Indiana Tech taking down No. 1 Southeastern among week’s highlights

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

Indiana Tech bested NAIA No. 1 Southeastern (Fla.) 11-8 Thursday, March 10, ending the Fire’s season-opening 26-game college baseball win streak.
The Warriors took a 8-3 lead after four innings and held on for the victory. The contest played in Lakeland, Fla., featured seven home runs, including those by Tech’s Tristan Osika, Ashtin Moxey and Jayden Reed.
Other highlights from around the state for the week of March 7-13 include Taylor right-hander/Mishawaka High School graduate Luke Shivey pitching a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts and one walk in nine innings against visiting NAIA foe Huntington March 10.
The Foresters’ lone hit was a one-hit single by Langston Ginder (Fort Wayne Carroll) in the seventh inning. Shively threw 116 pitches in the 6-0 win in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
NAIA Oakland City beat No. 25 Point Park 8-6 in Game 3 of a series played at the Mighty Oaks’ Pinnick Field.
OCU scored two runs in the seventh inning and held on to top the Pioneers. Alec Pruitt plated four runs for Oakland City.
The Pride of Purdue Northwest (8-1) has roared out to quite a start in 2022. The NAIA club enjoyed 5-0 week, beating Minot State three times and Upper Iowa twice at Dowling Park in Hammond.
Lake Central graduate Ray Hilbrich (.467) as well as Luke Montgomery (.346) are PNW’s top hitters. Joe Sullivan (2-0, 1.04) and Mishawaka alum Sam Shively (2-0, 3.46) are among the leading pitchers.
NAIA Indiana University Kokomo (12-7) finds itself at 6-0 in the River States Conference.
NCAA Division I Purdue (14-0) keeps adding to its best-ever start. With a 2-0 series against Bellarmine, the Boilermakers upped their stolen base mark to 44-of-51. Curtis Washington Jr. (9-of-9) and Mike Bolton Jr. (9-of-12) lead the club.
Left-hander/McCutcheon graduate Jackson Smeltz (4-0, 2.11, 38 K’s, 7 BB, 21 1/3 IP) has been super on the mound for the nation’s last unbeaten D-I team.
Evansville (6-10) swept three games at Top 20-ranked Tulane. Starters Shane Gray, Nick Smith (Boonville) and Shane Harris (North Posey) picked up victories for the Purple Aces.
Notre Dame (11-1) won its first two Atlantic Coast Conference games at No. 17 North Carolina. The Irish carry a 1.71 team earned run average — among the D-I’s best.
Right-hander Sam Klein (Bloomington North) picked up his third and fourth saves of the season as D-I Ball State swept a March 13 Mid-American Conference doubleheader from Eastern Michigan.
Mitchell Spencer, Rex Stills (Wheeler) and Jacob Myer combined to hold Saint Louis to five hits in D-I Purdue Fort Wayne’s 4-1 win in Game 2 of a three-game series on the Billikens’ field.
With two wins against Principia, NCAA Division III Earlham moved to 7-1. Christian Lancianese (.482), Leo graduate Easton Embry (.462), Cameron McCabe (.448) and Andrew Bradley (.429) are the top hitters for the Quakers.
Franklin (8-3) beat Alma four times. Munster alum Logan Demkovich (.568) paces Grizzlies hitters on the season.
Including March 6 games, D-III Wabash (7-2) went 5-2 in Tucson, Ariz. The Little Giants are led offensively by Highland graduate A.J. Reid (.500) and Warsaw alum Liam Patton (.424). Tavic Simmons (Carmel) is 2-0 on the bump.
D-III Trine (5-6) went 4-5 in Florida. Avery Fulford (.400), Jack Kletzly (.400) and Brenden Warner (.364) guide the Thunder in hitting and New Prairie alum Noah Bretin (1-0, 1.50) in pitching.
D-III Manchester scored 30 runs in a doubleheader sweep at Berea. Griffin Garwood (Mt. Vernon of Fortville) and Aidan Stevens (Rensselaer Central) drove in five runs each and and Zach White (Logansport) scored six for the Spartans (2-7).

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL
Records Through March 13
NCAA D-I
Purdue 14-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
Notre Dame 11-1 (2-0 ACC)
Indiana State 7-6 (0-0 MVC)
Valparaiso 5-6 (0-0 MVC)
Butler 7-7 (0-0 Big East)
Ball State 7-7 (2-0 MAC)
Evansville 6-9 (0-0 MVC)
Indiana 6-9 (0-0 Big Ten)
Purdue Fort Wayne 1-14 (0-0 Horizon)

NCAA D-II
Purdue Northwest 8-1 (0-0 GLIAC)
Southern Indiana 7-5 (0-0 GLVC)
Indianapolis 5-7 (0-0 GLVC)

NCAA D-III
Franklin 8-3 (0-0 HCAC)
Earlham 7-1 (0-0 HCAC)
Wabash 7-2 (0-0 NCAC)
Trine 5-6 (0-0 MIAA)
Anderson 5-7 (0-0 HCAC)
DePauw 4-4 (0-0 NCAC)
Rose-Hulman 3-3 (0-0 HCAC)
Manchester 2-7 (0-0 HCAC)
Hanover 2-7 (0-0 HCAC)

NAIA
Saint Francis 14-6 (4-2 CL)
Taylor 14-8 (4-2 CL)
Oakland City 14-8 (3-3 RSC)
Indiana University-Kokomo 12-7 (6-0 RSC)
Indiana University Southeast 11-7 (3-0 RSC)
Indiana Tech 9-9 (0-0 WHAC)
Grace 9-10 (3-3 CL)
Marian 9-11 (1-5 CL)
Bethel 9-13 (3-3 CL)
Indiana Wesleyan 7-11 (3-3 CL)
Indiana University South Bend 6-10 (0-0 CCAC)
Huntington 5-9 (3-3 CL)
Calumet of Saint Joseph 5-12 (0-0 CCAC)
Goshen 4-12 (1-5 CL)

Junior College
Vincennes 6-9 (0-0 MWAC)
Ivy Tech Northeast 4-3 (0-0 NJCAA XII)
Marian’s Ancilla 3-13 (0-0 MCCAA)

Week of March 7-13
NCAA D-I
Tuesday, March 8
North Florida 12, Butler 6
Indiana 7, Cincinnati 0
Notre Dame 11, Elon 3

Wednesday, March 9
Belmont 7, Evansville 4
Indiana 12, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Thursday, March 10
Wright State 6, Indiana State 3
Purdue 8, Bellarmine 4
Saint Louis 5, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Friday, March 11
Troy 2, Indiana 1
Indiana State 6, Wright State 2
Notre Dame 8, North Carolina State 4 (12 inn.)

Saturday, March 12
Evansville 5, Tulane 3
Evansville 5, Tulane 1
Southeast Missouri 9, Valparaiso 1
Southeast Missouri 16, Valparaiso 6

Sunday, March 13
Ball State 2, Eastern Michigan vs. Ball State 1
Ball State 6, Eastern Michigan 4
Butler 8, Western Illinois 5
Butler 9, Western Illinois 5
Evansville 15, Tulane 1
Troy 6, Indiana 4
Troy 7, Indiana 4
Wright State 11, Indiana State 10
Notre Dame 11, North Carolina State 4
Purdue 7, Bellarmine 4
Purdue Fort Wayne 4, Saint Louis 1
Saint Louis 5, Purdue Fort Wayne 2
Southeast Missouri 10, Valparaiso 8

NCAA D-II
Tuesday, March 8
Purdue Northwest 15, Minot State 13
Southern Indiana 6, West Florida 1
West Florida 1, Southern Indiana 0

Wednesday, March 9
Purdue Northwest 3, Minot State 2
Purdue Northwest 3, Minot State 1

Sunday, March 13
Lake Erie vs. Indianapolis
Lake Erie vs. Indianapolis
Upper Iowa vs. Purdue Northwest
Upper Iowa vs. Purdue Northwest
Davenport 12, Southern Indiana 4

NCAA D-III
Monday, March 7
Dominican (Ill.) 9, Trine 7
Wabash 7, Wheaton 6

Tuesday, March 8
King’s (Pa.) 12, Trine 1
Wabash 15, Northland 1

Wednesday, March 9
Earlham 21, Principia 4
Earlham 10, Principia 0
Spalding 9, Hanover 1
Trine 16, Vassar 6

Thursday, March 10
Wilmington 11, Franklin 4
Trine 7, Fontbonne 5
Wabash 3, Bemidji State 2

Friday, March 11
Westfield State 10, Anderson 5
Anderson 12, Westfield State 0
Franklin 6, Alma 2
Franklin 15, Alma 7
Manchester 16, Berea 5
Manchester vs. Berea
Trine 3, Mt. St. Joseph 2
Mt. St. Joseph 15, Trine 1
Wabash 12, Bethany Lutheran 4
Buena Vista 11, Wabash 5

Sunday, March 13
Amherst 13, Anderson 0
Farmingdale State 10, Anderson 0
DePauw vs. Hanover
DePauw vs. Hanover
Franklin 11, Alma 9
Franklin 12, Alma 2

NAIA
Monday, March 7
Grand View 12, Calumet of St. Joseph 5
Siena Heights 9, Calumet of St. Joseph 7
Southeastern 13, Indiana Tech 7
IU Kokomo 6, Georgetown (Ky.) 5

Tuesday, March 8
St. Thomas (Fla). 17, Indiana Tech 2
St. Thomas (Fla.) 7, Indiana Tech 1
Madonna 5, IU Kokomo 4
Northwestern (Iowa) 16, IU South Bend 3
Lindsey Wilson 10, Oakland City 7
Taylor 9, Defiance 2

Wednesday, March 9
Thomas (Ga.) 8, IU South Bend 7 (10 inn.)

Thursday, March 10
Bethel 11, Indiana Wesleyan 0
Bethel 7, Indiana Wesleyan 3
Concordia (Neb.) 10, Calumet of St. Joseph 5
Calumet of St. Joseph 5, Siena Heights 2
Spring Arbor 6, Grace 4
Spring Arbor 4, Grace 2
Saint Francis 12, Goshen 6
Saint Francis 8, Goshen 0
Taylor 6, Huntington 0
Huntington 8, Taylor 7
Indiana Tech 9, Northwestern (Iowa) 2
Indiana Tech 11, Southeastern 8
IU Kokomo 12, Rio Grande 1
IU Southeast 3, Brescia 2
IU Southeast 12, Brescia 3
Mt Vernon Nazarene 6, Marian 2
Mt Vernon Nazarene 7, Marian 1
Point Park 6, Oakland City 4
Point Park 1, Oakland City 0

Friday, March 11
Lawrence Tech 11, Calumet of St. Joseph 5
Warner 14, Calumet of St. Joseph 1
IU Kokomo 12, Rio Grande 8
IU Kokomo 7, Rio Grande 1
IU Southeast 15, Brescia 2
Oakland City 8, Point Park 6

Saturday, March 12
Lawrence Tech 8, Calumet of St. Joseph 2
Indiana Tech 8, Thomas (Ga.) 4

Sunday, March 13
Indiana Tech 5, Thomas (Ga.) 2

Junior College
Tuesday, March 8
Ivy Tech Northeast 9, Anderson JV 8
Marian’s Ancilla 4, Hibbing 3

Wednesday, March 9
Hagerstown 10, Marian’s Ancilla 0
Vincennes 4, Volunteer State 1

Thursday, March 10
Kellogg 7, Ivy Tech Northeast 5

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Simmons seizes hardware in first season leading North Posey Vikings

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

North Posey High School’s baseball team got to hoist the sectional trophy again in 2018.

The last time the Vikings had earned the hardware was in 2006 when the program went on to the second of back-to-back IHSAA Class 2A state championships with Mike Swartzentruber as head coach.

North Posey went 22-10 last spring, won the 2A Tell City Sectional and saw the season end in the Austin Regional final with a loss to eventual state runner-up Southridge.

Pitcher Shane Harris and outfielder Jarrett Motz made the all-Pocket Athletic Conference as juniors while infielder Camden Bender received honorable mention as a sophomore.

The Vikings finished 5-3 and tied for third place in the PAC (which also includes Forest Park, Gibson Southern, Heritage Hills, Pike Central, South Spencer, Southridge, Tecumseh and Tell City).

The first season as North Posey head coach was a special one for Jesse Simmons.

After eight seasons in charge at Princeton (Ind.) Community High School, Simmons came to North Posey, where he also works in the guidance department as coordinator for student programs, testing and scholarships.

During his time at Princeton Community, he spent part of his summers managing Princeton American Legion Post 25.

Simmons, a graduate of Gibson Southern High School in Fort Branch, Ind., played for an Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer (Jim Reid) in high school and a National Junior College Athletic Association Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer (Jerry Blemker at Vincennes University) his first two years of college.

He played two more seasons at Oakland City (Ind.) University for head coach T-Ray Fletcher. Toss in the lessons he gained from playing football at Gibson Southern for head coach John Obermeier and that has formed Simmons as a coach.

“You pick stuff from everybody,” says Simmons. “(Reid) was a no-nonsense kind of guy. He was always upfront. That’s what I try to do. To a fault, I’m almost too truthful.

“(Reid) was also big on the little things.”

A third baseman in high school, Simmons was moved to shortstop at Vincennes when the starter got hurt.

Blemker was known for his passion.

“Everyday he expected things,” says Simmons of Blemker. “This is how it’s going to be.”

The fiery Blemker, who died in 2012, won 1,178 games during a storied career. At the time of his retirement in 2006, that was the most coaching wins in NJCAA Division II history.

Simmons recalls how Obermeier wanted his athletes to “take care of business” and also had a good working relationship with coaches of other sports. They shared athletes at Gibson Southern.

“(Fletcher) is still a big part of my life,” says Simmons, who not only played for T-Ray’s Mighty Oaks but helped coach them during his fifth year of college while pursuing his master’s degree. “That’s when I got the bug for coaching.”

Heading into his second season at North Posey, Simmons’ coaching staff includes Lennie “Peanut” Titzer, James Hensley, Lance Fleener, Dustin May and Jeremy Lavanchy. Titzer was Simmons’ Babe Ruth League coach and an assistant at Gibson Southern.

The Vikings are in an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping with Evansville Mater Dei, Forest Park, Perry Central, South Spencer and Tell City. North Posey has an enrollment of about 500.

North Posey plays on a field behind the school that it shares with Cub (seventh and eighth graders playing 15 to 20 games in the spring) and Poseyville Babe Ruth programs (Red and Black teams are part of an eight-team league with biggest part being from Gibson County).

Simmons says he hopes to have an American Legion team — Poseyville Post 278 /New Harmony Post 370 — playing their next summer. The plan is to play weekday games to accommodate the weekend travel ball schedules of his players.

Jesse and Courtney Simmons reside in Haubstadt, Ind. with their five children — sons Jeter (9) and Jensen (8) and daughters Albany (7), Vera (6) and Savannah (1).

The oldest of three children, Jesse’s parents are Jim and Diane Hornby. His siblings are Amber and Quentin.

A New York Yankees fan, Jesse Simmons’ favorite players are Derek Jeter and Don Mattingly.

“(Jeter) thrived under pressure,” says Simmons. “He was a good leader. He was never afraid of the moment and the spotlight is a tough place to play.”

Mattingly, an IHSBCA Hall of Famer, is from nearby Darmstadt, Ind., and played high school baseball at Evansville Memorial.

Jesse Simmons, the head baseball coach at North Posey High School in Poseyville, Ind., poses with his family. Front row (from left) Jeter Simmons, Vera Simmons, Albany Simmons and Jensen Simmons. Back row (from left) Jesse Simmons, Savannah Simmons and Courtney Simmons.

Who made IHSBCA All-State for 2018?

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

The Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association membership has voted for its 2018 all-state teams.

Players were selected for first team and honorable mention in four classes.

Players selected in the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft — Nick Schnell (Roncalli), Jack Perkins (Kokomo), Bradley Brehmer (Decatur Central), Jared Poland (Indianapolis Cathedral) and Timmy Borden (Providence) — are automatically all-state.

The honorees are listed below:

2018 IHSBCA ALL-STATE

Class 4A

First Team

Pitchers

Garrett Burhenn (Lawrence Central)

Luke Albright (Fishers)

Grant Richardson (Fishers) xxx

Avery Short  (Southport)

Braydon Tucker (Northview)

Catcher

Hayden Jones (Fort Wayne Carroll) x

First Baseman

Ethan English (Jeffersonville)

Second Baseman

Cam Dennie (Plymouth)

Third Baseman

Matt Wolff (Fishers)

Shortstop

Craig Yoho (Fishers)

Outfielders

Ryan Robison (New Albany) xx

Ian McCutcheon (Huntington North)

Damon Lux (Shelbyville)

Honorable Mention

Riley Perlich (Fort Wayne Carroll)

Austin Peterson (Chesterton)

Zach Messinger (Castle)

Derek Haslett (Indianapolis CrCathedral)

Ryan Bolda (Crown Point)

Chandler Banic (LaPorte)

Zyon Avery (Ben Davis)

Alec Brunson (DeKalb)

Kollyn All (McCutcheon)

Kiel Brenczewski (Fishers)

Chase Hug (Pike)

Jacob Daftari (Hamilton Southeastern)

Brock Cooper (Hobart)

Justin Graves (Lake Central)

Jared Miller (Elkhart Central)

Brigham Booe (Northview)

Riley Hershberger (Logansport)

Riley Bertram (Zionsville)

Tucker Platt (Logansport)

Alan Perry (Seymour)

Benji Nixon (Plymouth)

Matthew Meyer (Westfield)

Tyler Finke (Columbus North)

JJ Woolwine (Fishers)

Drew Taylor (Jeffersonville)

Evan Allen (McCutcheon)

Ryan Bolda (Crown Point)

Payton Kerr (Penn)

Tyler Owens (Noblesville)

Drew Hasson (Columbus East)

Class 3A

First Team

Pitchers

Michael Doolin (Andrean)

Ashton Guyer (Western)

Trevor Ankney (Indian Creek)

Catchers

Derek Wagner (Tri-West)

Angel DiFederico (New Haven)

First Baseman

Pat Mills (Western)

Second Baseman

Nolan Isaacs (Lakeland)

Third Baseman

Sam Beier (Wheeler)

Shortstop

Sammy Steimel (Sullivan)

Outfielders

Eli Helton (Lawrenceburg)

Clay Thompson (Andrean)

Caleb Meeks (Evansville Memorial)

Cade McCoin (Mississinewa)

Honorable Mention

Sullivan Swingley (Yorktown)

Tyler Wheeler (Silver Creek)

Ethan Larason (Maconaquah)

Robbie Berger (John Glenn)

Dillon Olejnik (Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter)

Brady Gumpf (South Bend St. Joseph)

Sammy Barnett (Silver Creek)

Jake Andriole (Guerin Catholic)

Bryson McNay (Silver Creek)

Dawson Read (Indian Creek)

Max Moser (Jay County)

Cole Stigleman (Jay County)

Michael Machnic (John Glenn)

Eric Doyle (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger)

Dylan Whitt (Silver Creek)

Chase Springmeyer (Greensburg)

Hayden Schott (Culver Military Academies)

Eddie Morris (Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger)

Tanner Clark (Columbia City)

Class 2A

First Team

Pitchers

Grant Besser (South Adams)

Ty Bothwell (Boone Grove)

Catcher

Luke Stock (Henryville)

First Baseman

Joe Butz (Heritage Christian)

Second Baseman

Joel Mounts (Heritage Christian)

Third Baseman

Kipp Fougerousse (Linton Stockton)

Shortstops

Drew Buhr (Austin)

Logan Ryan (Hebron)

Outfielders

Zander Kottka (Union County)

Spencer Ballinger (Oak Hill)

Sam Schoonveld (Clinton Prairie)

Honorable Mention

Landon Weins (Frankton)

Jake Marin (Lafayette Central Catholic)

Shane Harris (North Posey)

Joey Weller (Union County)

Cameron Holycross (Lapel)

Matt Panagouleas (South Vermillion)

Logan Seger (Southridge)

Ben Berenda (Lafayette Central Catholic)

Wes Transier (Oak Hill)

KJ Roudebush (Tipton)

Easton Good (Lewis Cass)

Mason Miller (Union County)

Trever Zink (Forest Park)

Tyler Burton (Knightstown)

Tucker Schank (Southridge)

Garett Stanley (Wapahani)

Carson Dolezal (Tipton)

Class 1A

First Team

Pitchers

Lucas McNew (Borden)

Blake Harner (Northfield)

Catcher

Duncan Gerkin (Orleans)

First Baseman

Jay Hammel (South Newton) xx

Second Baseman

Trey Waddups (Pioneer)

Third Baseman

Nate Johnson (Pioneer)

Shortstop

Aaron Beard (Tecumseh)

Outfielders

Ryan Hale (Daleville)

Cory Gutshall (Pioneer)

Carson Husmann (South Central of Union Mills) x

Honorable Mention

Nick Babcock (South Newton)

Evan Etchison (Daleville)

Sam Meek (Hauser)

Garrett Lawson (Riverton Parke)

Shom Berry (North Daviess)

Trey Johnson (Hauser)

Peyton Smith (Daleville)

Parker Eickbush (Hauser)

Case Eisenhut (Northeast Dubois)

Kyle Schmack (South Central of Union Mills)

Josh Price (Daleville)

Brogan Sanders (Riverton Parke)

Gabe Wilson (Edinburgh)

x — Repeat all-state performer.

xx — Repeat all-state performer in same class, but different position.

xxx — Repeat all-state performer in a different class and different position.