410), Grant Hartley (.345) and Bradyn McIntosh (.343). Three players have bashed three homers — Newkirk, Perry Meridian graduate John Joyce and Penn alum Jeff Pawlik.
Washington Township graduate and left-hander Steven Hernandez (2-1) paces the pitching staff in wins. Westview alum and right-hander Hunter Schumacher has three saves.
Jordan Wiersema (.472) and Cooper Tolson (.423) are hitting leaders for NAIA Bethel (7-5).
Logansport graduate Tucker Platt (.410) has the top average and Carmel alum Luke Barnes has popped five homers for NAIA Indiana University-Kokomo (7-7).
Homestead graduate Kaleb Kolpien is hitting .448 with three homers and Greenwood Community alum T.J. Bass (.328) has clubbed four homers for NAIA Taylor (7-7).
Hamilton Southeastern graduate Jacob Daftari has a pair of two-homer games in a four-game sweep for NAIA Indiana Tech (6-1). Brice Stultz went deep for the Warriors in another contest.
Mississinewa alum Tyler Jakob (.385) is the top hitter while right-handers Joey Butz (Heritage Christian) and Tyler Papenbrock (Leo) have two pitching victories each for NAIA Huntington (6-5).
Bryce Davenport (.429) has started seven games and Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter alum right-hander Damien Wallace has two wins for NAIA Marian (2-2).
Homestead graduate Jayden Lepper (.400) and David Miller (three homers) has played all 12 games and right-hander Blaine McRae (Fort Wayne South Side) has two wins for NAIA Saint Francis (5-7).
Sean Moore (.400) has played in all 12 games and right-hander Maxwell Everaert (Hebron) has two wins for NAIA Calumet of St. Joseph (4-7).
Trent Sillett (.417) has the best average, Jenner Rodammer has socked three homers and right-hander David Lopez has two victories for NAIA Goshen (4-7).
Greensburg alum Logan Smith (.429) is the top hitter, Brenden Bell has three homers and right-hander Robbie Berger (John Glenn) two saves for NAIA Indiana University South Bend (4-7).
Decatur Central graduate Brayden Hazelwood (.405) has played in all 11 games for Indiana University Southeast (3-8).
Tri-West Hendricks alum Lucas Goodin (.422) has 11 starts and Mooresville graduate Nick Wiley three homers for NAIA Indiana Wesleyan (3-7-1).
NCAA D-II University of Indianapolis (6-0) produced another three-game series sweep.
Top hitters for the Al Ready-coached Greyhounds so far are Brandon DeWitt (.500), Drew Donaldson (.462), Union County alum Denton Shepler (.444), Lewis Cass graduate Easton Good (.435) and Lawrence North alum Caleb Vaughn (.429). Three of four hits for Brady Ware are home runs.
Left-hander DeWitt (2-0) and right-hander Logan Peterson are UIndy victory leaders.
NCAA D-III Rose-Hulman knocked off No. 3-ranked LaGrange (Ga.) 6-3 Sunday.
The first four hitters in the lineup for the Adam Rosen-coached Fightin’ Engineers — Terre Haute South Vigo graduate Kade Kline, Colter Coulliard-Rodak, Dalton Busboom and Andy Krajecki — scored a run.
Warsaw alum Liam Patton (.435) is off to a hot offensive start and right-hander Derek Haslett (Indianapolis Cathedral) is 2-0 for D-III Wabash (4-2).
Trine (3-0) got four runs batted in each from Cory Erbskorn and Bedford North Lawrence graduate Dalton Nikirk during a season-opening series sweep for the Greg Perschke-coached Thunder.
Among the state’s 10 NCAA D-I programs, Purdue and Southern Indiana are off to the best starts.
Both the Boilermakers and Screaming Eagles are 5-3. Purdue just split four games with New Jersey Institute of Technology. Southern Indiana took two of three against Bellarmine.
Couper Cornblum (.375), Jake Jarvis (.375) and Evan Albrecht (.346) are leading hitters for Purdue. Paul Toetz has a team-leading three homers. Right-hander Aaron Suval is 2-0 with one save and a 1.23 ERA.
Ricardo Van Grieken has started all eight games for USI and is hitting .429. Tucker Ebest has slugged a team-best three homers. On the mound, righty and Jeffersonville alum Gavin Seebold is 1-0 with a 1.08 earned run average.
Right-hander Luke Sinnard picked up the win Sunday as Indiana (3-4) won 4-2 at Texas. The 6-foot-8 Sinnard is 2-0.
Among other D-I leaders in homers, South Central (Union Mills) graduate Kyle Schmack of Valparaiso (4-2) and Ryan Peltier of Ball State (4-4) have four, Joey Urban of Butler (2-5), Linton-Stockton alum Kip Fougerousse of Evansville (2-5) and Valpo’s Nolan Tucker, a Hanover Central graduate, have three.
In junior college ball, Shakamak alum Ethan Burdette (.441) is the leading hitter for Vincennes (4-8).

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL
Records Through Feb. 26
NCAA D-I
Purdue 5-3 (0-0 Big Ten)
Southern Indiana 5-3 (0-0 OVC)
Valparaiso 4-2 (0-0 MVC)
Ball State 4-4 (0-0 MAC)
Notre Dame 3-3 (0-0 ACC)
Indiana 3-4 (0-0 Big Ten)
Butler 2-5 (0-0 Big East)
Evansville 2-5 (0-0 MVC)
Indiana State 2-5 (0-0 MVC)
Purdue Fort Wayne 1-7 (0-0 Horizon)

NCAA D-II
Indianapolis 6-0 (0-0 GLVC)
Purdue Northwest 1-3 (0-0 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III
Wabash 4-2 (0-0 NCAC)
Earlham 3-0 (0-0 HCAC)
Trine 3-0 (0-0 MIAA)
Franklin 2-0 (0-0 HCAC)
DePauw 2-3 (0-0 NCAC)
Manchester 1-1 (0-0 HCAC)
Rose-Hulman 1-2 (0-0 HCAC)
Anderson 0-3 (0-0 HCAC)
Hanover 0-3 (0-0 HCAC)

NAIA
Oakland City 15-1 (0-0 RSC)
Grace 8-3 (0-0 CL)
Bethel 7-5 (0-0 CL)
IU-Kokomo 7-7 (0-0 RSC)
Taylor 7-7 (0-0 CL)
Indiana Tech 6-1 (0-0 WHAC)
Huntington 6-5 (0-0 CL)
Marian 6-6 (0-0 CL)
Saint Francis 5-7 (0-0 CL)
Calumet of Saint Joseph 4-7 (0-0 CCAC)
Goshen 4-7 (0-0 CL)
IU South Bend 4-11 (0-0 CCAC)
IU Southeast 3-8 (0-0 RSC)
Indiana Wesleyan 3-7-1 (0-0 CL)
IUPU-Columbus 1-11

Junior College
Vincennes 4-8 (0-0 MWAC)
Ivy Tech Northeast 1-4
Marian’s Ancilla 0-8 (0-0 MCCAA)

Through Feb. 26
NCAA D-I
Tuesday, Feb. 21
Kentucky 6, Evansville 3
Indiana 13, Miami (Ohio) 5
Indiana State 8, Florida Gulf Coast 7
Lipscomb 6, Southern Indiana 4

Wednesday, Feb. 22
Miami (Fla.) 9, Indiana State 3

Friday, Feb. 24
Ball State 9, Merrimack 0
Campbell 9, Butler 4
Eastern Michigan 5, Evansville 2
Texas 4, Indiana 2
Notre Dame 6, UNC-Greensboro 5
Purdue 6, New Jersey Institute of Technology 5
New Jersey Institute of Technology 5, Purdue 1
Bethune-Cookman 13, Purdue Fort Wayne 8
Bellarmine 4, Southern Indiana 2
Valparaiso 10, Tennessee-Martin 2

Saturday, Feb. 25
Ball State 5, Rutgers 4
Bucknell 7, Ball State 2
Campbell 25, Butler 6
Evansville 9, Eastern Michigan 7
Texas 5, Indiana 2
Northeastern 9, Indiana State 5
Northeastern 15, Indiana State 10
UNC-Greensboro 12, Notre Dame 0
Purdue 7, New Jersey Institute of Technology 4
Bethune-Cookman 9, Purdue Fort Wayne 5
Bethune-Cookman 7, Purdue Fort Wayne 4
Southern Indiana 6, Bellarmine 3
Valparaiso 5, Tennessee-Martin 4 (10 inn.)

Sunday, Feb. 26
Ball State 6, Canisius 1
Campbell 10, Butler 9
Evansville 5, Eastern Michigan 3
Indiana 4, Texas 2
Northeastern 8, Indiana State 7 (11 inn.)
Notre Dame 7, UNC-Greensboro 4
New Jersey Institute of Technology 7, Purdue 5
Bethune-Cookman 10, Purdue Fort Wayne 0
Southern Indiana 18, Bellarmine 5
Valparaiso 17, Tennessee-Martin 4

NCAA D-II
Saturday, Feb. 25
Indianapolis 4, Grand Valley State 2
Indianapolis 10, Grand Valley State 8
Northwood 4, Purdue Northwest 3
Northwood 9, Purdue Northwest 8

Sunday, Feb. 26
Indianapolis 7, Grand Valley State 4
Purdue Northwest 6, Northwood 4
Northwood 13, Purdue Northwest 2

NCAA D-III
Friday, Feb. 24
Webster 16, DePauw 5
Earlham 12, Olivet 10
Maryville 16, Hanover 5

Saturday, Feb. 25
Trine 8, Anderson 5
Trine 8, Anderson 2
Spalding 4, DePauw 3
Earlham 11, Olivet 9
Earlham 9, Olivet 3
Manchester 12, York (Pa.) 5
LaGrange 20, Rose-Hulman 3
LaGrange 14, Rose-Hulman 2
Wabash 14, Albion 2
Hope 12, Wabash 5

Sunday, Feb. 26
Trine 7, Anderson 4
DePauw 4, Wilmington 2
Franklin 3, Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 2
Franklin 1, Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 0
Maryville 4, Hanover 3
Maryville 16, Hanover 12
York (Pa.) 3, Manchester
Rose-Hulman 6, LaGrange 3
Heidelberg 6, Wabash 2

NAIA
Thursday, Feb. 23
Bethel 16, Toccoa Falls 14
Grace 9, Trinity Christian 7
Trinity Christian 15, Grace 7
Oakland City 13, IUPU-Columbus 2
Oakland City 11, IUPU-Columbus 1
Taylor 20, Olivet Nazarene 5 (7 inn.)
Taylor 13, Olivet Nazarene 1

Friday, Feb. 24
Toccoa Falls 8, Bethel 7
Toccoa Falls 9, Bethel 7
Calumet of St. Joseph 7, Hannibal-LaGrange 0
Calumet of St. Joseph 9, Hannibal-LaGrange 0
IU Southeast 5, Huntington 1
IU Southeast 8, Huntington 7
Oakland City 11, IUPU-Columbus 4
Oakland City 5, IUPU-Columbus 3
Georgia Gwinnett 6, IU South Bend 3
Georgia Gwinnett 8, IU South Bend 4
Faulkner 8, Indiana Wesleyan 7
Faulkner 7, Indiana Wesleyan 1

Saturday, Feb. 25
Hannibal-LaGrange 6, Calumet of St. Joseph 5
Calumet of St. Joseph 7, Hannibal-LaGrange 6
Goshen 7, Brescia 0
Brescia 3, Goshen 2
Grace 6, Trinity Christian 3
Grace 11, Trinity Christian 5
Northwest Ohio 4, Huntington 1
Northwest Ohio 3, Huntington 2
IU-Kokomo 6, Saint Francis (Ind.) 2
Saint Francis (Ind.) 4, Madonna 2
Madonna 4, IU-Kokomo 2
Georgia Gwinnett 10, IU South Bend 5
Georgia Gwinnett 10, IU South Bend 2
Indiana Tech 12, Saint Ambrose 8
Indiana Tech 7, Saint Ambrose 3
Faulkner 10, Indiana Wesleyan 4
Concordia (Mich.) 9, Marian 6
Concordia (Mich.) 9, Marian 7
Taylor 6, Olivet Nazarene 5
Olivet Nazarene 4, Taylor 3

Sunday, Feb. 26
Goshen 6, Brescia 4
Goshen 7, Brescia 5
Madonna 10, IU-Kokomo 4
Saint Francis (Ind.) 14, Madonna 2
IU-Kokomo 7, Saint Francis (Ind.) 5
IUPU-Columbus at Cincinnati-Clermont
Northwestern Ohio 8, IU Southeast 7
IU Southeast 7, Northwestern Ohio 2
Indiana Tech 7, Saint Ambrose 2
Indiana Tech 4, Saint Ambrose 2
Marian 12, Concordia (Mich.) 6

Junior College
Tuesday, Feb. 21
Wabash Valley 8, Vincennes 2

Friday, Feb. 24
Olney Central 9, Vincennes 5

Saturday, Feb. 25
Morton 12, Vincennes 9
Joliet 12, Vincennes 9

Sunday, Feb. 26
Vincennes 12, Morton 4

Indiana college baseball gets rolling for 2023

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

The 2023 season has begun most of Indiana’s 39 baseball-playing colleges and universities.
All 10 NCAA Division I schools opened up Friday, Feb. 17. Purdue and Southern Indiana enjoyed 3-1 weekends.
It was the first games for the Tracy Archuleta-coached Screaming Eagles since moving up from NCAA D-II.
Butler’s Blake Beemer picked up his first two wins as a collegiate head coach.
Shawn Stiffler earned his first triumph as head coach at Notre Dame.
At the D-II level, Indianapolis racked up 62 runs in a three-game sweep of Notre Dame College.
D-III Wabash — coached by Jake Martin — went 3-0 with wins against three different foes.
The only other Indiana school in the division to get started was DePauw (1-1). The other seven are slated to start this week.
NAIA boasts 15 Indiana schools and some have been going for weeks.
The hottest starters are Oakland City (11-1), Huntington (6-1), Bethel (6-3) and Grace (5-2).
Andy Lasher’s OCU Mighty Oaks are coming off a 3-1 weekend.
Huntington is in its first season with Thad Frame as Foresters head coach.
This is the hottest start for Bethel since the Seth Zartman-led Pilots began 15-2, including 11-1 in the fall.
Ryan Roth’s Grace Lancers are coming off a 3-1 weekend against Aquinas.
Indiana University Purdue University at Columbus launched its program and it’s first victory under Pride head coach Scott Bickel came Feb. 12 against Huntington. Jared Ross socked the first home run in program history.
In junior college ball, Chris Barney’s 3-4 Vincennes Trailblazers won their last two games.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL
Records Through Feb. 19
NCAA D-I
Purdue 3-1 (0-0 Big Ten)
Southern Indiana 3-1 (0-OVC)
Butler 2-2 (0-0 Big East)
Indiana State 1-1 (0-0 MVC)
Notre Dame 1-2 (0-0 ACC)
Indiana 1-2 (0-0 Big Ten)
Valparaiso 1-2 (0-0 MVC)
Ball State 1-3 (0-0 MAC)
Purdue Fort Wayne 1-3 (0-0 Horizon)
Evansville 0-3 (0-0 MVC)

NCAA D-II
Indianapolis 3-0 (0-0 GLVC)
Purdue Northwest 0-0 (0-0 GLIAC)

NCAA D-III
Wabash 3-0 (0-0 NCAC)
DePauw 1-1 (0-0 NCAC)
Anderson 0-0 (0-0 HCAC)
Earlham 0-0 (0-0 HCAC)
Franklin 0-0 (0-0 HCAC)
Hanover 0-0 (0-0 HCAC)
Manchester 0-0 (0-0 HCAC)
Rose-Hulman 0-0 (0-0 HCAC)
Trine 0-0 (0-0 MIAA)

NAIA
Oakland City 11-1 (0-0 RSC)
Huntington 6-1 (0-0 CL)
Bethel 6-3 (0-0 CL)
Grace 5-2 (0-0 CL)
Marian 5-4 (0-0 CL)
IU-Kokomo 5-5 (0-0 RSC)
Taylor 4-6 (0-0 CL)
IU South Bend 4-7 (0-0 CCAC)
Indiana Wesleyan 3-4-1 (0-0 CL)
Saint Francis 3-5 (0-0 CL)
Indiana Tech 2-1 (0-0 WHAC)
Calumet of Saint Joseph 1-6 (0-0 CCAC)
Goshen 1-6 (0-0 CL)
IUPU-Columbus 1-6
IU Southeast 0-7 (0-0 RSC)

Junior College
Vincennes 3-4 (0-0 MWAC)
Ivy Tech Northeast 1-3
Marian’s Ancilla 0-8 (0-0 MCCAA)

Through Feb. 19
NCAA D-I
Friday, Feb. 17
Ball State 2, Charlotte 1
Lipscomb 5, Notre Dame 4
Troy 12, Evansville 7
Purdue 12, Holy Cross 1
Iowa 6, Indiana State 2
Auburn 8, Indiana 4
Farleigh Dickinson 9, Butler 8
Alabama State 13, Purdue Fort Wayne 0
Southern Indiana 11, Western Illinois 5
Kansas 5, Valparaiso 1

Saturday, Feb. 18
Charlotte 9, Ball State 4
Charlotte 9, Ball State 5
Notre Dame 8, Lipscomb 4
Troy 8, Evansville 7
Purdue 14, Holy Cross 4 (7 inn.)
Holy Cross 12, Purdue 3
Indiana State 6, Quinnipiac 1
Auburn 6, Indiana 1
Butler 3, Farleigh Dickinson 0
Butler 16, Farleigh Dickinson 7
Purdue Fort Wayne 4, Alabama State 3
Alabama State 18, Purdue Fort Wayne 4
Western Illinois 5, Southern Indiana 2
Southern Indiana 6, Western Illinois 0
Valparaiso 11, Kansas 3

Sunday, Feb. 19
Charlotte 19, Ball State 5
Lipscomb 4, Notre Dame 2
Troy 11, Evansville 10
Purdue 12, Holy Cross 2 (8 inn.)
Indiana 11, Auburn 2
Farleigh Dickinson 10, Butler 9
Alabama State 13, Purdue Fort Wayne 11
Southern Indiana 5, Western Illinois 4
Kansas 6, Valparaiso 4

NCAA D-II
Saturday, Feb. 18
Indianapolis 17, Notre Dame College 1
Indianapolis 32, Notre Dame College 7
Saturday, Feb. 19
Indianapolis 13, Notre Dame College 1 (7 inn.)

NCAA D-III
Friday, Feb. 17
Wabash 5, Augustana 1

Saturday, Feb. 18
Wabash 11, Wisconsin-Eau Claire 6

Sunday, Feb. 19
DePauw 11, Ripon 10
North Central 8, DePauw 2
Wabash 10, Rhodes 9

NAIA
Thursday, Jan. 26
Benedictine at Mesa 3, Taylor 2

Friday, Jan. 27
Taylor 17, Kansas Wesleyan 10

Saturday, Jan. 28
Embry-Riddle 8, Taylor 4

Friday, Feb. 3
Blue Mountain 11, Bethel 3
IU-Kokomo 14, Point 2
Georgia Gwinnett 5, Indiana Wesleyan 1
Indiana Wesleyan 6, Georgia Gwinnett 4

Saturday, Feb. 4
Blue Mountain 4, Bethel 3
Bethel 4, Blue Mountain 3
Tennessee Southern 14, Calumet of St. Joseph 3
Tennessee Southern 7, Calumet of St. Joseph 6
Union 9, Goshen 5
Union 14, Goshen 1
IU-Kokomo 14, Cumberland 7
IU-Kokomo 15, St. Andrews 2
IU South Bend 6, Thomas More 1
West Virginia Tech 1, IU South Bend 0
Georgia Gwinnett 5, Indiana Wesleyan 3

Sunday, Feb. 5
Calumet of St. Joseph 23, Tennessee Southern 14
Tennessee Southern 17, Calumet of St. Joseph 11
Union 6, Goshen 0
Union 7, Goshen 5
Lindsey Wilson 5, IU South Bend 3
Culver-Stockton 5, Marian 4
Faulkner 9, Marian 6
Oakland City 13, Johnson 5
Oakland City 6, Johnson 2

Monday, Feb. 6
Cumberlands 7, IU Southeast 6
Oakland City 4, Johnson 3
Thursday, Feb. 9
Indiana Wesleyan 12, Cumberland 12 (13 inn.)

Friday, Feb. 10
Bethel 7, Champion Christian 3
Bethel 10, Champion Christian 4
Oakland City 5, Calumet of St. Joseph 1
Grace 2, Trinity International 1
Grace 3, Trinity International 2
Huntington 11, IUPU-Columbus 0
Huntington 4, IUPU-Columbus 3
IU-Kokomo 7, Truett McConnell 0
Truett McConnell 13, IU-Kokomo 2
Tennessee Southern 3, IU South Bend 0
Tennessee Southern 7, IU South Bend 0
Indiana Wesleyan 11, Cumberland 7
Freed-Hardeman 10, Saint Francis 0
Freed-Hardeman 13, Saint Francis 4
Georgia Gwinnett 9, Taylor 4
Georgia Gwinnett 8, Taylor 1

Saturday, Feb. 11
Bethel 9, Champion Christian 1
Bethel 13, Champion Christian 0
Oakland City 10, Calumet of St. Joseph 0
Oakland City 9, Calumet of St. Joseph 3
Grace 3, Trinity International 2
Truett McConnell 20, IU-Kokomo 19
Tennessee Southern 5, IU South Bend 3
Tennessee Southern 10, IU South Bend 6
Columbia College 9, IU Southeast 4
Columbia College 4, IU Southeast 3
Indiana Wesleyan 11, Cumberland 7
Marian 5, Tougaloo 1
Marian 17, Tougaloo 4
Freed-Hardeman 2, Saint Francis 1
Freed-Hardeman 8, Saint Francis 7
Georgia Gwinnett 6, Taylor 4

Sunday, Feb. 12
IUPU-Columbus 5, Huntington 2
Huntington 14, IUPU-Columbus 5
Columbia College 11, IU Southeast 4
Marian 7, Tougaloo 2

Wednesday, Feb. 15
Taylor 30, IUPU-Columbus 1

Friday, Feb. 17
Ecclesia 6, Goshen 2
Middle Georgia State 11, IU-Kokomo 0
IU-Kokomo 11, Middle Georgia State 1
Webber International 6, IU Southeast 5
Taylor 6, Point Park 2 (10 inn.)

Saturday, Feb. 18
Bethel 7, Oakland City 4
Oakland City 6, Bethel 4
Ecclesia 4, Goshen 3
Goshen 16, Ecclesia 0
Grace 9, Aquinas 7
Aquinas 10, Grace 9 (10 inn.)
Huntington 3, Saint Xavier 0
Huntington 11, Saint Xavier 0
Indiana Tech 11, Midway 10 (10 inn.)
Middle Georgia State 3, IU-Kokomo 0
Middle Georgia State 7, IU-Kokomo 4
Marian 19, IUPU-Columbus 10
Marian 9, IUPU-Columbus 8
IU South Bend 6, Culver-Stockton 4
IU South Bend 9, Culver-Stockton 3
Lindsey Wilson 12, Indiana Wesleyan 11 (10 inn.)
Lindsey Wilson 13, Indiana Wesleyan 8
Tennessee Southern 10, Saint Francis 5
Saint Francis 7, Tennessee Southern 0 (8 inn.)
Taylor 15, IU Southeast 5 (8 inn.)
William Carey 12, Taylor 3

Sunday, Feb. 19
Aquinas 14, Grace 9
Grace 16, Aquinas 11
Huntington 10, Georgetown College 5
Midway 10, Indiana Tech 8
Indiana Tech 12, Midway 7
Culver-Stockton 11, IU South Bend 4
IU South Bend 9, Culver-Stockton 8
Rheinhardt 11, IU Southeast 2
Oakland City 7, Marian 4
Oakland City 4, Marian 2
Saint Francis 7, Tennessee Southern 5
Saint Francis 23, Tennessee Southern 8

Junior College
Tuesday, Feb. 7
Kellogg 9, Ivy Tech Northeast 2

Friday, Feb. 10
Vincennes 7, Cleveland State CC 4
Cleveland State CC 3, Vincennes 0

Saturday, Feb. 11
Southeastern Illinois 14, Marian’s Ancilla 1 (5 inn.)
Southeastern Illinois 7, Marian’s Ancilla 1 (7 inn.)
Cleveland State CC 9, Vincennes 5

Sunday, Feb. 12
Southeastern Illinois 9, Marian’s Ancilla 1 (7 inn.)
Southeastern Illinois 12, Marian’s Ancilla 7 (7 inn.)

Wednesday, Feb.15
Frontier 8, Vincennes 1

Saturday, Feb. 18
Frontier 11, Marian’s Ancilla 1 (5 inn.)
Olney Central 5, Ivy Tech Northeast 3
Olney Central 9, Ivy Tech Northeast 1
South Sububurn 15, Vincennes 12
Vincennes 7, Marian’s Ancilla 0

Sunday, Feb. 19
Olney Central 2, Ivy Tech Northeast 1
South Suburban 16, Marian’s Ancilla 9
Vincennes 13, Marian’s Ancilla 4

Crown Point’s Curiel playing for hometown Lake County CornDogs this summer

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

Cal Curiel came through in the clutch at the 2022 Northern League All-Star Game.
Batting with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth inning, righty-swinging Curiel singled to right field to drive in the tying run. The East went on to beat the West 5-4 in 10 innings July 12 at Oil City Stadium in Whiting, Ind.
Curiel, who started at third base and hit third in the East lineup in the All-Star Game, is on the first-place Lake County CornDogs (24-8), which plays home games at Legacy Fields in Crown Point, Ind.
“I love Coach (Steve) Strayer,” says 2021 Crown Point High School graduate Curiel of his Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame head coach. “He’s a great guy and a great coach, too. He knows what he’s doing.
“We always have good teams at Crown Point and he’s fun to play for.”
Curiel hit .324 with 13 runs batted in and 23 runs scored in 2021.
Spending his whole life in the seat of Lake County, Curiel played Little League there and for the Morris Chiefs (now the 5 Star Great Lakes Chiefs) from 14U to 18U. That’s when he got to play for Dave Sutkowski.
“Bush is awesome,” says Curiel of Sutkowski. “He is one of my favorite coaches ever. He’s always about the players. You could always talk to him in the dugout during the game. He’s going to try to win the ballgame. He’s just awesome.”
The Chiefs managed to play about 60 games during the summer of 2020.
“(Sutkowski) was finding teams to play around here when we couldn’t get into big tournaments because of COVID,” says Curiel. “It was a great time.”
Curiel was one of only two players to appear in all 50 games for NAIA Crossroads League member Grace College (Winona Lake, Ind.) in the spring of 2022.
Utility infielder Curiel made 37 starts for the Lancers and hit .333 (54-of-162) with 51 singles, 18 RBIs, 31 runs and 12 stolen bases in 16 attempts. His on-base percentage was .388.
“We could have been a little better,” says Curiel of Grace’s 17-33 record. “We look like we’re going up (in 2023). I like the team we have coming in.”
The Lancers head coach is Ryan Roth.
“Roth is also a super-positive guy,” says Curiel. “He’s super-approachable and you can always talk to him. You can tell he cares about his players.”
Through 26 Northern League games with the CornDogs, Curiel was hitting .299 (26-of-87) with five doubles, 19 RBIs, 20 runs and 11 stolen bases.
“I’m looking to hit a ball hard early in the count,” says Curiel of his offensive approach. “I’m going to look for my pitch. If I don’t I’m probably going to take or foul the pitch off.
“I’m not a huge power guy so I try to take the ball where’s it’s pitched.”
Curiel did not play last summer. He took the time to get his body prepared.
“I was a pretty skinny kid coming out of high school,” says Curiel. “So I ate a lot and worked out. I tried to put on 10 or 15 pounds so I could compete in college.
“I was 18 going into the college season competing with fifth- and six-year players. I had to get physically ready to play.”
The 6-foot-2 athlete went from 170 pounds to about 195.
Exercise Science is Curiel’s college major. It’s his goal to be a physical therapist.
He explains why he chose that path.
“I got like super into working out,” says Curiel. “I just like trying to live healthy. I wanted to take a lot of courses on that.”
He can use that knowledge to help himself and others.
Cal is the son of Mike and Christine Curiel. Sister Ella Curiel is heading into her senior year of high school.

Cal Curiel (Grace College Photo)

Cal Curiel of the 2022 Lake County CornDogs (Steve Krah Photo)

Grace’s Harmon getting started as college baseball coach

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

Beach Harmon has long wanted to pursue a career in sports.
It’s only fairly recently that he decided to do it as a baseball coach. He’s doing it at the collegiate level.
In his first semester of a two-year Master’s in Athletic Administration program, Harmon is a graduate assistant coach at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., where he holds undergraduate degrees in Sport Management and Criminal Justice and played four years.
On a staff head by Ryan Roth, Harmon works with hitters and infielders while Justin Love guides outfielders and baserunners, Ryan Moore leads catchers and Josh Tew assists with pitchers and serves as director of baseball operations.
Harmon was also recently named head coach of the New York Collegiate Baseball League’s Genesee Rapids (Houghton, N.Y.) with NAIA-member Grace’s husband-wife tandem of Josh Tew and Lancers softball graduate assistant Samantha Tew also joining the squad as pitching coach and assistant general manager, respectively, for the summer of 2022. Harmon found the job posted on the American Baseball Coaches Association website and applied.
In 2020-21, Harmon assisted at Fort Wayne, Ind.’s Indiana Tech on the staff of NAIA-member Warriors head coach Kip McWilliams.
“I learned a lot of offensive approach stuff (from McWilliams),” says Harmon. “It’s a lot more in-depth than what a lot of coaches teach.(Tech’s) offense generally shows that. They’re tough to get out.
Indiana Tech hitters have approaches for each count and different styles of pitching and use scouting report with the hopes of gaining an edge.
“It’s cool to see are hitters take advantage of it,” says Harmon. “I hope I can bring a little bit of that to Grace.”
Last summer, Harmon was head coach for the Fort Wayne-based Indiana Collegiate Baseball Summer League’s Indiana Jacks. While in college, he coached four summers in the Wildcat Baseball League at New Haven and Leo.
Harmon is also a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and Performance Enhancement Specialist and served as a fitness coach and one-on-one trainer at New Haven Fitness Center.
The son of longtime coach Beach Harmon Jr., Beach Tyler Harmon has spent most of his 25 years around the diamond. When the younger Harmon joined the Grace staff, his father took his place at Indiana Tech.
Born in Fort Wayne, young Beach moved with his family to nearby New Haven early in his elementary school years. He played high school baseball at Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne — two years with Lance Hershberger as Cadets as head coach and two with his father in charge – and graduated in 2015. He was also on state championship hockey teams in 2012 (3A) and 2014 (4A).
“Coach Hershberger was very big on small ball and situational baseball – that helped me throughout my time (as a player) and it’s helped me coaching.
“We’d bunt anytime. That’s how we practiced, too.”
Hershberger wanted his players to have a high Baseball I.Q., had them read them read the book, “Heads Up Baseball” by Dr. Ken Ravizza and Dr. Tom Hanson and gave them quizzes from it.
Beach Harmon Jr., who has also been a high school assistant at New Haven and Fort Wayne North Side, taught his son and his teammates about situational baseball and also being a good teammate and being competitive on every pitch.
“I’ve been around the game since I was 5 years old and picked up on things people see as minor that make a big difference throughout the game,” says Beach Tyler.
A righty-swinging 6-foot-5 first baseman, Harmon went to Grace, where he played for Bill Barr, Cam Screeton, Tom Roy and Roth in a four-year playing career that concluded in 2019.
Harmon says Roth emphasizes discipline.
“There was a level of focus and intensity that helped us through the (2019 season),” says Harmon. “We made one of the best runs in school history.”
This fall, Harmon has Lancer hitters taking plenty of cuts at Miller Field and getting comfortable in their offensive approaches.

Beach Harmon (Grace College Photo)

Indiana’s college baseball teams take to the diamond for ’21

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Cabin fever and cold temperatures have been a reality in Indiana this winter.

But it’s beginning to thaw in many places. College baseball games have been played in the state and institutions from the state have traveled to open the 2021 season.

There are 38 college baseball programs in Indiana — Ball State (Head coach Rich Maloney), Butler (Dave Schrage), Evansville (Wes Carroll), Notre Dame (Link Jarrett), Purdue (Greg Goff), Purdue Fort Wayne (Doug Schreiber), Indiana (Jeff Mercer), Indiana State (Mitch Hannahs) and Valparaiso (Brian Schmack) in NCAA Division I, Indianapolis (Al Ready), Purdue Northwest (Dave Griffin) and Southern Indiana (Tracy Archuleta) in NCAA Division II, Anderson (Matt Bair), DePauw (Blake Allen), Earlham (Steve Sakosits), Franklin (Lance Marshall), Hanover (Grant Bellak), Manchester (Rick Espeset), Rose-Hulman (Jeff Jenkins), Trine (Greg Perschke) and Wabash (Jake Martin) in NCAA Division III, Bethel (Seth Zartman), Calumet of Saint Joseph (Brian Nowakowski), Goshen (Alex Childers), Grace (Ryan Roth), Huntington (Mike Frame), Marian (Todd Bacon), Oakland City (Andy Lasher), Taylor (Kyle Gould), Indiana University-Kokomo (Matt Howard), Indiana University South Bend (Doug Buysse), Indiana University Southeast (Ben Reel), Indiana Tech (Kip McWilliams), Indiana Wesleyan (Rich Benjamin) and Saint Francis (Dustin Butcher) in NAIA and Ancilla (Chris Woodruff), Ivy Tech Northeast (Lance Hershberger) and Vincennes (Chris Barney) in NJCAA — and 26 have already heard “Play Ball!”

Where they’ve been allowed, fans have been in the stands. Others have followed on internet streams.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools have altered traditional schedules. Many have gone to longer series to limit travel.

So who’s off to the hottest starts?

Coming off a four-game series sweep against IU Southeast, Huntington is 7-0.

Taylor got the earliest start of any college team in the start, opening its season Jan. 22 in Arizona. The Trojans are 11-6.

Ball State leads D-I clubs at 4-3. The Cardinals split a season-opening series at Arizona.

The Big Ten opted to play conference games only in ’21. Indiana opens March 5 in Minneapolis and will play games against Minnesota and Rutgers.

Meanwhile, Purdue will also open a four-game series against Nebraska in Round Rock, Texas, on March 5.

Purdue Northwest is also scheduled to get going March 5.

Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference teams Earlham, Franklin, Hanover and Manchester open up March 6. Anderson and Rose-Hulman get into the act March 7.

Trine’s lid-lifter is slated for March 13.

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through Feb. 28

NCAA Division I

Ball State 4-3

Evansville 3-3

Indiana State 3-4

Notre Dame 2-1

Purdue Fort Wayne 1-3

Valparaiso 1-5 

Butler 0-0

Indiana 0-0

Purdue 0-0

NCAA Division II

Southern Indiana 2-1

Indianapolis 1-5

Purdue Northwest 0-0

NCAA Division III

DePauw 1-1

Wabash 1-1

Anderson 0-0

Earlham 0-0

Franklin 0-0

Hanover 0-0

Manchester 0-0

Rose-Hulman 0-0

Trine 0-0

NAIA

Taylor 11-6

Huntington 7-0

Oakland City 6-4

Saint Francis 6-5

Marian 6-6

Indiana University Southeast 5-10

Indiana Wesleyan 4-7

Indiana University-Kokomo 3-4

Bethel 2-8

Grace 1-3

Goshen 0-2

Indiana University South Bend 0-4 

Indiana Tech 0-7

Calumet of Saint Joseph 0-0

Junior College

Vincennes 2-6

Ancilla 2-6

Ivy Tech Northeast 0-1

Love lending a coaching hand at Grace College

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Justin Love has been offering his baseball expertise at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., since the spring of 2018 and was doing the same at nearby Warsaw Community High School for the prior 19 years.

As a Lancers assistant, Love is in charge of outfielders and base runners and assists head coach Ryan Roth with hitters. Roth works with pitchers and infielders. Assistant Ryan Moore handles catchers. Graduate intern Josh Thew is also on the coaching staff. Tom Roy is a special assistant to head coach.

Love first served on the Grace staff of Cam Screeton before Roth was promoted.

“I want my outfielders to be aggressive and to understand the game,” says Love, 45. “I want them watching hitters and understanding what pitchers are trying to do to hitters.

By doing this, the outfielders have a good idea of where the ball might go.

“Outfielders very aware of what’s coming (in terms of pitch type and location),” says Love, who leads drills for tracking and footwork. 

At this time of year, much of the work is done indoors. But the Lancers will bundle up and go outside if the weather allows.

“It’s definitely a challenge being an outfielder in northern Indiana,” says Love, who sometimes uses a light in the gym to simulate tracking a ball in the sun.

Love knows that coming from high school baseball, some of his runners are aggressive and some are timid.

He teaches them about getting a good lead-off without getting picked off. He wants them to know what the pitcher and catcher are trying do.

What made Love a good base stealer when he was playing?

“It comes down to confidence and feeling comfortable,” says Love, who instructs his Grace runners in the proper footwork and the mental side of the running game — what pitches and situations are best for stealing.

Love has his runners get a feel for how much time it will take them to get from first to second or second to third once the pitch crosses home plate. Then they calculate the pitcher’s delivery and the catcher’s Pop Time — the time elapsed from the moment the pitch hits the catcher’s mitt to the moment it reaches the intended fielder.

For Lancer hitters, Love and Roth go over the mental approach and the mechanical side. It comes down to hitting balls hard as often as possible and having gap-to-gap power.

Grace, an NAIA school, is scheduled to open the 2021 season Feb. 19 against Trinity Christian University at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.

Love was a standout outfielder at Northridge High School in Middlebury, Ind., and Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., where he graduated in 1998. He also spent the summer of 1998 with the independent professional Richmond (Ind.) Roosters then began his business management career while also coaching football (three years) and baseball at WCHS — first on the staff of Will Shepherd and then Mike Hepler.

A 1994 Northridge graduate, the 5-foot-9, 160-pound Love earned three letters each in football for Dennis Sienicki, basketball for Tom Crews and baseball for Rollie Schultz and Mike Logan.

Love, who is in the Elkhart County Sports Hall of Fame, was a three-time all-Northern Lakes Conference performer in football as well as an IHSAA Class 3A all-stater and team MVP in 1993. He set school records for receiving yards, receptions, interceptions and scoring and was chosen for the Indiana Football Coaches Association North-South All-Star Game. 

He helped Northridge to a basketball sectional title in 1993 — the Raiders’ first since 1975 — and was all-sectional and a team captain and defensive player of the year in 1994.

On the diamond, Love was a two-time all-NLC honoree and was all-state, all-regional and all-sectional as well as team MVP and captain in 1994. He set school records for stolen bases, runs, walks and triples.

Love considered a few offers to play football in college before setting on Ball State University for baseball. He played one season with Pat Quinn as Cardinals head coach and three with Rich Maloney in charge.

A four-year starter at Ball State, Love set a single-season stolen base record in 1997 with 44, leading the Mid-American Conference and helping him earn a spot on the all-MAC team. Overall his junior year, he hit .346 with 71 hits and 67 runs in 59 games.

As a senior in 1998, Love swiped 30 stolen bases to rank second in the MAC. The first-team all-MAC selection led the conference with 62 runs scored and was sixth with 120 total bases and 10th with nine home runs. He batted .344 in 57 games.

Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer John Cate was the manager in Richmond when Love hit .288 with three homers and 25 RBI in 95 games.

Love gives a nod to all his coaches — high school, college and pro.

“I appreciate every one of them — the time they put in to help me with my dreams and aspirations,” says Love. “They were passionate for the sport they coached.

“Pat (Quinn) was pretty direct. He knew the game. He had a fiery spirit to him. Rich (Maloney) was very intense, very knowledgable and very caring also.”

Justin and wife Rosemary have three children — Kendra (18), Jordan (16) and Spencer (12). Kendra Love is a senior volleyball and track athlete at Warsaw. Jordan Love is a sophomore soccer player and trackster. Seventh grader Spencer Love is involved with football, wrestling, track and baseball.

Justin Love, a graduate of Northridge High School in Middlebury, Ind., and Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., is an assistant baseball coach at Grace College, an NAIA program in Winona Lake, Ind. (Grace College Photo)