Brian Driver spent more than 20 seasons as an assistant to Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Jake Burton at McCutcheon, North Newton and Twin Lakes. Driver, a 1992 McCutcheon High School graduate, played for Burton and was his pitching coach at three stops — the past six at Twin Lakes. Now head baseball coach at Attica Junior-Senior High School, Driver is building a program culture based on discipline and attention to detail. “We’e going to focus on every rep and every ground ball,” says Driver, who was hired in July to lead the Red Ramblers. “Every cut has a purpose. You don’t take any rep off — in practice, games, everything. “Footwork and handwork has to be correct.” Driver also went to Milligan College in Johnson City, Tenn., where he played for Doug Jennett. Attica (enrollment around 190) is in Fountain County and a member of the Wabash River Conference (with Covington, Fountain Central, North Vermillion, Parke Heritage, Riverton Parke, Seeger and South Vermillio,). In 2021, the Rambers were part of an IHSAA Class 1A sectional grouping with Covington, Faith Christian, North Vermillion and Riverton Parke. Attica has won eight sectional titles — the last in 2017. Driver and the Ramblers participated in baseball activities during the recent IHSAA Limited Contact Period (Aug. 30-Oct. 16) with about at dozen players, including junior high athletes, taking part with many players busy with Attica fall sports. “We have a lot of field projects,” says Driver of the Rambler’s home facility. “We want it to be something they can take pride in.” With community support, a full infield renovation and reworking of the mound and plate areas is in the offing thanks to former Victory Field head groundskeeper Jamie Mehringer, J&D Turf and Advanced Turf Solutions products. “We want to be competitive with neighboring schools and those in Tippecanoe County,” says Driver of the Rambers’ field. Driver’s coaching staff features four Attica alums — Theron Schmid, Seth Rooze, Kevin Burris, Carson Davis and Brian Powers. Schmid, who is also the Ramblers head football coach, was part of Attica’s state championship boys basketball and state runner-up football squad in 2000-21. Powers helps in the high school and junior high programs. The feeder system at Attica includes school-affiliated junior high baseball (seventh and eighth graders and sometimes sixth graders). Attica Baseball Softball Association at Happy Walter Field is part of Town & Country Baseball. In the works are the establishment of high school and youth summer travel teams. Brian Driver has two children in Attica schools. Freshman Katelynn Driver (15) plays volleyball and softball. Sixth grader Cullen Driver (11) is in tennis, basketball and baseball. Driver is a software salesman for Passageways, which has offices in Lafayette and Indianapolis.
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)
Rockport Post 254 and Crawfordsville Post 72 earned the right to clash for the title at the Indiana American Legion Baseball Senior State Finals with semifinal victories Monday, July 26 at CFD Investment Stadium at Highland Park in Kokomo. Rockport (19-7 overall and 4-0 in the State Finals) came out of the winners’ bracket in the double-elimination event with a 10-7 win against Kokomo Post 6 (13-16-1) in Game 13. Crawfordsville (20-11, 3-1) emerged from the losers’ bracket with a 9-5 triumph against Newburgh Post 44 (19-8) in Game 12. Post 254 and Post 72 play at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 27. Crawfordsville needs to win twice to take the championship and a Great Lakes Regional berth. Rockport will be seeking its 11th state Senior Legion title and first since 2017 while Crawfordsville will go for its first crown. The tournament dates back to 1926. The 2021 Senior State Finals also featured Muncie Post 19, South Bend Post 151, South Haven Post 502 and Valparaiso Post 94.
Semifinals Rockport Post 254 10, Kokomo Post 6 7 Scoring three runs each in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, Rockport snapped a 7-7 tie with a one-out run-scoring single to left field by 2021 Tell City High School graduate Wes Scamahorn that plated Jackson Raaf (South Spencer Class of 2022). “It was one of those days when we were having a hard time getting inspired,” said Rockport manager Jim Haaf. “(Ashton Tindle’s deep, running) catch in the center field (in the sixth inning) got us going a little bit. (Right-hander and 2021 Kokomo graduate Mason Keller) was pretty good with his breaking pitch today and that gave us a lot of trouble.” A balk allowed Diond’re Jacob (Tell City Class of 2021) to tally Post 254’s ninth run and a sacrifice fly by Houston Compton (South Spencer Class of 2022) pushed across the 10th. Leading Rockport’s 12-hit attack were Compton with three, Jacob, Tindle (South Spencer Class of 2022) and Jake Stuteville (South Spencer Class of 20210 with two each. Compton drove in three runs and Stuteville knocked home two. Jacob scored three runs while Scamahorn and Compton crossed the plate two times each. Tanner Jennings (Tell City Class of 2022) pitched the last three innings and earned the victory. The right-hander gave up two runs and three hits while striking out three. “We save some pitching for (Tuesday),” said Haaf. “We managed to keep it close.” Kokomo, which led 5-1 after its first four at-bats, got three hits from Cameron Arcari (Eastern Class of 2021) and two from losing pitcher Jace Stoops (Twin Lakes Class of 2020) as well has two RBIs from Jacob Ward (Kokomo Class of 2021) and two runs scored from both Stoops and Taylor Duncan (Kokomo Class of 2021). “We are more than tickled to be in the final three teams in the state,” said Post 6 manager Don Andrews. “I’ve been involved with Legion baseball since 2004 and this is the first time I can remember a team with a losing record in the Final Four, let alone the Final Three.”
Crawfordsville Post 72 9, Newburgh Post 44 5 Post 72 broke a 4-4 deadlock with two runs in the top of the fourth inning and added two more in the sixth and one in the seventh. A solo home run over the 25-foot high right field fence by Landen Southern (Clinton Prairie Class of 2021) put Crawfordsville ahead 5-4. “We hit the ball well,” said Post 72 manager Kyle Proctor. In the two-run sixth, George Valencia (Fountain Central Class of 2020 socked a two-run homer to right-center — just to the left of the high part of the wall. Southern finished with four hits while Cade Walker (Seeger Class of 2021) had two and Valencia and Jacob Braun (North Montgomery Class of 2021) two apiece. Valencia drove in three and Braun 2. Southern scored three runs while Valencia and Braun tallied two apiece. Winning pitcher Henry Taylor (Crawfordsville Class of 2021) went the first six innings. The right-hander whiffed three and walked three while yielding six hits and four runs. Six different Newburgh players produced hits. Zach York (Evansville Harrison Class of 2022) lashed a two-run double left during a four-run uprising in the third inning. Losing pitcher David Schultz (Harrison Class of 2021) cracked a two-run single to center on the very next pitch. “It was an awesome experience considering where we came from,” said Newburgh manager Joe Paulin. After the COVID-19 pandemic took away the 2020 season and the previous coaching staff departed, it was a brand new team and staff for Newburgh in 2021. “We started from scratch,” said Paulin. “We had tryouts and kept all 12 players. A lot of those guys didn’t even know each others’ names at the beginning of the season. Here we are tied for third in the state.” Post 44 placed third behind Evansville Pate Post 265 and Terre Haute Post 346 in this year’s Junior State Finals.
INDIANA AMERICAN LEGION SENIOR STATE FINALS (At Kokomo) Semifinals (Losers’ Bracket) CRAWFORDSVILLE POST 72 9, NEWBURGH POST 44 5 Crawfordsville 004 202 1 — 9 14 2 Newburgh 004 000 1 — 5 6 1 Henry Taylor (W), Austin Motz (7); Hunter Lindsey, David Schultz (3, L), Evan Doan (7). Crawfordsville: Hits — Landen Southern 4, Cade Walker 3, George Valencia 2, Jacob Braun 2, Taylor 1, Owen Gregg 1, Matthew Harris 1. HR — Southern, Valencia. RBI — Valencia 3, Braun 2, Southern 1, Taylor 1, Walker 1. Runs — Southern 3, Valencia 2, Braun 2, Gregg 1, Zach Fichter 1. SB — Valencia 1, Braun 1, Fichter 1. LOB — 9. Newburgh: Hits — Schutlz 1, Lindsey 1, Evan Doan 1, Zach York 1, Logan Thomas 1, Keaton Holmes 1. 2B — York. RBI — York 2, Schultz 2. SB — Schultz 1. LOB — 7. T — 2:07. Records: Crawfordsville 20-11, Newburgh 19-8.
Tournament Results Game 1: Newburgh Post 44 7, South Bend Post 151 0, forfeit. Game 2: Crawfordsville Post 72 4, Muncie Post 19 2. Game 3: Rockport Post 254 2, Valparaiso Post 94 0. Game 4: Kokomo Post 6 9, South Haven Post 502 3. Game 5: Valparaiso Post 94 7, Soutn Bend Post 151 0, forfeit. Game 6: South Haven Post 502 12, Muncie Post 19 9. Game 7: Rockport Post 254 4, Newburgh Post 44 3. Game 8: Crawfordsville Post 72 10, Kokomo Post 6 4. Game 9: Newburgh Post 44 6, South Haven Post 502 5. Game 10: Kokomo Post 6 4, South Haven Post 502 3. Game 11: Rockport Post 254 9, Crawfordsville Post 72 3. Game 12 (Semifinals — Losers’ Bracket): Crawfordsville Post 72 9, Newburgh Post 44 5. Game 13 (Semifinals — Winners’ Bracket): Rockport Post 254 10, Kokomo Post 6 7. Game 14 (Championship): Crawfordsville Post 72 vs. Rockport Post 254 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 27. Game 15 (Second championship): If necessary, following Game 14.
2021 IHSBCA ALL-STATE TEAM Class 4A Pitchers: Grant Stratton (Jasper), Nate Dohm (Zionsville). C: Hunter Dobbins (Mount Vernon of Fortville). 1B: Kaleb Kolpien (Homestead). 2B: Joel Walton (Mount Vernon of Fortville). 3B: Connor Foley (Jasper). SS: Tucker Biven (New Albany). OF: Carter Mathison (Homestead), Max Clark (Franklin), Tommy O’Connor (Mooresville). Honorable Mention: Evan Waggoner (Bedford North Lawrence); Austin Bode (Columbus North); Jaden Deel (Hobart); Andrew Wallace (Jasper); Jackson Micheels (Carmel); Breenen Weigert (Homestead); Jack Braun (Fishers); Tyler Walkup (Lawrence North); Quentin Markle (Westfield); Joe Huffman (Avon); Nick Mitchell (Carmel); Brad White (Andrean); Blake Herrmann (Castle); Camden Jordan (Cathedral); Sam Gladd (Columbia City); Eli Hopf (Jasper); Brody Chrisman (Zionsville); J.D. Rogers (Carmel); Keaton Mahan (Westfield); Gage Standifer (Westfield); Kyler McIntosh (Columbus North); Chris Gallagher (Cathedral); Carter Doorn (Lake Central); Grant Comstock (Valparaiso); Tate Warner (Fishers); Carter Gilbert (Northridge).
The South swept a pair of nine-inning games from the North Saturday, June 25 in the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches North/South All-Star Series. With 5-3 and 7-6 wins at the University of Evansville, the South now trails 68-65 in the all-time series. South scored three runs in the second inning and one each in the third and seventh frames. Castle’s Blake Hermann rapped two doubles and five different players crossed the plate in support of winning pitcher Edgewood’s Luke Hayden (7 strikeouts). Seeger’s Khal Stephen took loss. In Game 2, Providence’s Eli Watson’s double drove in the go-ahead run after Bedford North Lawrence’s Evan Waggoner singled to plate the tying run in the seventh. Waggoner finished with two hits as did Wawasee’s Kameron Salazar for the North. Winning pitcher Holden Groher (Silver Creek) fanned four. Seton Catholic’s Luke Leverton pitched three innings of hitless relief with five strikeouts for the save. Leo’s Coley Stevens took the loss. The final game of the series is slated for 11 a.m. CST Sunday, July 27 at Bosse Field. It will be a wood-bat game with players wearing their high school uniforms.
IHSBCA NORTH/SOUTH ALL-STAR SERIES (At Evansville) Game 1 SOUTH 5, NORTH 3 North 000 100 002 — 3 3 2 South 031 000 10x — 5 8 1 WP — Hayden. LP — Stephen. Pitchers: North — Khal Stephen (Seeger; 2 innings, 2 strikeouts, 0 walks, 4 hits, 3 runs), Rex Stills (Wheeler; 3 innings, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk, 2 hits, 1 run), Aric Ehmke (DeKalb; 2 innings, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk, 2 hits, 1 run), Coley Stevens (Leo; 1 inning, 0 strikeouts, 1 walk, 0 hits, 0 runs). South — Luke Hayden (3 innings, 7 strikeouts, 5 walks, 0 hits, 0 runs), Coleman (3 innings, 2 strikeouts, 1 walk, 2 hits, 1 run), Young (3 innings, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk, 2 hits, 2 runs). North: Hits — Jacob Loftus (Peru), Jared Comia (Hanover Central), Carter Mathison (Homestead). RBI — Karson Kennedy (Lafayette Harrison), Comia. Runs — Gavin Noble (Wapahani), Jaden Deel (Hobart), Kameron Salazar (Wawasee). SB — Comia 2, Loftus, Salazar, Deel, Drew Loy (McCutcheon). LOB — 8. South: Hits — Blake Hermann 2, Nick Sutherlin, C.J. Richmond, Evan Waggoner, Camden Gasser, Andrew Oesterling, Ty Rumsey. 2B — Hermann 2. RBI — Waggoner, Evan Goforth. Runs — Sutherlin, Richmond, Waggoner, Gasser, Rumsey. SB — Gasser. LOB — 7. T — 2:42.
The same week the IHSAA crowns four state champions in Indianapolis, the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association will conduct its North/South All-Star Series in Evansville. State Finals are Monday and Tuesday, June 21-22 at Victory Field with the games to be set after semistates. The IHSBCA will hold its all-star game festivities Friday through Sunday, June 25-27 at the University of Evansville and historic Bosse Field. Practice is at U of E’s German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium (North workout at 3:15 p.m. Central Time, South workout at 5 Central) followed by the all-star banquet at Crescent Center at Milestones at 7 Central. A noon doubleheader is slated for Saturday at Braun Stadium with a wood-bat single game on Sunday at Bosse Field at 11 a.m. Central. Holiday Inn Express East, 220 Kirkwood Drive, is the team hotel. The North leads 68-63 in the all-time series. Indiana all-stars are seniors nominated by IHSBCA members and selected by a committee. In addition, the IHSBCA Futures Game (non-seniors) is to be staged in Evansville Wednesday, June 28.
Down 3-2 against Southmont with six outs to go, the Wolves scored six runs in the sixth inning for an 8-3 triumph prior to an 11-1 title game win against North Putnam.
“It’s been an up-and-down ride,” says first-year Wolves head coach Ron Alabaugh. “We lost last year with the pandemic and our basketball team went to the (2020-21) State Finals.
“Basketball players are key parts of the baseball program.”
These hoopsters, which finished as 2A state runners-up to Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian, played catch-up while knocking the baseball rust off and getting their arms in shape at the beginning of the season.
“It took a little while to get things going,” says Alabaugh. “But they stuck with it and worked hard. It’s paying off for us late in the season.
“Winning is just as contagious as losing. At a certain part of a season we expected to lose. We had to work on that frame of mind and turn it around. It was rough on the boys, but we were able to do it.”
By the close of the regular slate, the Wolves were down to 15 players in the program. Two seniors — Joey Bouffard and Connor Davis — have been drawing interest from college baseball programs.
In recent years, Rockville/Parke Heritage sent Kaleb Huxford (Maryville University in St. Louis), Dalton Laney (Indiana State) and Hunter Michalic (Manchester University in North Manchester, Ind.) to college diamonds. Logan White is on the football team at Franklin (Ind.) College).
WRC teams played each other twice — sometimes in home-and-away weekday series and sometimes in Saturday doubleheaders.
Regular-season wins came against Covington (twice), Attica (twice), North Putnam, North Vermillion (twice), Fountain Central (twice), Sullivan, Greencastle and South Newton.
Parke Heritage plays at a facility named for former Rockville athletic director Stan Gideon, who died in 2006.
The Wolves count local youth leagues, travel teams and a junior high team as part of its feeder program. The high school took over the old Rockville High building. Parke Heritage Middle School is in the structure that once housed Turkey Run in Marshall, Ind.
Rockville won 12 sectional titles, five regionals, two semistates and was 1A state runners-up in 2014 and 1A state champions in 2015. Turkey Run won four sectionals.
Alabaugh was an assistant at Rockville to Bob Kyle for the 2008-13 and 2016-19 seasons.
This spring, Alabaugh’s staff includes Mark Harper and Jarred Russell.
His father — Ron Alabaugh — attends every game. He played many years of semipro baseball for the old Blanford Cardinals as a teammate of Kyle. Young Ron was the batboy and later played on the same field as a member of the Clinton American Legion Post 140 team.
“My mother (Beverly) walked away with the (sectional) game ball last night,” says Alabaugh. “She put up with 50-some years of my baseball. That’s the least I could do for her.”
A 1987 graduate of South Vermillion High School in Clinton, Ind., Alabaugh played for Tim Terry near the beginning of Terry’s Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame career.
Terry’s longevity in establishing a successful program is a marvel to Alabaugh, who counts winning a sectional title in his sophomore year among his favorite baseball memories.
The Wildcats beat Montezuma and Rosedale to win the 1985 South Vermillion Sectional and lost to Terre Haute South Vigo featuring Kyle Kraemer in the semifinals of the Terre North Regional semifinals.
Alabaugh has two degrees from Indiana State University. After nearly two decades in the car business — he had his own Chevrolet dealership — he decided to go back to college and at 43 he was ready to be an educator. He started at North Montgomery, where he was also an assistant girls basketball coach on the staff of Ryan Nuppnau.
The 2020-21 year is his sixth at Rockville/Parke Heritage. He is a Social Studies teacher, instructing classes in history, psychology and economics.
Ron and wife Annie Alabaugh have a married son named Jordan (his bride is Nikki). Jordan Alabaugh was a golfer at South Vermillion.
Parke Heritage baseball coaches (from left): assistants Mark Harper, Jarrett Russell and head coach Ron Alabaugh.
Parke Heritage won the 2021 IHSAA Class 2A Souhmont Sectional baseball title.
Pitching is the priority as Adam Acton gets his baseball team ready for the 2021 baseball season.
Heading into his fourth campaign as head coach at Fountain Central Junior/Senior High School in Veedersburg, Ind., Acton wants to get his hurlers on the mound twice a week during this time of year with many throwing 20 to 25 pitches.
There’s also flat ground work, strength training, running and band work.
“We try to mix it up and not make it mundane,” says Acton, who has been leading a small group through January workouts while other baseball players are in winter sports. “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) needed to happen. Some coaches were killing the kids
“It forces teams to have a deeper pitching rotation.”
Other items of importance for Acton’s Mustangs are aggressiveness and alertness on the bases, making the routine fielding play and being smart in the batter’s box.
Adam and wife Alison Acton have been married 19 years and have four sons — Owen (15), Nolan (13), Garrett (10) and Caleb (8). Freshman Owen Acton and seventh grader Nolan Acton play football, basketball and baseball. Third grader Garrett Acton participates in archery, football and baseball. Second grader Caleb Acton plays baseball. Adam Acton was on the archery team at Purdue University.
Acton is a 1992 Lebanon graduate, where he played for Tigers head coach Keith Campbell.
After a year playing at Milligan College in Johnson City, Tenn., for Doug Jennett (who also head coach at Benton Central High School in Oxford, Ind.), Acton transferred to Purdue as a student. He then headed in the work force.
This is his third year as a Construction/Building Trades teacher at Fountain Central.
Acton’s coaching staff for 2021 includes Ryan Hall (head football coach) and Tim Garbison (former FC head baseball coach). There are others who help on an intermittent basis.
Fountain Central’s home field is on-campus. The diamond was re-done about five years ago and re-graded in the last year. There is need for upgrading in the bullpens.
“It’s a pretty nice facility,” says Acton.
As a feeder system, the Mustangs have Fountain Central Summer League in Veedersburg that serves ages 4 to 12.
A junior high team for grades 7 and 8 (and sometimes 6) normally carries 12 or 13 players. Some players are affiliated with travel ball organizations.
There are no recent FC graduates playing college baseball and no current commitments though Acton expects some in the coming years.
“We’ve got some talent in those two younger grades,” says Acton. “We’re going to be relying on them quite a bit (in 2021).”
The Acton family — on a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming — are (from left): First row — Garrett, Caleb and Nolan Acton; Second row — Owen, Alison and Adam. Adam Acton is the head baseball coach and a Construction/Building Trades teacher at Fountain Central Junior/Senior High School in Veedersburg, Ind.
Hickman played baseball for the Rensselaer Central Bombers. Craig Grow was the head coach in Hickman’s freshman year then left for Loogootee and other coaching stops. Kent LeBeau was RCHS head coach in Hickman’s last three prep seasons.
“Both men were mild-tempered and highly-respected individuals,” says Hickman of Grow and LeBeau. “I learned that winning the right way is the only way to win.
“Winning at all costs will catch up to you in life.”
Hickman played at Missouri State (then known as Southwest Missouri State) and was a senior captain for Keith Guttin, who had led the Bears since the 1983 season and racked up more than 1,200 victories during his coaching career.
“I am very proud to have played for Coach Guttin,” says Hickman. “He had a massive impact on my life. I’ve met no one who desires to win more than he does, but he has the same beliefs as my high school coaches.
“You win with hard work, commitment, dedication and grit. No short cuts.”
Faith Christian (enrollment around 220) is an independent with no conference affiliation.
“It is a challenge being an independent and getting teams on our schedule,” says Hickman. “Most schools’ first priority is their conference games.
“I would be in favor at some point of belonging to a conference.
We currently play a good mix of Christian and public schools in the area.”
The 2019 regular-season schedule included dates with Attica, Carroll (Flora), Clinton Central, Covenant Christian, Delphi, Frontier, Greenwood Christian, Horizon Christian, Maconaquah, Morgan Township, Pioneer, Seeger, Sheridan, Traders Point Christian, Tri-Central and West Lafayette.
The Eagles are part of an IHSAA Class 1A sectional grouping with Attica, Covington, North Vermillion and Riverton Parke. Faith Christian has not yet won a sectional title.
In 2019, there were 19 players in the program.
“My hope is that the numbers will steadily grow so that we can have a consistent junior varsity schedule that will feed the varsity,” says Hickman.
There is a also a middle school team for seventh and eighth graders which plays games from mid-April to June.
What drives Hickman and the Eagles?
“Our goal is simple,” says Hickman. “To compete in baseball at a high level so as to attract kids in our area to FCS schools.
“We see value in a Christian education and we want to do everything with a spirit of excellence. I have a passion for baseball and want nothing more than to pass that on to our local youth.
“To be able to use baseball to advance my faith is a true gift.”
Hickman is hoping to know who his 2020 assistants will be in the coming months.
Dan and Alicia Hickman have three children — Amanda, Cole and Jonathon. Alicia works at BACA, a Autism center for kids in Fishers, Ind. Amanda is married and living in Carmel, Ind. Cole, a 2010 Wabash (Ind.) College graduate, works for Geico in Carmel. Jonathon is a Wabash junior.
“(Jonathon) is a massive sports enthusiast and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pursue a career in the sports industry,” says Dan Hickman.
Dan Hickman is the head baseball coach at Faith Christian School in Lafayette, Ind.
Dan Hickman passes on his passion for baseball as the head coach at Faith Christian School in Lafayette, Ind. He played at and graduated from Rensselaer (Ind.) High School and Missouri State University.
Led by a fixture in Parke County, Ind., sports, the Panthers of Riverton Parke Junior/Senior High School celebrated their first sectional baseball title in a decade and are preparing for regional.
Charlie Martin, who has been at Riverton Parke for 24 years with two stints as head baseball coach (1996-2005 and 2016-present), steered the pitching-rich Panthers to the IHSAA Class 1A Parke Heritage Sectional championship.
No. 10-ranked Riverton Parke (19-10) topped North Vermillion and Covington to hoist the trophy and earn a spot opposite No. 2 Rossville in the semifinals of the Carroll (Flora) Regional at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 1. The second semifinal features Blue River Valley vs. Daleville (the Broncos were 1A state champions in 2016 and 2018) with the championship at 7:30 p.m.
“Our biggest strength is pitching,” says Martin, who saw junior right-hander Garrett Lawson toss a complete game against North Vermillion and junior left-hander Logan Harrison hurl six innings and Lawson close out Covington.
“They’ve been varsity starters since they were freshmen,” says Martin of Lawson and Harrison. “Both have shown flashes of brilliance. This year, they’ve put it all together.
“They are workhorses on the mound.”
Lawson is 6-2 in 10 starts with four complete games and 79 strikeouts in 64 innings. Harrison is 7-1 in 10 starts with three complete games and 80 K’s and 54 innings.
Righty swinger Lawson is hitting .402 with 33 hits, 11 doubles, five home runs, 20 runs scored and 31 runs batted in. Sophomore catcher Pierson Barnes also swings the bat from the right side. He is hitting .430 with 40 hits, nine doubles, one triple, five homers, 21 runs scored and 29 driven in.
Martin is assisted by Chad Lawson, Ben Porter, B.J. Barnes and Travis Sutton. This spring, numbers were up with large freshmen and junior classes and there were 26 players for varsity and junior varsity squads.
Little Leaguers from Montezuma, Rosedale and Clinton feed into Riverton Parke.
Riverton Parke (enrollment around 310) is a member of the Wabash River Conference (with Attica, Covington, Fountain Central, North Vermillion, Parke Heritage, Seeger and South Vermillion).
The WRC plays a double round robin with home-and-home weekday series and Saturday doubleheaders. Covington and South Vermillion tied for first place at 11-3. Riverton Parke and Seeger tied for third at 9-5.
Located near Montezuma, Ind. The Riverton Parke Panthers play on a little land-locked on-campus diamond. It’s less than 300 feet down the foul lines and short of 350 feet to center field.
“It makes for some nerve-racking coaching,” says Martin of the cozy confines. “One walk and one swing and a two-run lead is gone in a hurry.”
Martin notes that many of the top run and home run seasons during the pre-BBCOR bat days were set by Riverton Parke teams.
“Home runs not quite as plentiful since we switched the bats,” says Martin.
To click off the runs that are tallied, a manual wooden scoreboard stands in right field.
Martin, who has been athletic director at Riverton Parke for 14 years and has served as the school’s head boys basketball coach as recently as 2014-15, was in the last graduating class of Montezuma High School in 1986. Montezuma consolidated with Rosedale to form Riverton Parke. Martin’s baseball coaches were Bob Kyle (currently head coach at Parke Heritage) and Scott Weis.
“I definitely learned a lot of baseball strategy from Coach Kyle as well as the competitive side of the game,” says Martin. “There’s never been a better competitor than Coach Kyle.”
Charlie and Angel Martin have been married for 26 years. They have two children — Jake (25) and Maggie (22).
An aerial view of the baseball field at Riverton Parke Junior/Senior High School near Montezuma, Ind.
The manual baseball scoreboard at Riverton Parke Junior/Senior High School near Montezuma, Ind.
Riverton Parke Junior/Senior High School baseball coaches celebrate a 2019 sectional championship (from left): assistants B.J. Barnes and Chad Lawson, head coach Charlie Martin and assistants Travis Sutton and Ben Porter.
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