Watson putting premium on running as new Providence head coach

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

Tre’ Watson played for one state championship baseball team at Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville, Ind., and was an assistant coach for another.
Now he’s the interim head coach for the Pioneers. His promotion was announced in late October 2022.
Watson, who turned 25 in September, helped guide players through the fall IHSAA Limited Contact Period and is doing so again this winter. There has been individual skills work, including hitting and defense.
“We’re pushing baserunning,” says Watson. “That’s going to be pretty big for us.
“We have a lot of speed and a lot of smart baserunners.”
The idea is to force the opposing defense into mistakes and capitalize on them.
“That was not our M.O. when I was playing,” says Watson, noting that Providence went 27-3 his final prep season with all three losses being by one run. “We had really good pitching and offensively were good at situational hitting.”
Watson was a key member of the 2016 IHSAA Class 2A state championship squad as a senior. He drew two walks and made two putouts while playing first base and third base in the state championship game and was presented with the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award.
After an injury-plagued stint at Vincennes (Ind.) University, Watson (who has had four knee operations and one hip surgery) moved closer to home, enrolled at Indiana University Southeast in New Albany and joined Scott Hornung’s Providence baseball staff for the 2018 season.
Watson worked toward the Business Administration degree he earned in 2021.
Longtime assistant Scott Hutchins took over the Providence program after the 2019 season. The Pioneers won another 2A state crown in 2021.
Eli Watson — younger brother of Tre’ — was a senior in 2021 and also was named to the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series. Eli is now a redshirt freshman outfielder at Western Kentucky University.
Providence (enrollment around 350) went 18-11 in 2022 and is an athletic independent.
The Pioneers are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Clarksville, Crawford County, Eastern (Pekin) and Paoli. Providence has won 20 sectional titles — the last two in 2021 and 2022.
Home games are contested on Pioneer Field with its turf infield and Bermuda grass outfield. The synthetic surface makes rainouts a rarity.
Among the eight seniors on the 2023 team are three college commits — middle infielder Grant Borden (Mercer University), right-handed pitcher/third baseman Cody Jackson (Anderson University) and right-hander Grant Seebold (Oakland City University). Sophomore outfielder Cole Huett, who swings and throws lefty, is verbally committed to the University of Virginia. Grant Borden is the brother of Houston Astros minor leaguer Tim Borden II.
Other impact players include seniors Nathan Julius (outfielder), Casey Kaelin (middle infielder) and Brantley Whitlock (first baseman/third baseman) and juniors Jack Beyl (outfielder/right-hander), Luke Kruer (outfielder/right-hander) and Brian Wall (second baseman).
Watson, who expects to have 25 or 26 players for varsity and junior varsity squads, counts Jay Lorenz, Jared Clemons, Brian Jackson, Scott Hornung and Reece Davis among his assistant coaches.
Lorenz squeezed home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning in the 2016 state title game.
Hornung is Watson’s father-in-law. Tre’ married Jacquie Hornung (Providence Class of 2016 and a former volleyball player at Bellarmine University in Louisville) in 2021. The couple resides in New Albany.
Tre’ Watson was born in Louisville to Charles II (aka Chuck) and Denna Watson and was raised in Jeffersonville, Ind. He was part of successful all-star teams at Jeff/GRC Little League.
Outside of coaching, Watson is business manager of St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish in New Albany.

Brothers Eli Watson (left) and Tre’ Watson celebrate Providence’s IHSAA Class 2A baseball state championship in 2021.

Jacquie Hornung (left) and Tre’ Watson celebrate Providence’s IHSAA Class 2A baseball state championship in 2021. The two were married shortly after this game. Tre’ and Jacquie Watson reside in New Albany, Ind.

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Borden begins professional career in Houston Astros system

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

Tim Borden II just wanted a chance to show what he can do on the diamond.
So the infielder and 2018 graduate of Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville, Ind., transferred from the University of Louisville to Georgia Tech for the 2022 collegiate baseball season. He was familiar with the school and program since the two schools are both in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Playing in 55 games for the ’22 Danny Hall-coached Yellow Jackets, the righty swinger hit .316 (60-of-190) with 18 home runs, 11 doubles, 53 runs batted in, 56 runs scored and 1.106 OPS (.448 on-base percentage plus .658 slugging average).
“I felt like I had to give myself the opportunity to play every day,” says Borden, 23. “It’s been my lifelong dream to be a professional baseball player.
“It all worked out the way I wanted to.”
Borden, who was selected in the 37th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Cleveland Indians but opted for college, was chosen in the 16th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros. He got into 26 games with the Florida Complex League Astros and Asheville (N.C.) Tourists and hit .286 (24-of-84) with six homers and 21 RBIs. He played shortstop, third base and second base.
“I’m very familiar with all three of those positions,” says Borden. “I like them all equally. As long as I’m out there playing every day I’m OK with wherever I play.”
The last day of the Astros two-week instructional league in West Palm Beach, Fla., was Sept. 25.
He plans to spend his off-season working out in Louisville with Eric Hammer.
Borden, a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, describes his hitting approach.
“I’m always looking to attack the fastball early on in the count,” says Borden. “Any off-speed pitch that starts in the middle or down in the zone I’m letting go by.”
His best athletic qualities are twofold.
“Being a competitor and being confident are the two biggest things,” says Borden. “I always know my confidence is going to be through the roof because I put in the preparation. I’ve done the work.
“When it comes to game time I’m able to be free and have fun.”
Tim Borden II is the son of Tim Borden Sr. and grandson of Ray Borden and considers them his two biggest mentors.
“Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today,” says Tim II. “They’ve always shown me what hard work looks like whether it’s in a business forum or in the weight room.
“I’ve always looked up to them in every aspect of life.”
Borden graduated in three years from Louisville as a Sport Administration major with a minor in Communication. He was studying History, Technology & Communication at Georgia Tech.
Born in Jeffersonville, Ind., Borden spent the first nine years of his life there and played at Jeff/GRC Little League. He played travel ball for the Ironmen, Evoshield Canes and Georgia-based Team Elite.
A four-year baseball letterwinner and three-time first team All-State selection at Providence, Borden helped the Pioneers win an IHSAA Class 2A state title in as a sophomore in 2016.
He hit .417 with seven homers, 12 doubles, 38 RBIs and 28 runs as a junior in 2017. He hit .484 with six homers, 12 doubles, 41 RBIs and 28 runs as a senior in 2018.
Scott Hornung was Borden’s head coach all four years at Providence.
“He allowed me to play my game and to compete at a very high level with all the other guys on my team,” says Borden of Hornung. “That’s what allowed us to run to make a run to a state cham[pionshiup and to the semistate the year after that.”
“Coach Hornung was always in my corner and for that I will always be grateful.”
Marissa Hornung, who played volleyball at Providence and Purdue University, is one of Borden’s best friends.
Borden was redshirted for his first year at Louisville (2019) and played for the Dan McDonnell-coached Cardinals for two years (2020 and 2021), earning Freshman All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. In 32 games at U of L, he hit .309 (21-of-68) with one homer and 14 RBIs.
He worked out at Louisville in the summer of 2018. He split the summer of 2019 with the Prospect League’s Quincy (Ill.) Gems and Northwoods League’s Rochester (Minn.) Honkers. He was in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., in its first two seasons (2020 and 2021).
Tim Borden Sr. and wife Patty have three children — Tim II, Grant and Brooke. Providence senior infielder Grant Borden is committed to play baseball at Mercer University (Macon, Ga.). Brooke Borden (Class of 2025) plays volleyball for Providence.

Tim Borden II. (Georgia Tech Photo)

Tim Borden II. (Georgia Tech Photo)

Tim Borden II. (Georgia Tech Photo)

Tim Borden II. (Asheville Tourists Photo)

Tim Borden II. (Georgia Tech Photo)

Tim Borden II. (Georgia Tech Photo)

Semistates to determine IHSAA State Finals participants

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

Today (June 12) four semistates will be staged at LaPorte, Kokomo, Mooresville and Jasper to determine the teams competing int he 2021 IHSAA State Finals June 21-22 at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
Here is a capsulized look at Final Four teams in Class 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A:

IHSAA SEMISTATES
Saturday, June 12
LaPorte
(Schreiber Field)
Class 1A
Washington Township (25-7) vs. Cowan (15-13), noon East Time/11 a.m. Central Time
Class 3A
Hanover Central (28-3-1) vs. Norwell (20-9), 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT

Kokomo
(Municipal Stadium)

Class 2A
Eastside (22-5) vs. Delphi (26-6), 1 p.m. ET/noon CT
Class 4A
Munster (22-11) vs. Fishers (22-12), 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT

South
Mooresville

Class 1A
Shakamak (16-7) vs. Borden (22-6-1), 1 p.m. ET/noon CT
Class 2A
University (23-9) vs. Providence (20-6), 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT

Jasper
(Ruxer Field)

Class 3A
Brebeuf Jesuit (20-11) vs. Southridge (24-7), noon ET/11 a.m. CT
Class 4A
Mt. Vernon (Fortville) (26-6) vs. Jasper (29-2), 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT

Team By Team
Washington Township Senators — Head Coach Randy Roberts.
1A Washington Township Sectional — Kouts 7-1, Westville 4-1, Morgan Township 4-1.
1A South Bend Regional — South Central (Union Mills) 6-3, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian 10-1.
Sectional titles (10) — last one before 2021 — 2019. Regional titles (5) — last one before 2021 — 2019. Semistate titles (1) — 2019. State titles (0). State runner-up (1) — 2019 (Randy Roberts).

Cowan Blackhawks — Head Coach Aaron Wells.
1A Liberty Christian Sectional — Wes-Del 5-1, Daleville 4-3.
1A Carroll (Flora) Regional — Union City 3-0, Riverton Parke 9-3.
Sectional titles (7) — last one before 2021 — 2010. Regional titles (4) — last one before 2021 — 2008. Semistate titles (1) — 2008. State titles (0). State runner-up (1) — 2008 (Camden Parkhurst).

Hanover Central Wildcats — Head Coach Ryan Bridges.
3A Kankakee Valley Sectional — Kankakee Valley 9-1, Culver Academies 10-0, John Glenn 8-4.
3A Griffith Regional — South Bend St. Joseph 6-1, Northwestern 18-1.
Sectional titles (2) — last one before 2021 — 2011. Regional tittles (2) — last one before 2021 — 2011. Semistate titles (1) — 2011. State titles (0). State runner-up (1) — 2011 (Doug Nelson).

Norwell Knights — Head Coach Dave Goodmiller.
3A Bellmont Sectional — Marion 10-0, Mississinewa 13-2, Oak Hills 15-10.
3A Bellmont Regional — Wawasee 7-2, Leo 5-3.
Sectional titles (17) — last one before 2021 — 2017. Regional titles (7) — last one before 2021 — 2013. Semistate titles (3) — 2006, 2007, 2013. State titles (3) — 2003 (Kelby Weybright), 2007 (Kelby Weybright), 2013 (Andy McClain).

Eastside Blazers — Head Coach Aaron Willard.
2A Eastside Sectional — Adams Central 3-1, Bluffton 16-1.
2A Whiting Regional — Wheeler 7-1, Central Noble 18-3.
Sectional titles (6) — last one before 2021 — 2018. Regional titles (1) — 2021. Semistate titles (0). State titles (0).

Delphi Oracles — Head Coach Ryan Long.
2A Delphi Sectional — Fountain Central 14-2, Seeger 7-3.
2A Lafayette Central Catholic Regional — Rochester 12-5, Wapahani 7-2.
Sectional titles (6) — last one before 2021 — 2019. Regional titles (2) — last one before 2021 — 2010. Semistate titles (1) — 2010. State titles (0). State runner-up (1) — Delphi (Pat Lowrey).

Munster Mustangs — Head Coach Bob Shinkan (Indiana Baseball HOF inductee).
4A Merrillville Sectional — Highland 11-2, Merrillville 9-0, Lake Central 2-1.
4A LaPorte Regional — Valparaiso 6-3, South Bend Adams 9-2.
Sectional titles (13) — last one before 2021 — 2016. Regional titles (6) — last one before 2021 — 2010. Semistate titles (0). State titles (1) — 2002 (Bob Shinkan).

Fishers Tigers — Head Coach Matt Cherry.
4A Westfield Sectional — Hamilton Southeastern 7-1, Carmel 1-0, Noblesville 4-0.
4A Kokomo Regional — Homestead 8-4, Harrison (West Lafayette) 7-5.
Sectional titles (3) — last one before 2021 — 2018. Regional titles (2) — last one before 2021 — 2018. Semistate titles (1) — 2018. State titles (1) — 2018 (Matt Cherry).

Shakamak Lakers – Head Coach Jeremy Yeryar.
1A White River Valley Sectional — White River Valley 14-0, Clay City 10-0, Bloomfield 4-1.
1A Morristown Regional — Southwestern (Shelbyville) 10-1, Oldenburg Academy 13-0.
Sectional titles (26) — last one before 2021 — 2019. Regional titles (12) — last one before 2021 — 2015. Semistate titles (7) — 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015. State titles (2) — 2008 (Matt Fougerousse), 2014 (Chip Sweet). State runner-up (5) — 2004 (Chip Sweet), 2006 (Matt Fougerousse), 2007 (Matt Fougerousse), 2012 (Chip Sweet), 2015 (Todd Gambill).

Borden Braves — Head Coach Eric Stotts.
1A South Central (Elizabeth) Sectional — Lanesville 18-1, Orleans 3-0.
1A Lanesville Regional — West Washington 17-2, Loogootee 5-2.
Sectional titles (5) — last one before 2021 — 2018. Regional titles (1) — 2021. Semistate titles (0). State titles (0).

University Trailblazers — Head Coach Chris Estep (1 state title).
2A Cascade Sectional — Covenant Christian 7-3, Cascade 8-2.
2A Cascade Regional — Centerville 12-5, Parke Heritage 8-2.
Sectional titles (5) — last one before 2021 — 2019. Regional titles (3) — last one before 2021 — 2019. Semistate titles (2) — 2018, 2019. State titles (1) — 2019 (Chris Estep). State runner-up (1) — 2018 (Chris Estep.

Providence Pioneers — Head Coach Scott Hutchins.
2A Eastern (Pekin) Sectional — Henryville 10-4, Eastern (Pekin) 11-0, Austin 10-0.
2A Evansville Mater Dei Regional — South Ripley 5-3, North Posey 8-6.
Sectional titles (19) — last one before 2021 — 2017. Regional titles (7) — last one before 2021 — 2017. Semistate titles (1) — 2016. State titles (1) — 2016 (Scott Hornung).

Brebeuf Jesuit Braves — Head Coach Jeff Scott.
3A Brebeuf Sectional — Danville 5-0, Tri-West Hendricks 15-1.
3A Danville Regional — Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 10-0, Northview 17-2.
Sectional titles (15) — last one before 2021 — 2017. Regional titles (4) — last one before 2021 — 2012. Semistate titles (1) — 2012. State titles (0). State runner-up (1) — 2012 (Andy McClain).

Southridge Raiders — Head Coach Gene Mattingly.
3A Southridge Sectional — Pike Central 10-0, Washington 1-0.
3A Southridge Regional — Silver Creek 2-1, Evansville Memorial 7-2.
Sectional titles (6) — last one before 2021 — 2019. Regional titles (3) — last one before 2021 — 2019. Semistate titles (2) — 2018, 2019. State titles (0). State runner-up (2) — 2018 (Gene Mattingly), 2019 (Gene Mattingly).

Mt. Vernon Marauders — Head Coach Brad King.
4A Pendleton Heights Sectional — Muncie Central 19-0, Pendleton Heights 8-0.
4A Mt. Vernon Regional — Franklin Central 6-2, Indianapolis Cathedral 6-3.
Sectional titles (8) — last one before 2021 — 2011. Regional titles (2) — last one before 2021 — 1971. Semistate titles (0). State titles (0).

Jasper Wildcats — Head Coach Terry Gobert (Indiana Baseball HOF inductee; 5 state titles).
4A Evansville Reitz Sectional — Castle 6-1, Evansville North 5-4, Evansville Central 10-0.
4A Jasper Regional — Floyd Central 2-1, Center Grove 7-4.
Sectional titles (39) — last one before 2021 — 2017. Regional titles (26) — last one before 2021 — 2017. Semistate titles (14) — 1967, 1968, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017. State titles (5) — 1996 (Terry Gobert), 1997 (Terry Gobert), 1998 (Terry Gobert), 2000 (Terry Gobert), 2006 (Terry Gobert). State runner-up (4) — 2010, 2013, 2015, 2017.

IHSAA Tournament Success Factor has Hornung-led Providence Pioneers moving up to Class 3A in 2018

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Pushing the pace has put the Pioneers of Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville among Indiana’s baseball elite.

“We want to be a very aggressive team,” says Providence head coach Scott Hornung. “We’re always looking to take the extra base.

“We want to be aggressive from the first pitch on. As pitchers, we want them to be overly aggressive on their first pitch to get ahead in the count.”

Hornung has helped push the Pioneers to a 433-224 record since the 1981 Providence graduate became head coach at the private Catholic school in 1995, including 28-5 with a second straight semistate appearance in 2017. The 2016 squad won the program’s first state championship.

Providence has claimed 18 sectional baseball titles (13 of those with Hornung as head coach).

The Pioneers have claimed a 2A sectional trophy three of the past five seasons (2014 and 2017 at Providence, 2016 at Clarksville) and went on to claim regional crowns the past two seasons (2016 and 2017 at Providence) plus the program’s first semistate championship (2016 at Plainfield).

The 2017 season ended for the Pioneers (28-5) with a loss to eventual state champion Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter at the Plainfield Semistate.

Is there such a thing as too aggressive?

“The regular season as opportunity to learn,” says Hornung. “They need to learn difference between being aggressive and being stupid. We do have to let them make mistakes. That’s the only way they’re going to learn.”

In 2018, the Pioneers will learn what it means to compete in the postseason at Class 3A after years in 2A.

By earning 13 IHSAA Tournament Success Factor points in 2015-16 and 2016-17, Providence moves up to 3A for the next reclassification period ( 2017-18 and 2018-19).

By rule, schools that achieve six points (1 for a sectional championship, 2 for a regional championship, 3 for a semistate championship and 4 for a state championship) are required to move up.

Hornung is not a fan of the rule in its current form.

“The span of years is too little,” says Hornung. “It needs to be over a four- or five-year span. In two years at the 1A or 2A level, you could have a couple players be dominant (and rack up Tournament Success Factor points). They graduate and then you go back to just being competitive.”

Hornung says the Tournament Success Factor rule is “football-driven” and “Catholic-biased.”

“We’re penalizing everybody for that reason,” says Hornung. “(The IHSAA) need adjustments.”

Adjusting in 2017 to the new pitch count rules (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) was not a hardship with Providence and its mound corps depth.

But Hornung sees where other schools — especially smaller ones — felt the effects.

“The smaller the school, the harder it is for that team to pitch effectively,” says Hornung. “We’re not the kind of (coaching) staff that overuses pitchers in any way. A few people making bad decisions have forced the hand and they made the rule across the board.

“I wish they’d leave it up to the discretion of the staff to determine the health of a pitcher’s arm. We don’t (enforce pitch counts) in the college or the pros.”

Providence does not belong to a conference. The Pioneers play an independent schedule.

“Most of the time I like it,” says Hornung. “But it’s getting frustrating. Teams won’t schedule us.

“I like to be able to make my own schedule and have my pitching rotation based around certain games. We play three to five games with Kentucky schools every year. But can’t make extended contracts because they have a mandated schedule and we don’t always if dates will correspond.”

Providence plays its home games on-campus on a field with an artificial turf infield installed by The Motz Group of Cincinnati (at a cost of between $250,000 and $300,000, according to Hornung) and a grass outfield.

Hornung and one of his assistants can be be found riding the mower.

“It’s kind of therapeutic,” says Hornung. “(Maintaining) the infield, I don’t miss it at all. That was a nightmare and it got harder as I got older and I wanted to do it less.

“I wouldn’t go back (to a grass infield) unless we had all the manpower and tools to do it right. This is a high school program and we don’t have access to all that.

“Statistics have shown that there is more cost effectiveness (with turf) in the long haul. It’s all the maintenance etc. that is saved over a 10-year period.”

Hornung’s 2018 coaching staff includes Scott Hutchins, Jacob Julius, Matt Schaab and newcomer and pitching coach Elliott Fuller at the varsity level and Shawn Hoffman and Collin Rauck with the junior varsity.

Among the returnees for 2018 are seniors Timmy Borden (University of Louisville commit), Reece Davis (Bellarmine University commit) and Nathan Proctor and juniors Joe Wilkinson (Louisville commit), Adam Uhl and Kaden Williams.

Their head coach is very familiar with the recruiting process in baseball and in the volleyball world. All three of Scott and Elly Hornung’s daughters are volleyball players. Jacquie Hornung is a sophomore at Bellarmine. Marissa Hornung is a Providence senior who recently signed to play at Purdue University. Ali Hornung is Providence freshmen.

Hornung says he gets as involved with the recruiting of his baseball athletes as much as they want.

But things recruiting landscape has changed.

“The high school coach is not as relevant as they used to be as the travel ball coach is,” says Hornung. “Colleges send messages to the travel or high school coach. I’m fine with that.

“The player recruits themselves anymore. That’s just the way it is. They go out and play and it’s up to them and their contact with the schools.”

Scott Hornung, a 1981 graduate of Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville, has been Pioneers head baseball coach since 1995. Providence won an IHSAA Class 2A state championship in 2016.

 

Payne’s doing big things at tiny Lanesville

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Tiny Lanesville is making a name for itself in Indiana high school baseball thanks in large part to Zach Payne.

In Payne’s second season as head coach at the Class 1A school (about 250 students) in 2016, the Eagles were state runners-up.

Many from the Harrison County town of around 600 folks found their way to Victory Field in Indianapolis to see a 4-0 loss to Daleville.

In 2017, Payne has Lanesville (18-6) back in the 1A semistate. The Eagles’ opponent Saturday, June 10 (following the 1 p.m. 3A game) at Jasper will be Indianapolis Lutheran (18-7). The winner advances to the state championship game.

Payne, 27, explains how he has gotten Lanesville to excel on the diamond.

“The main thing is putting kids in their best positions to succeed,” says Payne. “At a 1A school, we have limited numbers. We have to make the most out of what we’ve got. We try not to waste guys on the roster.”

There are 30 players in the program — the most Payne has had in his short time at the school. There are 20 on the tournament roster. He gets all of them — the starters and the bench players — to embrace their role.

“We will have them all contribute at some time during the season,” says Payne. “There’s a special group of guys who have been the leaders of the team. Other guys have been happy to help out in any way they can.”

The Eagles made it back to semistate in ’17 by topping New Washington and Borden to win the South Central (Elizabeth) Sectional and Loogootee and Northeast Dubois to take the Loogootee Regional.

It was the fourth sectional crown in program history (1975, 2010, 2016, 2017) and third regional (1975, 2016, 2017).

Lanesville is in the Southern Athletic Conference with Borden, Crothersville, Henryville, New Washington and South Central.

With just five conference games (generally played one per week), Payne was free to have a challenging non-conference slate, full of larger opponents, including his alma mater and defending 2A state champion Providence.

“I like to schedule whoever,” says Payne. “This is probably the toughest schedule Lanesville has ever played.”

Lanesville, which plays its home games on Ed Jaegers Memorial Field at Heritage Park, is one of three teams in its sectional group with lights (South Central and Christian Academy of Indiana in New Albany, which did not field a team this spring, are the others) and those schools rotate as sectional hosts.

Zach Payne grew up playing baseball with his father Pat as a his youth coach.

“I wanted to be like dad,” says Payne. “I wanted to coach.”

Zach also counts older brother Sean (head softball coach at Floyd Central) and Providence coaches Scott Hornung, Scott Hutchins and Ben Hornung as mentors.

The 2017 Eagles coaching staff includes Josh Smith, Kyle Erwin, Christian Ensley at the varsity level with Jim Smith and Garrett Sherell guiding the junior varsity.

Payne, a computer programmer at Zirmed in Louisville by day, sees similarities in the community feel at Lanesville and Providence (he graduated from the school in Clarksville in 2008 and the University of Louisville in 2014).

“The biggest difference is the depth,” says Payne.

Zach Payne, 27, is in his third season as head baseball coach at Lanesville High School in southern Indiana. He took the Eagles to an IHSAA Class 1A state runner-up finish in 2016 and has the program back in the semistate in 2017.