Mike Schoenradt is in charge for the first season of Tri-Township Tigers baseball in 2023. Formerly an assistant at North Judson-San Pierre High School, Schoenradt (pronounced Shin-Rod) is a new head coach leading the program at the former LaCrosse in LaPorte County. Tri-Township (enrollment around 110) is a member of the Porter County Conference (with Boone Grove, Hebron, Kouts, Morgan Township, South Central of Union Mills, Washington Township and Westville). The Tigers are part of an IHSAA Class 1A sectional grouping in 2023 with Argos, Culver Community, Marquette Catholic, Oregon-Davis, South Bend Career Academy, Triton and Westville. LaCrosse won four sectional crowns — the last in 1984. Schoenradt was on Ronald Benakovich’s staff at North Judson. “RB is the man and has been a great mentor for me to have,” says Schoenradt. “The biggest coaching advice I could ever have is ‘Stop watching the play and start watching the whole game.’ It’s so easy to get zoned into watching the play at-hand that you forget to watch the whole field. “You have multiple guys on that field and were they all where they needed to be? were they doing there job? RB telling me that was huge for me and letting me know what I needed to be better at.” Schoenradt has a plan for the Tigers. “A big emphasis this year is preparation defensively before the game and being a aggressive at the plate,” says Schoenradt. “I went over a lot of there games last year and the errors and the at bats were a big issue. “A big thing I noticed was how often they let themselves get behind in the count with strikes looking. Getting them in the right mindset of knowing your zone and being ready to attack have been an emphasis of ours.” There are currently 14 players in the program. Tri-Township will play a varsity schedule in 2023. With more participation, Schoenradt says a junior varsity can be added in the future. Schoenradt’s coaching staff features Kolton Linback, Jason Flores and Xavier Sanchez. “(Linback) takes care of my catchers,” says Schoenradt. “He’s got a great understanding of that position. “(Flores) works with the boys on hitting. When he’s out there you know his passion is there. “I tell everyone (Sanchez) is my mechanics guy. When it comes to mechanics and fundamentals, he the man.” The Tigers’ diamond in Wanatah, Ind., features stone work on the dugout and backstop. The field is maintained by Aaron Rust. “There’s no 1A school with a field like that around here,” says Schoenradt. “So shout out to Aaron Rust and his family, (former LaCrosse head coach) Eric Snyder, Tri-Township High School, the booster club and everyone else who put in the work to make that field what it is.” Schoenradt is a 2010 graduate of Lewis Cass Junior-Senior High School in Walton, Ind. He played baseball until his early teens then pursued Freestyle BMX. “My love for baseball never died though and being able to get into coaching really brought back my passion for it and stepping on a field still gave me the best feeling,” says Schoenradt, who coached youth baseball in Knox, Ind., and started the Knox Outkast travel program that earned Baseball Players Association Team of the Year honors in 2019. Who feeds the Tigers? “I think all things can be a feeder system,” says Schoenradt. “It all just depends on the coaching. “Right now for us Aaron Rust is doing a great job building up this program for years to come. I watched Brian McMahan’s T-ball practice the other day and I was shocked. I’ve never seen kids that young dropping their hips and going to catch a pop-up. “So really it all just depends who your kids are being taught by and if they have coaches who are taking the intuitive to teach them the right way.” Schoenradt does not have any current college commitments but points to senior Carter Burkholder and juniors Blain Rust and Noah Kneifiel as players to watch. Away from coaching, Schoenradt is employed by Newmar Corporation and engaged to Clarissa. Between them they have two daughters — Gemma (7) and Emmalyn (4).
Washington Township won the IHSAA Class 1A state baseball title in 2021 without hitting a single home run during the season. The Randy Roberts-coached Senators went 27-7 without leaving the yard one time. Randy’s father, Norman Roberts, who died in April, used to pester his son about all the bunting. “I just wished we didn’t have to,” says Randy Roberts. “But you’ve got to put the ball in play (with a bunt or a swing) and make (the defense) make the plays. “More often than not those routine plays are what costs the game.” Roberts, who has been head coach at Washington Township since the 1996 season, says hitting is hard and “bunting is just desire” and catching the ball with the bat. “Striking out has to be a fate worse than death.” Washington Township (enrollment around 260) is a member of the Porter County Conference (with Boone Grove, Hebron, Kouts, Morgan Township, South Central of Union Mills, Tri-Township and Westville). The PCC crowns round robin and tournament champions. The Senators won the round robin in 1999 (tie), 2001, 2006 and 2014 (tie) and tournament in 1999, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2021. The Senators are part of an IHSAA Class 1A sectional grouping in 2023 with Bowman Leadership Academy, DeMotte Christian, Hammond Science & Technology, Kouts and Morgan Township. Washington Township has won 10 sectional titles — all since 1999 and the last in 2021. The Senators were 1A state champions in 2021 and state runners-up in 2019. That’s all on Roberts’ watch. Typically, Roberts has about 18 players to fill varsity and junior varsity rosters. Over the years, the coach has had young men come out that were not very good players but they came back year after year. “Those kids are the ones that go on and are successful adults,” says Roberts. “The fact is that they’ve committed to something and the easiest thing to do is quit. “That’s what most kids do.” The 2022-23 Senators did not participate in IHSAA Limited Contact Period activities in the fall and had some optional workouts this week. Assistant coaches for 2023 are Christian Lembke (Washington Township Class of 2010) and Nick Sutton. “He’s a good baseball man,” says Roberts of Sutton. “He loves the game.” Lembke, who played for Roberts, is a fourth grade teacher at Washington Township Elementary School. James Kirk (Class of 2023) was the Senators’ top hitter for a 5-16 squad in 2022 at .423 with four homers and 23 runs batted in. Nathan Winchip (Class of 2024) led the team in pitching wins with three and innings with 32 1/3. A 1978 graduate of Warsaw (Ind.) Community High School, Roberts earned an Education degree from Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind. The Lancers were then coached by Tom Roy. “He’s a very spiritual man,” says Roberts. “He’s just the kind of guy you’d want to be. “Coach Roy is the man to follow in his relationship with Christ.” When Roberts was in school Grace went to Puerto Rico on one of its spring trips. “I loved it down there,” says Roberts. A year after he graduated a director from Puerto Rico’s Wesleyan Academy was visiting Roy and Roberts, who was substitute teaching and working for the Warsaw parks department, learned of an opening for an elementary reading teacher and baseball coach. Roberts went to work for the school in Guaynabo for two years. The first year the baseball team lost in the first round of the playoffs. The next year brought the island’s private school championship. Private schools were separated into two divisions — A and B. Citizens interested in an education or having wealth sent their children to private schools to learn English. Public schools taught in Spanish. Division A schools offered scholarships and would often take the best ballplayers from Division B. “It was not very common for a Division B school to beat a Division A school,” says Roberts. After a regular season of about 20 games, it took three wins to earn the championship. The last two for Roberts’ team came against Division A schools, including Robinson School in San Juan featuring future big leaguer Eduardo Perez (son of Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Perez). “Puerto Rico was the job of my life — never to be duplicated,” says Roberts. After coming back to Indiana, Roberts worked and helped coach baseball at Wawasee. Then came the opportunity to teach young adults in the Middle East. He spent two years in Saudi Arabia and one in Dubai and made some money. There was no baseball, but he did play softball. “I got on a really good team that was like the Yankees of the Middle East,” says Roberts. “It was during the first Gulf War and there were a lot of military teams in the league. “It was pretty competitive.” Roberts came back to Indiana and worked at a pickle factory and substitute taught at John Glenn, Bremen and Plymouth. Then came the opportunity to teach and be an assistant track coach at Washington Township in the spring of 1995. At that time, grades K-12 met in the same building. In 1995-96, Roberts started a long run as a sixth grade teacher and transitioned to fifth grade. In 26 baseball seasons, he’s posted a mark of 472-261. What has made Roberts’ time leading the Senators worthwhile is the relationships. “The parents here in the community have just been phenomenal,” says Roberts. “They stood behind me. “If mower needs fixed, I call a parent. When we built the batting cages in the gym it was always with parental help.” When Roberts and an administrator did not see eye-to-eye it was the parents who were there to back the coach and educator. “They had a Facebook page and all these people are writing posts in support of me,” says Roberts. “It was kind of like my living funeral.” Roberts had offers to go to a bigger school over the years, but decided to stay put. “It’s been a good place,” says Roberts. “I’ve had principals that I’ve just been blessed and grateful to have worked under them the whole way. “They say everything happens for a reason.” Then there’s Roberts’ pride and joy — the Washington Township baseball field aka Senator Park. Located on the campus that sits along S.R. 2 on the east edge of Valparaiso, the diamond with a rustic feel features wood purchased from a smaller Menard’s store that was closing to make way for a bigger one. The first few quoted prices for the wood — $20,000 and $10,000 — were too high for the school’s budget. “Eventually they called me and said we’ll give it to you for $4,000 and we’ll not take a cent less,” says Roberts, who placed a $1,000 down payment on the wood and players, coaches and parents loaded three semi trailers. The next spring it spent five weekends and many hours after practice putting up fences and dugouts that have now been there more than two decades. “That’s our field,” says Roberts. “It’s just a great place for a ballgame. Down the right field line it’s elevated and you’ve got the trees. There aren’t too many infields where the grass is any nicer. “Is it a perfect ball field? No. The outfield slopes down terribly low. On the infield, the first base side is a little bit higher.” With Lake Michigan less than 20 miles to the north, a howling wind seems to be a constant at the high school and the adjacent Washington Township Little League. One of the program’s biggest benefactors was rental company owner and baseball parent who died in an automobile accident on July 10. “Whatever I need for 15 years — a sod-cutter, Bobcat, you name it, he was delivering it at 5 o’clock,” says Roberts. “Everybody ought to have a friend like Jimmie Lawson.” Eric Lawson — oldest son of Jimmie and wife Karen — was an eighth graders when came in the summer donning striped soccer socks. “I liked the looks of them so we went to stirrups the very next year,” says Roberts, who also coached Eric’s brothers Stephen and Alex. Eric graduated from Washington Township and went on the earn a Purple Heart while serving in the U.S. Army. “Those stirrups mean something,” says Roberts. “We wear those now in tribute to the entire family.” Middle school baseball is played in the ball at Washington Township where they don’t have football. “It’s like a seven-week baseball camp (beginning in early August),” says Roberts. “They’re taught everything. We don’t teach anything different than we do the high school kids.” Roberts has three children — Max, Sophia and William. Max Roberts is a 2016 Valparaiso High School graduate who was selected in the seventh round of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft out of Wabash Valley College (Mount Carmel, Ill.) by the Seattle Mariners. The 6-foot-6 left-handed pitcher was selected in the minor league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 Draft by the Houston Astros and could start the 2023 season at Triple-A Sugar Land. William Roberts, a 6-foot-5 right-hander graduated from Washington Township in 2019 and pitched at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Mich., in 2021 and 2022 and is now at Purdue Northwest.
Randy Roberts.
Randy Roberts celebrates an IHSAA Class 1A state championship in 2021.
Randy Roberts teaches fifth grade at Washington Township Elementary School.
The 2021 state champions. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Washington Township’s Senator Park. (Photo by Steve Krah)
Jeff Myszak is teaching his Hebron (Ind.) High School baseball players about batting, fielding and pitching. But the second-year Hawks head coach is also concentrating on building relationships and mental skills. When Hebron met for IHSAA Limited Contact Period sessions in the fall there was a lot of development including long toss. During field maintenance time, a new warning track was installed all around the diamond. There was also a focus on intellectual achievement. Myszak, who has been coaching baseball almost two decades, has Mental Performance Mastery Certification through Brian Cain, who counts the late sports psychology consultant Ken Ravizza as a mentor. A veteran of 19 seasons with the Schererville (Ind.) Police Department, Myszak sees his next career. “I would like to coach mental performance full-time,” says Myszak. Hebron (enrollment around 350) is a member of the Porter County Conference (with Boone Grove, Kouts, Tri-Township, Morgan Township, South Central of Union Mills, Westville and Washington Township). The Hawks are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with North Judson, Illiana Christian, Lake Station Edison, North Newton and Whiting. Hebron has won four sectional titles — the last in 2017. Teaching baseball skills while also helping make responsible young adults is also an aim for Myszak. “I’m all about relationships,” says Myszak, who learned that trait from father and former Hammond (Ind.) policeman and Calumet College of Saint Joseph (Whiting, Ind.) head baseball coach Tony Myszak. In 2022, 24 players came out for baseball and Myszak often led his varsity team solo and had help from junior varsity coach Wayne Straka when his team was not playing. Myszak says there may be closer to 33 players in 2023. His coaching staff features Straka as head JV coach and varsity assistant and Adam Fulk as head varsity assistant. Fulk was an assistant at East Chicago Central High School the past few years. He was the starting left fielder on Lake Central High School’s 2012 IHSAA Class 4A champions coached by Jeff Sandor. Myszak was an assistant for that team. A 1997 Lake Central graduate, Myszak played two years of varsity baseball for Indians coach Tom Hansen. He also played basketball at LC for Jim Black. Myszak is now a seventh grade boys basketball coach at Grimmer Middle School in Schererville, Ind. (part of the Lake Central system). Myszak graduated from Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind., in 2002. He credits Sandor and former Pumas head coach Rick O’Dette for much of what he knows about baseball. Jeff served as hitting coach for his father at Calumet College. There was a stint as team training coach at Parisi Speed School in Schererville. He also program director for Indiana Elite Baseball Softball Training Facility in Cedar Lake, Ind., (closing the doors in 2017) and spent a dozen years in various roles on the Lake Central baseball coaching staff. Chad Patrick (Hebron Class of 2017) pitched at Purdue Northwest and was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fourth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He got up to High-A and was in the Arizona Fall League in 2022. Myszak counts three current Hebron players with college baseball aspirations — Class of 2023’s Tucker Patrick (Chad’s cousin) and Jackson Peeler and 2024’s Trever Roy. Hebron has middle school baseball. The team plays games in the fall (August to October). The coach wants to scale back the schedule and focus on training. “We need to practice more than we play at that age,” says Myszak, who also wants to work with elementary school players. A father of four, Jeff has Ethan (21), Amayah (19), Alexandra (14) and Emma (12). Ethan Myszak (Lake Central Class of 2020) played baseball before high school and is now in the U.S. Army Reserves. Amayah Myszak is a Lake Central senior. She is on the wrestling team. She was a cheerleader prior to being badly burned in 2017. “It’s been a long road,” says Jeff Myszak. “We’ve still got work to do.” Alexandra Myszak (Lake Central Class of 2026) plays basketball and softball. Emma Myszak (Lake Central Class of 2028) is involved in volleyball, basketball and softball.
Nearly 40 years after graduating and more than 25 after first serving as an assistant coach, North Judson (Ind.)-San Pierre Junior/Senior High School alum Rabion Frasure has been selected to lead the baseball program at his alma mater. “I’m looking at creating a baseball culture at North Judson the best we can,” says Frasure, a 1983 graduate. “We want to get the young kids interested in playing baseball like they do basketball and football.” The school’s football team is 21-6 over the past two seasons which both ended at the IHSAA Class 1A semistate level. The boys basketball team went 21-6 and won a sectional crown in 2021-22. In baseball, the Ron Benakovich-coached Bluejays were 15-8 overall and 11-4 in the Hoosier North Athletic Conference in 2022. North Judson (enrollment around 350) is in the HNAC with Caston, Culver Community, Knox, LaVille, Pioneer, Triton and Winamac. Conference foes meet each other twice — either in a weekday home-and-home series or Saturday doubleheader. The Bluejays are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Hebron, South Central (Union Mills), Wheeler and Winamac. North Judson has won eight sectional titles — the last in 2006. Frasure played baseball and basketball for four years each at North Judson. Fred Perry (1980), Bud Childers (1981 and 1982) and Dave McCollough (1983) were his head coaches on the diamond and Perry (first two years) and Dave Carrington (last two years with McCollough as an assistant) led the way on the hardwood. As a coach, Frasure first helped Ted White for about eight years beginning in 1996 (Rabion’s brother Paul was a senior player in ’96) and assisted off and on, including the past few years with Benakovich. Last April, Frasure retired from 24 years at Urschel Laboratories in Chesterton, Ind., at 57. His last job with the company world-renown for food cutting technology was a a heat treat supervisor. “I always wanted to be a head coach, but it wasn’t possible,” says Frasure. “Now I have the time.” Paul Frasure is one of Rabion’s Bluejays assistant coaches along with Patrick Allen, Perry Thompson and Alvin Harper. North Judson plays home games on-campus on a field that was upgraded five or so years ago with a new playing surface, dugouts and backstop. Frasure was hired in time to oversee two weeks of IHSAA Limited Contact Period activity (two hours for two days a week) in the fall and looks forward to the next period (Dec. 5-Feb. 4). There were as many as six athletes in the fall with many others in football or other fall sports. Some won’t be able to attend in the winter because of basketball. “You need to play more than one sport,” says Frasure. Rabion and Ruby Frasure were married in March 1990. Andrew Frasure — their oldest of four children — competed in football, basketball and baseball at North Judson. As a senior in 2011, Andrew played on a team with his father as an assistant and was selected for the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series. He was also on the Ryan Bales-coached basketball team that went 20-2 and won a sectional title in 2010-11. Andrew is now dentist in Knox, Ind. Jordann Frasure (North Judson Class of 2013), Liliann Frasure (Class of 2021) and Sophia Frasure (Class of 2023) all played volleyball, basketball and tennis for the Bluejays. After scoring 989 points on the court a nursing degree from Valparaiso University came Jordann’s way. Lillian — aka Lilli — was part of North Judson girls basketball teams that went 43-18 — making her the winningest player in program history. She scored 2,234 points and led the Bluejays to a Class 2A regional title in 2020-21 and was part of a Class 2A state volleyball championship in 2018-19. She is now a sophomore on the NAIA No. 4-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University women’s basketball team. Sophia was averaging 18.8 points through North Judson’s first five girls basketball games of 2022-23.
Brody Kutch is heading into his third season as head baseball coach at Westville (Ind.) Middle/High School with a different focus. “A point of emphasis moving forward is that we are trying to create great men and good ball players,” says Kutch as he looks to the 2023 season. “I think in past years my competitiveness has gotten the better of me. I chose talent over heart. I chose athleticism over character. I learned the hard way that athleticism and talent do not win ball games. “Moving forward we will be emphasizing the type of men our players are before the type of ball player they are.” Westville (enrollment around 300) is a member of the Porter County Conference (with Boone Grove, Hebron, Kouts, Tri-Township, Morgan Township, South Central of Union Mills and Washington Township). The Blackhawks are part of an IHSAA Class 1A sectional grouping in 2023 with Argos, Culver Community, Marquette Catholic, Oregon-Davis, South Bend Career Academy, Triton and Tri-Township. Westville (which went 6-12 overall and 1-6 in the PCC in 2022) has won yet won a sectional championship. Kutch was a Blackhawks assistant from 2017-20 before taking over leadership of the program. In the fall of 2020, he was pitching coach at Purdue Northwest. Kutch teaches “Blackhawk Academy” at Westville — a credit retrieval class — and is also going into his third year as an assistant for the Indiana Playmakers travel organization. A 2013 graduate of LaPorte (Ind.) High School, Kutch played four years of baseball for the Slicers. He played four years at Purdue Northwest and earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2017 and a masters degree in Psychology from Illinois State University in 2020. Several coaches have helped shaped him. “Mike Rosenbaum (Rosie) was a Babe Ruth coach in LaPorte for many years,” says Kutch, 27. “I never had the pleasure to play for him but my brother did. I got to be the bat boy and for many years he helped many boys fall in love with the game of baseball while also teaching them the right way to play. Even as a bat boy, he had a positive influence on me as a coach. “I was lucky enough to be coached by my brother (Michael Kutch) and father (Bruce Kutch) for a few years as well. They were a big positive influence on me. “Coach Scott Upp and all of my high school coaches taught me valuable fundamentals, discipline, and the importance of how you hold yourself on and off the field. “Coach Shane Prance coached me for four years (three as a head coach and one as an assistant). He is one of the most knowledgeable pitching coaches I have ever worked with. I also credit him with showing me how to have fun while playing this game. That may not seem like much but it is something I am extremely thankful for. “My final year as a player I played for Dave Griffin at PNW. He was one of the best game managers I have played for. He knew how to use his roster and put guys in the right spots to be successful. “I learned valuable lessons from each one of these coaches.” The IHSAA Limited Contact Period was used at Westville to do major renovations on the baseball field, which is located on-campus. “I do not know the actual dimensions but the field plays big,” says Kutch. “The grass is in incredible shape. That has nothing to do with me. I think we just got lucky with the surface in that instance. “Our grass has never been unplayable. The only reason we ever have a delay or a cancelation is due to our infield dirt. Our infield dirt is mostly clay which is an awful chemical makeup for a baseball field. In the spring the rain turns it to mud and in the summer the heat dries it into bedrock. We are in the process of substituting new infield material to try and change this.” The middle school team — which serves as a feeder for the high school — played on the field in the fall. “I normally coach this team but this past year I trusted one of my assistant coaches (Bryce Barton) to direct the middle school program,” says Kutch. “He is doing a great job. He really wants what is best for the kids and truly understands our philosophy here at Westville.” Besides Barton, Kutch’s high school staff includes Mike Mikulich and Jake Pisowicz. Cody Brooks (Class of 2022) is now playing for Oakton Community College (Des Plaines, Ill.). He is the first to go on and play college baseball since Kutch has been at Westville. “I have many current players that are also pursuing this dream,” says Kutch. Brody and Elly Kutch have a son named Cooper (1 1/2).
Brody Kutch.
Brody Kutch.
Jackson Shreves (left), Brody Kutch and Brayden Qualkenbush.
Jeff Rutherford takes over as head coach at Griffith (Ind.) High School with plans to have the same kind of emphasis he has put forth throughout his coaching career. “I like the offensive side,” says Rutherford, who takes over for Brian Jennings who retired at the end of the 2022 season. “I like to run a lot, hit-and-run and bunt-and-run. “We’ve always been offensive-minded. We get a guy on and we’re going to do what we can to get him over.” Rutherford was on the Griffith staff in 2019 and has also assisted Dave Griffin at Purdue Calumet and Purdue Northwest and coached travel ball with the Indiana Playmakers and a Cal Ripken all-star team. The 45-year-old played baseball for East Chicago (Ind.) American Legion Post 266 and graduated from Hammond (Ind.) High School. Two sons — Julian Rutherford (Class of 2018) and Jaylen Rutherford (Class of 2025) — have played baseball for Jennings at Griffith. “What Jennings has done there has been great,” says Rutherford. “He’s been a big staple at Griffith. It was hard to see him leave (the baseball post). I watched him coach both of my kids and couldn’t be happier with the coaching he’s done. “Jennings always been a great guy. I wish him all the best.” Julian Rutherford played at Wabash (Ind.) College and is now employed by U.S. Foods. Jaylen Rutherford was on the Panthers varsity as a freshman outfielder and sometimes lead-off hitter and is one of the few non-upperclassmen expected to represent the program in 2023. Griffith (enrollment around 600) is a member of the Greater South Shore Conference (with Boone Grove, Hammond Bishop Noll, Hanover Central,Lake Station Edison, River Forest, South Central of Union Mills, Wheeler and Whiting). The Panthers were part of an IHSAA Class 3A sectional in 2022 grouping with Andrean, Calumet New Tech and Gary West Side Leadership Academy. Griffith has won 18 sectional titles — the last in 2021. “It’s a great opportunity and I look forward to continuing the tradition of success,” says Rutherford. “I can’t wait to get started.” He is looking to build his coaching staff, tapping into some of his younger former players. He also hopes to have players come to IHSAA Limited Contact Period activities Aug. 29-Oct. 15. “I plan on some long toss,” says Rutherford. “We can get a few of the players familiar with each other. Most of the (2022) team comes back. Quite a few starters are playing another sport.” Rutherford believes in the multi-sport athlete. “I think they should play as much as they can,” says Rutherford. “Holding them to one sport doesn’t benefit them.” Recent graduates Bubba Davenport (Calumet College of Saint Joseph) and Kyle Iwinski (Kankakee Community College and headed to Purdue University) are playing college baseball. Rutherford says he wants to have camps for Griffith Youth Baseball players. “(GBL) is basically the only feeder system,” says Rutherford. “We have to pull from our own town.” Outside of coaching, Rutherford is a public works supervisor for the City of Hammond. Besides sons Julian (22) and Jaylen (15), he and wife Heather have a daughter Jaesela (11).
Sal Aguilar has been a part of baseball success as a player and an assistant coach. He was the starting third baseman for the Hammond (Ind.) Chiefs that went to the Babe Ruth Baseball World Series. The 1998 graduate of Griffith (Ind.) High School was on the coaching staff at Andrean High School in Merrillville, Ind., as the 59ers won IHSAA Class 3A state championships in 2018 and 2019 — two of eight state titles on Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Dave Pishkur’s watch. Aguilar’s first year as an assistant at Hanover Central High School in Cedar Lake, Ind., was 2021 and the Wildcats finished as Class 3A state runners-up. Ryan Bridges let his team know that the 2022 season would be his last as Hanover Central head coach since he was taking a job at the school as assistant athletic director to Kelly Bermes. In June, Aguilar was hired to head the Wildcats baseball program. “We have great kids and great community support,” says Aguilar. “We’re excited to embark on this new chapter of Hanover Central baseball. We have a very bright future “We’re not going to shy away from the ultimate goal which is to win a state championship.” Hanover Central (enrollment around 775) is a member of the Greater South Shore Conference (with Hammond Bishop Noll, Boone Grove, Calumet New Tech, Griffith, Illiana Christian, Lake Station Edison, River Forest, South Central of Union Mills, Wheeler and Whiting). The Wildcats were part of an IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping in 2022 with Culver Military Academy, John Glenn, Kankakee Valley, Knox and River Forest. Hanover Central has won two sectional crowns — 2011 (2A) and 2021 (3A). Players from the Class of 2021 included outfielder Jared Comia (now at the University of Illinois), 6-foot-9 right-handed pitcher Peyton Olejnik (who went to Triton College in River Grove, Ill., and is heading to the University of Oklahoma in 2022-23), left-hander/infielder Bret Matthys (Purdue Northwest) and infielder Blaze Cano (who is transferring from PNW to Calumet of St. Joseph in Whiting). Three athletes in the Class of 2023 expected to play at the next level include shortstop/pitcher Zach Zykowski, pitcher Luka Zakman and two-sport standout Gannan Howes (who is getting attention in baseball and football). Aguilar came to Hanover Central as a teacher in 2020-2 and is entering his 16th year in the classroom. He taught seven years in Texas, three in Illinois and this will be his sixth in Indiana. He instructs HCHS freshmen in Integrated Chemistry and Physics (ICP). Born in Munster, Ind., Aguilar spent his first nine years in East Chicago, Ind. After fourth grade, he moved to Griffith and attended St. Mary School then went to Griffith High School for four years. He earned three baseball letters for the Todd Iwema-coached Panthers. Aguilar played for the Hammond Seminoles in 1997 then for Dave Sutkowski’s Hammond Chiefs in 1998 and 1999. “The kids call him Bush,” says Aguilar of Sutkowski. “I learned a lot from Dave as a young kid about building relationships with players.” One way to do that at Hanover Central is through junior high baseball program. Thirty players in grades 6-8 play and practice in the fall. “That’s a huge asset for our program,” says Aguilar. “It’s all hands on deck here so varsity coaches are going to run that team. We’re going to be able install and implement our brands of offense and defense. “We get to cultivate those lifelong relationships with those kids at a very young age.” Aguilar’s coaching staff includes four Hanover Central graduates — Nic Sampognaro (Class of 2011) with the varsity, twins Sam Momcilovic (Class of 2019) and Evan Momcilovic (2019) with the junior varsity and Mike Biegel (Class of 2018) as freshman head coach. Former Hammond Bishop Noll and Merrillville head coach Paul Wirtz lends his experience to the varsity staff. Jesse Forrester (Lowell Class of 2019) is a freshman assistant. Aguilar finished his college degree at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2006. His teaching and coaching career began shortly after that. He came back to Indiana and married Griffith alum Brittany Clark in 2016. Sal and Brittany Aguilar have two children — Luis (5) and Gianna (2). “(Brittany) knows it’s not easy being a coach’s wife,” says Sal. “We’re lucky to have family around to help us out.”
Sal Aguilar
Sal and Brittany Aquilar with son with Luis and daughter Gianna.
Carson Husmann was known to put baseballs in orbit while playing for the Satellites of South Central Junior/Senior High School in Union Mills, Ind. The right-handed hitter belted 31 home runs during his prep career, including 14 as a senior in 2019. Husmann was back at it in 2022 at NCAA Division I Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. In 49 games (all starts), the corner outfielder hit .277 (52-of-188) with 13 homers, nine doubles, 45 runs batted in, 38 runs scored and .908 OPS (.365 on-base percentage plus .543 slugging average). Batting in the No. 4 hole in the Braves lineup, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Husmann went to the dish with an idea. “Hunt the fastball in the (strike) zone and don’t miss it,” says Husmann. “I can do damage with other pitches as well, but I really don’t want to miss the fastball in any count.” While playing for the Josh Foreman-managed Moon Shots in the 2022 College Summer League at Grand Park, Husmann batted .352 with two homers, eight doubles and 15 RBIs. He also socked a homer in the CSL All-Star Game and made the All-CSL team as an outfielder. His offensive aim was to improve his small-ball two-strike approach. “I was working on keeping the ball in the zone,” says Husmann. “Cutting down on the strikeouts is the biggest goal I had this summer.” He fanned 67 times and walked 20 in the spring. Husmann did not enjoy much success at the plate his first two seasons at Bradley (2020 and 2021). In 28 games, he hit .189 (14-of-74) with three homers, two doubles, 14 RBIs and 14 runs. “Freshman year was a blur with COVID,” says Husmann. “The following year I had an injury that no one really knew about that messed with me mentally. “Baseball is a mental game for sure.” Batting in the 5-hole and doing well, Husmann fouled a ball off his left ankle. “It went down hill from there,” says Husmann. “It was something I was always thinking about.” There was a persistent cramping feeling. With air travel restrictions, Bradley had to hit the road. “We went on 14-hour bus trips back-to-back-to-back and I formed a blood clot,” says Husmann. “I was taking baby aspirin.” Husmann signed to play with the Duluth (Minn.) Huskies for the 2022 Northwoods League summer season. But injury caused him to stay closer to home and he was with the Grand Park league champion Bag Bandits (managed by Caleb Fenimore). That’s where Husmann began to get back on track. “I got my head right and just went from there,” says Husmann. At Bradley, he played for head coach Elvis Dominguez and works with hitting coach Kyle Trewyn. “When I think of Coach D I think of how he’s created a family environment,” says Husmann of Dominguez. “(Trewyn) gets you in a good place to hit. As you get older you can do those things on your own. He always stuck with me. He’s helped me become a better hitter overall.” Born in Valparaiso, Ind., Husmann grew up in Hanna, Ind. He played his earliest organized baseball in Hanna then was in travel ball with the Chesterton Vipers, Michigan Blue Jays and Chicago-based Midwest Rangers and subbed with other squads. “It was with the Blue Jays that I first got individual coaching and started to develop,” says Husmann. As a four-year varsity player at South Central, he hit over .400 each season and drove in 112 runs in 100 games. He was a Class 1A first-team all-stater. He was a classmate and teammate of Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Stars MVP Kyle Schmack (now at Valparaiso University). Ryan Kruszka, who pitched at Butler University was the Satellites head baseball coach. Former Valparaiso U. hurler Jared Miller was pitching coach. “They had that college experience and were able to make us a better team because of it,” says Husmann. “Our conditioning was college style. It helped me know what to expect (in college).” The first summer after high school was Husmann’s last with the Midwest Rangers. In 2020, he was going to play in the Northwoods League with the Lacrosse (Wis.) Loggers. When that team played a modified season because the pandemic, Husmann was able to get in his reps with the Long Boarders of the San Diego League. He learned about the SDL from Bradley teammate and San Diego native Connor O’Brien. Husmann, 21, will head back to college with two years of remaining eligibility. He is 10 hours shy of earning his Business Management and Leadership degree. He expects to be a graduate student in the spring while he works toward a Master of Business Administration. “If the (Major League Baseball First-Year Player) Draft isn’t an option, I’ll use that fifth year for sure,” says Husmann, a regular on the Bradley Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. “I thought of getting a minor or a second major. But an MBA is a way to separate you from others.” Carson is the second of Lance and Kim Husmann’s three sons. Cooper (24) played basketball and baseball at South Central and graduated in 2016. Cade (20) was in the South Central Class of 2020. Former longtime union painter Lance Husmann works at Hard Rock Casino in Gary, Ind. Kim Husmann has worked as a teacher’s assistant.
Carson Husmann (Bradley University Photo)
Carson Husmann (Josh Schwam/Bradley University Photo)
Carson Husmann (Josh Schwam/Bradley University Photo)
Carson Husmann (Josh Schwam/Bradley University Photo)
Carson Husmann (Josh Schwam/Bradley University Photo)
Carson Husmann (Josh Schwam/Bradley University Photo)
Carson Husmann (College Summer League at Grand Park Photo)
Carson Husmann (College Summer League at Grand Park Photo)
Sixteen baseball teams are left in the 2022 Indiana High School Athletic Association state tournament series. That means four teams in each class — 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A. Single-game semistates are scheduled Saturday, June 11 in LaPorte (Schreiber Field) and Kokomo (Municipal Stadium) in the North and Mooresville (Pioneer Field) and Jasper (Ruxer Field) in the South. Semistate winners will advance to the IHSAA State Finals at Victory Field in Indianapolis. Two games are slated for 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time Friday, June 17 and two 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time Saturday, June 18. Which classes will play on which days will be determined following semistates. Eleven 2022 semistate teams — Lafayette Central Catholic (11), Andrean (8), Shakamak (8), Indianapolis Cathedral (7), Penn (4), Columbus East (4), Wapahani (3), Tecumseh (1), Zionsville (1), Brebeuf Jesuit (1) and Silver Creek (1) — have already won semistate titles. Four semistate coaches — Tim Bordenet (Lafayette Central Catholic), Dave Pishkur (Andrean), Greg Dikos (Penn) and Brian Dudley (Wapahani) — are inductees in the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Five teams — New Castle (3A), Illiana Christian (2A), Linton-Stockton (2A), Centerville (2A) and South Central of Union Mills (1A) — are vying for their first semistate title and initial State Finals berth in ’22. Admission is $10 at each semistate site.
2022 IHSAA SEMISTATES Saturday, June 11 (IHSBCA Ranking in Parentheses) Class 4A At LaPorte (Schreiber Field) Zionsville (22-12) vs. Penn (24-6), follows 11 a.m. Central Time 2A game. Semistate titles (most recent): Penn 4 (2017), Zionsville 1 (2016). Zionsville’s tournament trail: Noblesville Sectional: Zionsville 5, Noblesville 4; Zionsville 3, Westfield 2; Zionsville 6, Fishers 0. Lafayette Jeff Regional — Zionsville 13, Lafayette Harrison 5; Zionsville 3, Homestead 1. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 15/4/1 (1) — 2016. Eagles head coach: Jered Moore. Penn’s tournament trail: Penn Sectional — Penn 7, Elkhart 0; Penn 3, Warsaw 1; Penn 7, Northridge 5. LaPorte Regional — Penn 11, South Bend Adams 0; Penn 5, Lake Central 4. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 23/11/5 (4) — 1994, 1998, 2001, 2015. Kingsmen head coach: Greg Dikos.
At Mooresville (Pioneer Field) Columbus East (15-16-1) vs. Indianapolis Cathedral (17-10-2), follows 1 p.m. Eastern Time 2A game. Semistate titles (most recent): Indianapolis Cathedral 7 (2018), Columbus East 4 (2019). Columbus East’s tournament trail: Bloomington South Sectional: Columbus East 2, Bloomington North 1; Columbus South 6, Bloomington South 5. Jasper Regional — Columbus East 4, Mooresville 1; Columbus East 3, New Albany 2. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 20/11/4 (1) — 2019. Olympians head coach: Jon Gratz. Cathedral’s tournament trail: Pike Sectional — Cathedral 8, Lawrence North 0; Cathedral 11, Pike 1; Cathedral 10, Lawrence North 8. New Palestine Regional — Cathedral 14, Anderson 4; Cathedral 11, New Palestine 7. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 25/15/8 (3) — 2001, 2007, 2017. Fighting Irish head coach: Ed Freje.
Class 3A At Kokomo (Municipal Stadium) New Castle (18-5-1) (Receiving Votes) vs. Andrean (29-4) (1), follows 1 p.m. Eastern Time 2A game. Semistate titles (most recent): Andrean 8 (2019), New Castle 0. New Castle’s tournament trail: Yorktown Sectional — New Castle 4, Hamilton Heights 3; New Castle 6, Jay County 2; New Castle 3, Guerin Catholic 2. Oak Hill Regional — New Castle 9, Wawasee 0; New Castle 5, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 4. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 14/3/0 (0). Trojans head coach: Josh Cooper. Andrean’s tournament trail: Griffith Sectional — Andrean 10, Griffith 2; Andrean 18, Calumet New Tech 0. Griffith Regional — Andrean 5, South Bend Saint Joseph 3; Andrean 4, Glenn 0. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 30/15/9 (7) — 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019. 59ers head coach: Dave Pishkur.
At Jasper (Ruxer Field) Silver Creek (29-6) (5) vs. Brebeuf Jesuit (25-4) (4), follows 1 p.m. Eastern Time 1A game. Semistate titles (most recent): Silver Creek 1 (2018), Brebeuf Jesuit 1 (2012). Silver Creek’s tournament trail: Madison Sectional — Silver Creek 9, Brownstown Central 0; Silver Creek 12, Scottsburg 1; Silver Creek 14, Corydon Central 2. Southridge Regional — Silver Creek 11, Connersville 3; Silver Creek 7, Evansville Memorial 1. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 11/3/1 (1) — 2018. Dragons head coach: Joe Decker. Brebeuf’s tournament trail: Danville Sectional — Brebeuf 10, Greencastle 0; Brebeuf 11, Danville 3; Brebeuf 12, Tri-West Hendricks 2. Danville Regional — Brebeuf 4, West Vigo 0; Brebeuf 8, Beech Grove 0. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 16/4/1 (0). Braves head coach: Jeff Scott.
Class 2A At Kokomo (Municipal Stadium) Wapahani (24-4) (3) vs. Illiana Christian (20-7), 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Semistate titles (most recent): Wapahani 3 (2017), Illiana Christian 0. Wapahani’s tournament trail: Frankton Sectional — Wapahani 11, Lapel 1; Wapahani 8, Monroe Central 4; Wapahani 15, Frankton 10. Carroll (Flora) Regional — Wapahani 9, Eastern (Greentown) 3; Wapahani 11, Carroll 3. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 18/8/3 (1) — 2014. Raiders head coach: Brian Dudley. Illiana Christian’s tournament trail: Whiting Sectional: Illiana Christian 19, Bowman Academy 0; Illiana Christian 3, Hammond Bishop Noll 1; Illiana Christian 16, Wheeler 4. Whiting Regional: Illiana Christian 11, Winamac 0; Illiana Christian 7, Eastside 0. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 1/1/0 (0). Vikings head coach: Jeff VanderWoude.
At Mooresville (Pioneer Field) Linton-Stockton (15-9-1) vs. Centerville (20-5) (7), 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Semistate titles (most recent): Linton-Stockton 0, Centerville 0. Linton-Stockton’s tournament trail: Mitchell Sectional — Linton-Stockton 11, South Knox 0; Linton-Stockton 11, North Knox ; Linton-Stockton 8, Mitchell 7. Evansville Mater Dei Regional: Linton-Stockton 4, North Decatur 0; Linton-Stockton 5, Forest Park 4. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 11/1/0 (0). Miners head coach: Josh Harden. Centerville’s tournament trail: Centerville Sectional: Centerville 4, Shenandoah 2; Centerville 14, Hagerstown 8. Park Tudor Regional: Centerville 6, Cascade 3; Centerville 8, Heritage Christian 2. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 9/1/0 (0). Bulldogs head coach: Tracey Crull.
Class 1A At LaPorte (Schreiber Field) Lafayette Central Catholic (25-6) (3) vs. South Central of Union Mills (21-9) (4), 11 a.m. Central Time. Semistate titles (most recent): Lafayette Central Catholic 9 (2016). Lafayette Central Catholic’s tournament trail: Lafayette Central Catholic Sectional — Central Catholic 13, Attica 1; Central Catholic 8, Riverton Parke 0; Central Catholic 10, Covington 0. Lafayette Central Catholic Regional: Central Catholic 12, Union City 2; Central Catholic 10, Rossville 0. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 18/15/11 (7) — 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Knights head coach: Tim Bordenet. South Central of Union Mills’ tournament trail: South Central Sectional: South Central 25, South Bend Career Academy 1; South Central 15, LaCrosse 3; South Central 10, Oregon-Davis 0. South Bend Washington Regional: South Central 7, Caston 3; South Central 6, Fremont 3. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances: 18/5/0 (0). Satellites head coach: Zach Coulter.
At Jasper (Ruxer Field) Tecumseh (18-12) (RV) vs. Shakamak (16-13) (RV), 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Semistate titles (most recent): Shakamak 8 (2021), Tecumseh 1 (2010). Tecumseh’s tournament trail: Cannelton Sectional — Tecumseh 9, Northeast Dubois 8; Tecumseh 11, Wood Memorial 2; Tecumseh 11, Springs Valley 0. Loogootee Regional: Tecumseh 11, New Washington 1; Tecumseh 4, Barr-Reeve 1. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 17/11/4 (1) — 2003. Braves head coach: Ted Thompson. Shakamak’s tournament trail: Shakamak Sectional: Shakamak 8, North Central (Farmersburg) 8; Shakamak 14, White River Valley 3. Morristown Regional: Shakamak 3, Rising Sun 0; Shakamak 7, Indianapolis Lutheran 2. Sectional/Regional titles/State Finals appearances (state titles): 27/14/9 (2) — 2008, 2014. Lakers head coach: Jeremy Yeryar.
www.IndianaRBI.com 