Marian’s Ancilla 10-4, on six-game win streak

BY STEVE KRAH 

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Marian University’s Ancilla College are off to a 10-4 start to the 2024 baseball season.

MUAC’s six-game win streak through the Week of March 4-10 is the longest among Indiana’s 38 baseball-playing schools.

During the streak, the Chuck Bowen-coached Chargers have outscored opponents 74-43. MUAC won nine games in 2023.

NCAA Division II Purdue Northwest is on a five-game victory streak as is NAIA’s Indiana University-Kokomo and Indiana Wesleyan University.

Four-game streaks belong to NCAA Division I’s Indiana State and Purdue and NCAA D-II’s Indianapolis.

On three-game streaks are NCAA D-III’s DePauw and NAIA’s Oakland City.

The Dave Griffin-coached PNW Pride earned two wins Sunday, March 10 in Melbourne, Fla.

Drew Brantley’s IUK Cougars picked up three River States Conference weekend wins at Alice Lloyd.

With a pair of home triumphs against Marian, Ian MacDonald’s IWU Wildcats are 5-1 in the Crossroads League.

Mitch Hannahs’ ISU Sycamores took three at Florida A&M.

Greg Goff’s Purdue Boilermakers piled up 45 runs in a four-game home sweep of Albany.

Al Ready’s UIndy Greyhounds scored 52 runs in sweeping four in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at Missouri Science and Technology.

Blake Allen’s DePauw Tigers is now 4-0 in neutral site games.

Andy Lasher’s OCU Mighty Oaks is 15-4 at home, including 2-0 on the week.

Teams with double-digit wins on the season are Oakland City (18), IU-Kokomo (14), Purdue (12), Indiana State (11), Saint Francis (11), Taylor (11), Indiana Wesleyan (10), Indiana University Southeast (10), Ball State (10) and Marian’s Ancilla (10).

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL

Records Through March 10

NCAA D-I

Purdue 12-4 (0-0 Big Ten)

Indiana State 11-3 (0-0 MVC)

Ball State 10-6 (1-2 MAC)

Notre Dame 9-4 (0-0 ACC)

Indiana 9-6 (0-0 Big Ten)

Evansville 7-8 (0-0 MVC)

Butler 6-7 (0-0 Big East)

Valparaiso 6-8 (0-0 MVC)

Purdue Fort Wayne 6-11 (0-0 Horizon)

Southern Indiana 5-8 (0-0 OVC)

NCAA D-II

Purdue Northwest 7-1 (0-0 GLIAC)

Indianapolis 6-6 (4-0 GLVC)

NCAA D-III

Anderson 8-5 (0-0 HCAC)

Hanover 7-3 (0-0 HCAC)

Trine 7-3 (0-0 MIAA)

DePauw 5-4 (0-0 NCAC)

Franklin 5-4 (0-0 HCAC)

Rose-Hulman 4-4 (0-0 HCAC)

Wabash 4-4 (0-0 NCAC)

Earlham 3-5 (0-0 HCAC)

Manchester 3-5 (0-0 HCAC)

NAIA

Oakland City 18-6 (3-1 RSC) 

IU-Kokomo 14-11 (4-2 RSC)

Saint Francis 11-7 (2-4 CL)

Taylor 11-9 (4-2 CL)

Indiana Wesleyan 10-5 (5-1 CL)

IU Southeast 10-11 (3-2 RSC)

Huntington 8-8 (4-2 CL)

Marian 8-9 (3-3 CL)

IU South Bend 8-10 (0-0 CCAC)

Grace 7-8 (1-3 CL)

Calumet of St. Joseph 7-11 (0-0 CCAC)

Bethel 6-10 (1-5 CL)

Goshen 6-11 (2-4 CL)

IUPU-Columbus 5-15 (1-3 RSC)

Indiana Tech 2-10 (0-0 WHAC)

Junior College

Marian’s Ancilla 10-4 (0-0 MCCAA)

Vincennes 9-11 (3-1 MWAC)

Results Through March 10

NCAA D-I

Tuesday, March 5

Purdue Fort Wayne 12, Butler 10

Nortre Dame 11, Purdue 2

Valparaiso 6, Jacksonville 5

Wednesday, March 6

Ball State 10, Florida A&M 2

Ball State 6, Florida A&M 4

Indiana 11, Northern Kentucky 5

Tennessee 2, Southern Indiana 1

Friday, March 8

Eastern Michigan 10, Ball State 9

Butler 7, Memphis 6

Mississippi State 5, Evansville 2

Indiana State 8, Florida A&M 4

Virginia Tech 11, Notre Dame 3 

Purdue Fort Wayne 9, Missouri 7

Valparaiso 3, The Citadel 2

Valparaiso 10, The Citadel 5 (10 inn.)

Saturday, March 9

Eastern Michigan 6, Ball State 2

Jackson State 10, Butler 5 (11 inn.)

Mississippi State 8, Evansville 3

Troy 8, Indiana 1

Virginia Tech 10, Notre Dame 5

Purdue 11, Albany 3

Purdue 6, Albany 1

Purdue Fort Wayne 9, Missouri 7

Missouri 11, Purdue Fort Wayne 1

Sunday, March 10

Ball State 11, Eastern Michigan 8

Butler 4, Presbyterian 1

Mississippi State 13, Evansville 3

Indiana 10, Troy 7

Troy 15, Indiana 11

Indiana State 7, Florida A&M 2

Indiana State 15, Florida A&M 0

Virginia Tech 11, Notre Dame 8

Purdue 16, Albany 6

Purdue 12, Albany 1

Missouri 20, Purdue Fort Wayne 2

Southern Indiana 9, Bellarmine 7

The Citadel 10, Valparaiso 6

NCAA D-II

Wednesday, March 6

Purdue Northwest at 4, Indianapolis 2

Saturday, March 9

Indianapolis 23, Missouri S&T 12

Indianapolis 12, Missouri S&T 11

Sunday, March 10

Indianapolis 5, Missouri S&T 3

Indianapolis 12, Missouri S&T 11

Purdue Northwest 6, Florida Tech 4

Purdue Northwest 5, Florida Tech 0

NCAA D-III

Monday, March 4

Cairn 11, Manchester 2

Manchester 9, Cairn 4

Trine 6, St. Vincent 0

Marietta 7, Wabash 6

Tuesday, March 5

Wabash 14, Misericordia 6

Wednesday, March 6

Hanover 5, Belhaven 3

Trine 4, North Central (Minn.) 2

Trine 10, North Central (Minn.) 8

Thursday, March 7

Alma 6, Earlham 5

Earlham 12, Alma 6

Trine 16, St. John Fisher 11

Heidelberg 9, Wabash 7 (10 inn.)

Friday, March 8

Marian (Wis.) 7, Anderson 5

Marian (Wis.) 11, Anderson 3

Trine 4, Waynesburg 0

Waynesburg 8, Trine 3

Misericordia 8, Wabash 1

Saturday, March 9

Hope 6, Anderson 3

DePauw 13, Manchester 3

Albion 7, Franklin 4

Franklin 15, Albion 3

Hanover 2, Belhaven 1 (10 inn.)

Belhaven 8, Hanover 7

Trine 6, Dominican 5

Wabash 14, Heidelberg 6

Sunday, March 10

Anderson 13, Illinois Tech 12

DePauw 14, Manchester 2

DePauw 14, Manchester 4

Albion 14, Franklin 7

NAIA

Monday, March 4

Calumet of St. Joseph 17, Cornerstone 6

IU-Kokomo 11, Lourdes 8

IU-Kokomo 12, Lourdes 10

Campbellsville 17, IUPU-Columbus 2

Tuesday, March 5

Calumet of St. Joseph 9, Siena Heights 4

Rochester 15, IU South Bend 4

Indiana Wesleyan 15, Olivet Nazarene 11

Wednesday, March 6

Southeastern 18, Calumet of St. Joseph 0

IU South Bend 10, Valley City State 5

Oakland City 12, Lourdes 2

Oakland City 3, Lourdes 0

Thursday, March 7

Bethel (Ind.) 7, Goshen 2

Goshen 6, Bethel (Ind.) 1

Concordia (Neb.) 6, Calumet of St. Joseph 2

Cumberlands (Ky.) 14, Calumet of St. Joseph 2

Aquinas 7, IU South Bend 3

Aquinas 4, IU South Bend 2

Huntington 4, Saint Francis 3

Saint Francis 7, Huntington 5

IU Southeast 12, Ohio Christian 2

IU Southeast 7, Ohio Christian 2

Indiana Wesleyan 7, Marian 0

Indiana Wesleyan 5, Marian 4

Taylor 9, Spring Arbor 3

Spring Arbor 9, Taylor 8

Friday, March 8

Calumet of St. Joseph 8, Dordt 6

Siena Heights 8, Calumet of St. Joseph 4

IU-Kokomo 22, Alice Lloyd 2

IU-Kokomo 6, Alice Lloyd 3

Northwestern (Iowa) 16, IU South Bend 5

Saturday, March 9

Calumet of St. Joseph 10, Dordt 7

IU-Kokomo 13,  Alice Lloyd 2

Fisher (Mass.) 7, Indiana Tech 6 (12 inn.)

Sunday, March 10

Point Park 11, IUPU-Columbus 4

Oakland City 6, Rio Grande 3

Georgia Gwinnett 16, Indiana Tech 6

Georgia Gwinnett 10, Indiana Tech 0

Junior College

Monday, March 4

Marian’s Ancilla 15, Ridgewater 8

Marian’s Ancilla 9, Ridgewater 8

Wednesday, March 6

Lake Land 6, Vincennes 3

Marian’s Ancilla 7, Minnesota North-Vermillion 4

Marian’s Ancilla 15, Minnesota North-Vermillion 9

Friday, March 8

Marian’s Ancilla 16, Lake Region State 10

Marian’s Ancilla 12, Erie 4

Saturday, March 9

Vincennes 17, Lewis & Clark 9

Vincennes 8, Lewis & Clark 5

Sunday, March 10

Lewis & Clark 5, Vincennes 3

Vincennes 12, Lewis & Clark 1

Mancini helping athletes, others unlock their potential through mental performance training

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Mike Mancini wants everyone — athletes and non-athletes — to achieve their potential.

The South Bend, Ind., native has a degree in Psychology and a Master of Nonprofit Management from the University of Notre Dame and four decades of experience as an advisor, counselor, development director and administrator.

The full-time Director of Professional Development at Indiana University South Bend has also become a Certified Mental Performance Coach.

Mancini, 62, holds International Mental Game Coaching Association (IMGCA) Level I and Level II and Mental Game Coaching Professional (MGCP) certifications.

His business is Top Mental Performance, LLC, and he’s aiding those in his home area.

Mancini has consulted about mental performance with Kelli Zeese and read writing on the subject by many including Dr. Amber Selking, Dr. Ken Ravizza and Dr. Bob Rotella.

Growing up as a baseball player, Mancini would sometimes let his emotions get the best of him.

“I got so tense and so nervous and so amped up for a game that there’d be times where I knew I didn’t play well and it wasn’t because I wasn’t physically talented enough to be on the field and play well,” says Mancini, who was an infielder and pitcher who graduated from Marian High School in Mishawaka, Ind., in 1980. “My butterflies were all over the place. My swing would be too slow or constricted. I was a half step slow to a grounder or started tripping over my own feet because I was too nervous to play.

“There were times as a pitcher when the hitter scared the heck out of me. I don’t know if I can get this guy out.”

As a fan, Mancini became intrigued by the psychological side of sports.

“This guy is so good. Why does he not come through in this clutch situation?,” says Mancini. “This team is physically better and should be beating this particular opponent and they’re not doing it.”

From studying mental performance, Mancini has learned how to help athletes — and business professionals — deal with the stress and unlock the capability within themselves.

“As an athlete what you want to do is come away from a competition, season or career and say that was the best I could do,” says Mancini. “Once you know you’ve expended 100 percent of your talent out there to be the best you can, it’s fun.”

The result is irrelevant because the person has done as much as their aptitude allows.

As a youth baseball coach, Mancini saw players beating themselves up and lacking in confidence.

The player trying to hit .300 got caught up in a slump and started doing the math and thinking about future at-bats instead of staying in the moment.

“How do you have a good at-bat right now?,” says Mancini. “Any particular situation, just get the best experience you can.”

Mancini began working with travel baseball and hockey teams and that expanded to individual high school athletes and teams and the opportunity to work with college teams, including IUSB and Bethel University.

“These are skills that can translate into other aspects of their lives,” says Mancini. “I’ve had many student-athletes after they’ve worked with me for a little bit tell me that they’re able to use it in the classroom.”

It’s concepts like staying in the present moment, calming themselves down and tapping into confidence that’s lowered stress and raised performance.

Mancini emphasizes that mental performance training is not just for the elite athlete bound for big-time college, professional or Olympic glory.

While most college and all pro teams have a mental performance department, it’s not just for them.

“This is about just trying to be the best version of yourself that you can be,” says Mancini. “If that means you’re the next Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant or Mike Trout, fantastic. 

“Most of the time when an athlete gets frustrated it’s when they know they could have done better.”

Sometimes thoughts of avoiding mistakes and focusing on the outcome get in that way.

Mancini imparts his knowledge to groups and goes one-on-one.

An assessment consisting of several questions about how they feel about their mental game helps Mancini craft a strategy that is unique to the individual.

Just like the mechanics of hitting, throwing and fielding, mental skills are techniques that can be employed to improve performance.

“There is a tangible skill set that you can use to help you with your mental game,” says Mancini. “If you can help yourself with the mental game, it provides you with the opportunity to get even more out of your physical talent.”

Players like New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge use what the mental performance world calls the “Three R’s” — Recognition, Re-group and Re-focus.

Judge recognizes when a bad umpire call, cold weather, an error or strikeout with the bases loaded is starting to get the best of him.

From that, he re-groups. It’s a physical routine to help put the distraction away and focus on the task at-hand.

One Major League Baseball player has been known to flush the dugout toilet after a mistake and move on.

“We talked present moment a lot in the mental performance field,” says Mancini. “We re-focus on what is important right now. It’s a process to do away with the distraction. 

And a way to be the best they can be.

Mike Mancini.

DePauw U. experiences game, culture on Dominican Republic trip

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

DePauw University is a private liberal arts college in Greencastle, Ind.

Athletically, the Tigers are part of NCAA Division III.

The school encourages its students to travel outside the United States and that’s what the baseball team got to do last week as a part of Winter Term.

Through Dominican Baseball Camp, a DePauw travel party that included 35 players, two coaches (head coach Blake Allen and assistant Jon Erhard) and one trainer (Michael Snider) plus close to 40 family members spent seven days and six nights in the Dominican Republic. The last day of the trip was Jan. 22.

“It’s the largest parent gathering (DBC organizer Sam LeBeau) has ever had,” says Allen, who enters his eighth season as Tigers head baseball coach in 2024. “It was absolutely incredible.”

The team stayed in Boca Chica about 25 miles east of the county’s capital of Santo Domingo and near many Major League Baseball academies.

DePauw practiced for eight days before leaving for the D.R. While there, the team played three games — Wednesday, Jan. 17, Thursday, Jan. 18 and Sunday, Jan. 21.

The first contest was against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp Academy, which develops players for the Japanese professional baseball organization.

The second and third games were against a team of Dominicans — many in MLB organizations.

“The talent was really, really good,” says Allen. One of them was Camilo Diaz, an 18-year-old shortstop ranked among the top prospects in the Houston Astros system.

DePauw players and coaches conducted a youth clinic with close to 100 kids.

“These villages have fields that people built,” says Allen.

While some spoke very little Spanish, junior infielder Chase Stratman (Paso Robles, Calif.) and sophomore left-handed pitcher/outfielder Pearse Riendeau (Richmond, Va.) are articulate in the language and took the lead in many translation situations.

“They were a big help especially at the youth clinic,” says Allen. “They were able to connect with the kids.

“They are fluent and I am not.”

DePauw went to the island nation with equipment — including several sets of used catcher’s gear —  and gave it away.

“Every place we went we would leave a bag with donations,” says Allen.

As another service project, the team painted three houses and spent time with the people.

“It was definitely an eye-opening experience,” says Allen.

The DePauw crew attended the first game of the Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana finals — the Dominican Winter League World Series — between Estrellas Orientales and Tigres del Licey. 

Former big leaguer Robinson Cano (three hits in Game 1) and free agent Miguel Sano play for Estrellas.

Former DePauw assistant coach Michael Blatchford is a hitting coach for one the Dominican Summer League teams in the San Francisco Giants organization and the team was able to catch up with him.

Another aim of the trip was increasing unity.

“Our guys were together for seven days,” says Allen. “At DePauw we’ve got the Greek system that can pull some guys to silo a little bit on-campus sometimes. It’s always a challenge to get these guys to stay together outside of practice and games. 

“This was a huge, huge team bonding for sure.”

Carter Knoll, a lefty-swinging junior first baseman and Plainfield (Ind.) High School graduate majoring in Kinesiology, talked about his first out-of-country experience.

“My biggest takeaway was a large perspective change,” says Knoll. “The amount of joy that a lot of players played with down there. They were forgetting bad plays and just being happy for their teammates.

“They played the game with a lot more fun than we do here in the United States. It’s a game we’re blessed to be able to play and we should play it having fun.”

Cameron Macon is a righty-swinging senior middle infielder from St. Louis and a Entrepreneurship and Marketing.

“It was a really profound kind of experience for me,” says Macon. “I really admired and respected how they played the game over there. For these kids, baseball is their way out. You’d think that would add a ton of pressure. They were playing relaxed and having fun and seemingly without any pressure.

“It’s something I’m going to take and apply to my future in baseball.”

The youth camp gave him the opportunity to use his limited Spanish and see that the young hitters that were at his station were already mechanically-sound.

Going to the villages allowed Macon to appreciate what he has at home — like clean drinking water and effective plumbing.

“It had a huge impact on me,” says Macon. “I saw just how different life is there and how fortunate we are to live in a country that gives us some of these things we take for granted.”

Michael Vallone is a senior left-handed pitcher from Lake Forest, Ill., and a Global Health major.

“Playing those games down there was just a different vibe and it was a lot of fun,” says Vallone. “The energy that they bring to the table is a little different. There’s a lot less stress.”

DePauw has many of its students go abroad to learn about other lands.

Cristin Allen, Blake’s wife, is head women’s soccer coach at DePauw. That team traveled to Spain and Portugal last May and June.

After that, the Brett Dietz-coached DU football team went to Italy. 

The school’s women’s lacrosse team — now coached by Cori Rees — trekked to Colombia last summer.

DePauw’s men’s basketball team — now coached by Rusty Lloyd — has been a frequent visitor to Ireland.

DU softball — now coached by Erica Hanrahan — has gone to New Zealand.

“It’s something we really try to do with our teams,” says Blake Allen of international trips. “It’s definitely an emphasis of our university to experience some different places.”

DePauw baseball planned to visit Cuba in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented that.

The 2024 season opener is slated for Feb. 17 against Berea College and Grove City College in Berea, Ky. The Tigers are to play a doubleheader against Manchester University on March 9 on the turf at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis. The home opener at Walker Field is March 21 against North Central College.

Dominican Baseball Camp was established in 2008 and hosts teams — youth through college — during school breaks. College squads tend to come between October and January. DePauw is the fifth and final college team to visit during this off-season. 

“It’s just exposing American kids to the Latin style of baseball,” says LeBeau, who resides in Charlottesville, Va., and spends about 20 weeks a year in the D.R. “The Dominican Republic is putting more players in Major League Baseball per capita than any country in the world.

“Every corner you go around there’s another baseball field. Their best athletes are playing baseball. They don’t lose good athletes to other sports.

“They have beautiful weather year-round.”

LeBeau says DBC has hosted more college teams from Indiana than any other state with DePauw being the fifth.

Indiana University visited when Tracy Smith was head coach and Kyle Schwarber was on the team. The University of Notre Dame went with Mik Aoki as field boss and Cavan Biggio on the roster. Coach Rich Maloney took Ball State University to the D.R. Coach Brian Schmack and his Valparaiso University team have also taken advantage of the company’s services.

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Greencastle, Ind.-based DePauw University’s 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic. (Dominican Baseball Camps Photo)

Club baseball thriving at Indiana, Ball State, Notre Dame, Purdue

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

Varsity baseball on Indiana college campus gets the attention.
But those teams aren’t the only ones taking to the diamond representing their schools in 2022-23.
National Club Baseball Association — a division of Pittsburgh-based ColClubSports — features two squads at Indiana University (D-I and D-II) and one each at Ball State, Notre Dame and Purdue.
These four plus Illinois and Illinois State belong to the NCBA Great Lakes South. Squads played one or two series in the fall. Most games are in March and April.
The four-team NCBA D-I Great Lakes Regional is slated for May 12-14 at Ash Centre/World Baseball Academy in Fort Wayne, Ind. The eight-team NCBA D-I World Series is May 26-June 2 in Alton, Ill.
D-II regionals are May 5-7 at sites to be determined with the eight-team D-II World Series May 19-May 23 in Alton.
Indiana-based teams are made up of players with high school and/or high level travel ball experience.
The NCBA tracks rankings, statistics, standings and selects All-Americans.
Notre Dame is No. 9 and Illinois State and Illinois are vote-getters in the D-I Week 16 poll.
NCBA Great Lakes team previews can be found HERE.

Indiana
IU club officers are president Garrett Larson (Lucas, Texas), secretary Spencer Puett (Eden Prairie, Minn.), treasurer Jacob Kortenber (New Haven, Ind., graduate) and social media chair Casey Fanelli (Westfield, Ind., alum). Brenden Schrage (Elmhurst, Ill.) is a future vice president.
Games tend to be on Saturdays and Sundays.
Indiana’s D-I team went 2-4 in the fall — 1-2 against both Illinois and Illinois State. Beginning the Week of March 13, the spring season sees IU play Eastern Kentucky, Marquette, Ohio State and Tennessee for single games. Ball State visits for three games and the Hoosiers play three-game sets at Notre Dame and Purdue.
The D-II squad went 4-2 in the fall — 1-2 vs. Xavier and 3-0 vs. Eastern Kentucky.
Beginning the Week of Feb. 27, the spring season includes a three-game home series against Michigan State, three at Akron and three at home against Ohio State.
“The club experience is a great one not only for myself but a lot of other people because our club consists of mid- to high-level high school baseball players who could not make it at the next level or wanted to only play Division I college ball or go to a bigger school and get a better education,” says Larson, a junior Sports Media & Advertising co-major. “Club baseball is a way for us to keep playing the game we love.”
At Indiana in 2022-23, 85 to 100 players tried out for 26 vacancies on two teams. There’s about 20 players on each squad.
The club is responsible for securing playing fields and off-campus practice facilities, umpires and uniforms.
Club dues and fundraising helps pay expenses.
Bloomington North High School is Indiana’s home field.
“We’re very appreciative for that opportunity,” says Larson.
The club makes a donation to the school for the use of the Cougars’ diamond.
In past seasons, the club played some games at Bedford North Lawrence High School.
The club also supports the varsity Hoosiers when they play at Bart Kaufman Field aka The Bart.
“We go to those games all the time,” says Larson. “A lot of our best players tried to walk on and came to play for us.”
Club players tend to sit close to the home dugout and backstop and can be heard on TV and radio broadcasts.
Kortenber, a sophomore Sports Marketing & Management major, played for Dave Bischoff at New Haven High School and explains his reason for playing club baseball.
“I just really wanted to stay connected to the game and meet a bunch of new people,” says Kortenber, who considered being a manager for the varsity team. “Then I decided I could actually keep on playing.”
A club sports fair during “Welcome Week” is a big recruiting tool.
The club is open to anyone who wants to practice. Then there’s a travel roster.
Both D-I and D-II teams at Indiana practice together.
Schrage gives his “why.”
“It gets me out of the house,’ says Schrage, who now calls Indianapolis home and is a sophomore Informatics major with a Business cognate. “I like to collaborate with different people. I enjoy baseball players. That was my crowd in high school.
“I just want a competitive edge outside of doing lifting and homework. It’s nice to travel on the weekends and be part of a team.”
Indiana’s Twitter handle is @ClubBaseball_IU. The Instagram address is iuclubbaseball. The D-I roster can be found HERE and schedule HERE. The D-II roster can be found HERE and schedule HERE.

Ball State
BSU club officers include president Ross Culy (Winchester, Ind., Community High School graduate), vice president Clay Hamm (Blue Valley alum) and social media manager Ben Carr (Zionsville Community graduate).
Ball State lost three-game series to Notre Dame and Purdue in the fall. The spring slate begins the Week of March 20 and the Cardinals play a series at Indiana with home series against Illinois State and Illinois.
Culy, a third-year senior on pace to graduate in the spring with a double major in Analytics and Economics, talks about what he gets from club baseball.
“It definitely starts with a lot of friendships and relationships you make,” says Culy. “Relationships are really important in life.
“Being president has developed my leadership abilities and people skills.”
The club is hoping to play one home series on the varsity field (Ball Diamond) and will play the other at a local high school or perhaps Gainbridge Field at McCulloch Park in Muncie.
Fall home games are played at Ball Diamond.
Club dues are $350 for the year or $175 per semester and pay for jerseys, travel, umpires etc.
“We try to keep our costs as low as possible and keep guys in the club,” says Culy.
The club had to disband during the COVID-19 pandemic and came back in 2021-22.
“We’re accepting anybody who wants to play,” says Culy. “We have from former college players and high-level high school to kids who never played before.
“We don’t currently have enough to make cuts. This year we had huge growth. We have 30-ish guys which is a big improvement from last year.
Most recruiting was done at the club fair at the beginning of the school year.
“A lot of it is just getting our name out there and getting the players who have the talent and interest,” says Culy.
Three member of Ball State’s swimming and diving program — Michael Burns (South Bend, Ind., Riley High School graduate), Erkan Ozgen (Burr Ridge, Ill.) and Porter Brovont (Eastern of Greentown alum) — have indicated they will join the baseball club at the conclusion of their season.
Hamm, a sophomore Sport Administration major, split his high school days between New Castle and Blue River Valley before playing one season at the University of Northwestern Ohio and transferring to Ball State and joining the club.
“I just wanted to get back into baseball,” says Hamm. “It’s a lot of fun. Everybody wants to be there and wants to play.”
Carr, a freshman Sports Administration major and Marketing minor, tells why he’s involved.
“I love baseball,” says Carr. “I played it all my life. I played throughout high school and had some opportunities to play (intercollegiate ball). Ball State was the best first for me.
“I got involved (in club baseball) and it’s a blast.”
As an Indiana Expos travel ball player, Carr was coached by former Indiana club member Leo Tobasco.
Carr is a submarine pitcher. He was throwing from a three-quarter arm slot as a high school junior and looking to see how he could help on a staff of fireballers.
“One of my coaches suggested that I try to see if I could throw sidearm or lower,” says Carr. “I kept messing with it and kept messing with it. I became an effective groundball pitcher.”
As social media manager, Carr has been able to tap into skill he learned from his father who is a graphic designer and get his friend who is a photographer to provide compelling shots.
“I’ve edits for our schedule on Instagram that I’m pretty proud of,” says Carr.
Cooper Roach, a Delta High School graduate and freshman Data Analytics major, was smitten by baseball growing up in Muncie.
“There’s something different about it I love,” says Roach. “I don’t think I can ever get away from baseball because of it.”
Ball State’s club fair is how he found out about the opportunity to keep playing in college.
“I’d like to see the club aspect pushed a little more,” says Roach of club sports overall.
Ball State’s Instagram address is ballstatebaseballclub. The roster can be found HERE and schedule HERE.

Notre Dame
ND club officers are president Josh Dippold (Fort Wayne Bishop Luers graduate), interim vice president Sam Sikkink (Minnetonka, Minn., and serving for Lafayette, La.’s Jacob Tate who is studying abroad), secretary Chris Ayres (Malvern, Pa.) and treasurer Brady LaBahn (Apple Valley, Minn.).
Players pay $315 per semester to pay for travel, umpires, league, registration etc. Donation also come in from alumni and family during “ND Day.”
The Irish won the 8th annual Battle Creek Blast in the fall as the wild card, besting Illinois State B 11-1 and Michigan-Flint 21-1 and losing 5-4 to Michigan in pool play before topping Michigan 11-4 and Illinois 18-1 in the single-elimination bracket.
Besides taking that 12-team event at C.O. Brown Stadium, Notre Dame also swept a three-game conference series against Ball State.
The spring began this past weekend with a three-game sweep at Kentucky. Next is a series at Illinois then home series vs. Indiana, Illinois State and Purdue.
South Bend Clay High School has been a home field for Notre Dame. The club is hoping to play some games on-campus at Frank Eck Stadium — home to the varsity Irish.
Notre Dame lost to Michigan in 2022 regional championship.
“It was nice to see them this fall in Battle Creek,” says Dippold, who played his home games while at Bishop Luers at the Ash Centre.
He grew up playing travel ball around Fort Wayne, including with the Summit City Sluggers and Lance Hershberger-led Fort Wayne/Northeast Indiana Buzz.
Dippold, a senior Theology major with a Pre-Health supplemental major and Latino Studies minor, intends to go to medical school.
The club president says about 50 players try out in the fall. There are currently 29 on the roster (33 is the maximum).
“I love baseball and the leadership that comes with being around so many ballplayers and friends,” says Dippold. “It’s for the love of the game and you need to be heads-up to be a good ballplayer. It’s America’s Pastime to me.
“I see the freshmen and sophomores on our team and I want to give back to the game. When I’m older I know I will be a coach of some sort.
“I’m incredibly grateful that God has bestowed this opportunity for me to still be playing the game as a senior in college. This year I feel like we have something left in the tank and some unfinished business.
“I’ve always been a competitor. I look forward to being something more than an academic competitor and let it loose on the baseball field.”
Jake Fuehrmeyer, a graduate of Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, Ind., and a senior Science Pre-Professional (Pre-Med) major, decided to attend Notre Dame rather than play varsity baseball and study at a smaller school in Illinois.
He expresses his appreciation for club ball.
“It’s been everything to be college experience-wise,” says Fuehrmeyer. “I never would have thought I’d still get to play ball once I got to Notre Dame.
“It’s allowed me the opportunity to continue to compete at a high level. My favorite thing to do is play baseball.
“All of the guys on the team are such great dudes. I look forward to going to practice. I look forward to competing in games. It’s given me a ton of new friends.”
While vans were to be used to travel to the Kentucky series, players typically car-pool to away games.
“It’s a sacrifice we’re willing to make,” says Fuehrmeyer. “We’ll go wherever the baseball is.”
In-season, Notre Dame tends to practice twice a week for 90 minutes.
Outside of practice, Fuehrmeyer seeks time to get in swings on his own or long toss with a friend.
There is an on-campus practice space. RBIs Unlimited in Mishawaka offers an off-campus training option.
While he’s got a full plate, Fuehrmeyer does carve out time to follow the varsity Irish.
“College baseball is some of the most-exciting baseball you can watch,” says Fuehrmeyer. “It’s evolving at a rapid pace. We’re seeing some outstanding talent come through Notre Dame.
“We’ve got some serious talent on the varsity team and it’s reflected in how good our club team is.
“I look at some guys and say, “Wow! Why aren’t you playing (NCAA) Division I baseball somewhere?”
Notre Dame’s Twitter handle is @NDclubbaseball. The Instagram address is ndclubbaseball. The roster can be found HERE and schedule HERE.

Purdue
PU club officers are president Daniel Stephen (Fort Wayne, Ind., Northrop High School graduate), vice president Ross Ostrager (Plainview, N.Y.), treasurer Jacob Knaust (O’Fallon, Ill.), fundraising officer Jeremy VanTryon (Plainfield, Ind., High School alum), community service officer Joe Patton (Kansas City, Kan.) and safety officer Kyle Goff (Fort Wayne, Ind., Carroll graduate). Dr. Howard Zelanik is advisor.
Purdue went 6-5 in the fall — 3-0 vs. Ball State, 2-1 vs. Eastern Kentucky, 0-3 vs. Illinois State and 1-1 vs. Miami (Ohio). Beginning the Week of March 13, an 11-game spring includes contests against Ohio, Tennessee, Ohio State, Iowa and Wyoming in Panama City Beach, Fla., before a three-game series at Illinois, three at home against Indiana and three at Notre Dame.
Purdue senior James Ham, a Lafayette (Ind.) Harrison High School alum, pitched a no-hitter Oct. 1, 2022 against Ball State with 15 strikeouts in seven innings.
The no-no was caught by junior Ostrager.
The club was present at the B-Involved Fair and had callouts last August. Tryouts were last September at the Purdue Intramural Fields.
Home games are played at Crawfordsville (Ind.) High School.
The team has a set of bats, helmets, and catchers gear. Hats, jerseys, black pants, gold stirrups and a gold belt are provided. Players must have their own glove, cleats, white baseball pants, gray baseball pants, black socks and black belt.
Semester dues can vary depending on expected club expenses. They are typically around $300 for returning members and $350 for new members.
The Twitter handle is @PUBaseballClub. The Instagram address is pubaseballclub. The roster can be found HERE and the schedule HERE.

Other Places
George Boardman is a pitcher on the Vanderbilt University club in Nashville, Tenn.
Boardman, of LaPorte, Ind., is a freshman Law History Society major.
After playing for coach Kurt Christiansen, he graduated from Culver (Ind.) Academies in 2021.
“I’m pretty serious about going to law school so playing for an actual college team was too much of a time commitment,” says Boardman. “I selected Vanderbilt for many other reasons, but (club baseball) was an added benefit.
“Most of the people on our team could have played (NCAA) D-III baseball.”
Like Boardman, they those Vandy for its academic rigor.
“Club baseball here at Vanderbilt is really, really balanced,” says Boardman. “We practice three days a week — Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. We usually play six or seven series (in the spring and fall) with three games each.
“Attendance at those series is completely optional. The flexibility is perfect. If you have a class or a ton of homework, just text your coach or (club) president and say, ‘I can’t make it.’
“You can pretty much make out of it what you want.”
The club plays many of its home games at nearby Belmont University though there is a contest scheduled April 9 against Georgia State at Hawkins Field — where the Vandy Boys varsity plays.

Indiana University’s club baseball team. (IU Club Baseball Photo)

Indiana University’s club baseball team. (IU Club Baseball Photo)

Indiana University’s club baseball team. (IU Club Baseball Photo)

Indiana University’s club baseball team. (IU Club Baseball Photo)

Indiana University’s club baseball team. (IU Club Baseball Photo)

Indiana University’s club baseball team. (IU Club Baseball Photo)

Indiana University’s club baseball team. (IU Club Baseball Photo)

Ross Culy. (Ball State Club Baseball Photo)

Clay Hamm. (Ball State Club Baseball Photo)

Ben Carr. (Ball State Club Baseball Photo)

Cooper Roach. (Ball State Club Baseball Photo)

Notre Dame seniors with 2022-23 Battle Creek Blast trophy. Notre Dame club baseball seniors in the fall of 2022 (from left): Peter Colevas, Brady LaBan, Sam Sikkink, Jake Fuehrmeyer and Josh Dippold. (ND Club Baseball Photo)

Notre Dame wins 2022-23 Battle Creek Blast trophyNotre Dame club baseball’s Battle Creek Blast champions in the fall of 2022 (from left): First row — Tony Ingram, Peter Colevas, Chris Ayres, Sam Sikkink and Josh Dippold. Second row — Tommy Hoefling, Tommy Toole, Hawkins Suter, Daniel Kim, Jake Fuehrmeyer, Andrew D’Arcy, Luke Brandau, Chris Hoofing, Brady LaBahn, Keaton Rodgers, Danny Durkin, Peter Royeca, Joe Bollard, Joey Vaughan, Justin Zach and Brady Soenen. (ND Club Baseball Photo)

Notre Dame club baseball’s Josh Dippold (7) in the bullpen in the fall of 2022. (ND Club Baseball Photo)

Notre Dame club baseball in the fall of 2022 (from left): First row — Peter Royeca, Tony Ingram, Sam Sikkink, Josh Dippold and Chris Ayres. Second row — Peter Mercurio, Jacob Tate, Keaton Rodgers, Brady LaBan, Grant Woodward, Dash Muller and Chris Hoefling. (ND Club Baseball Photo)

Purdue’s club baseball team organizes for 2022-23. (Purdue Club Baseball Image)

Purdue’s James Ham pitched a no-hitter against Ball State in the fall of 2022. (Purdue Club Baseball Photo)

Purdue’s Jacob Knaust earned NCBA Great Lakes South Player of the Week honors in the fall of 2022. (Purdue Club Baseball Photo)

George Boardman, of LaPorte, Ind., and a Culver, Ind., Academies, is a student and club baseball player at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

Vanderbilt University’s club baseball team after a 2022-23 win against Mississippi State. (Vanderbilt Club Baseball Photo)

Oakland City ‘mighty’ strong out of the gate

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, Feb. 24
Olney Central 9, Vincennes 5

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

Sunday, Feb. 26
Vincennes 12, Morton 4

Foundry Field project using baseball to build community in South Bend’s urban core, tell hidden histories

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

Enriching the community through baseball and telling the stories of underrepresented groups is the aim of bringing Foundry Field to South Bend’s Southeast Neighborhood Park.
A vision meeting attended by 10 people happened in the fall of 2018. The project was launched in 2019.
“We’re passionate about it,” says Matthew Insley, project chairman and Sappy Moffitt Field Foundation president. “We’re all committed to South Bend.
“We were slowed by COVID-19. But that presented an opportunity to dig in with partnerships.”
Community partners include Boys & Girls Club of St. Joseph County, Center for Social Concerns at the University of Notre Dame, Civil Rights Heritage Center at Indiana University South Bend, South Bend Community School Corporation, South Bend Venues, Parks & Arts, Southeast Organized Area Residents (SOAR) and The History Museum.
As part of Phase One, Nov. 5 is the deadline for a crowdfunding campaign, featuring a $50,000 matching grant from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s CreatINg Places program.
Construction is to begin in 2023 with play starting in 2024.
Phase Two includes public and private funding for historical research and public art. Phase Three is centered on community space.
With the help of our donors and collaborators, the Sappy Moffitt Field Foundation has the goal of placing a diamond and showcase public art and historical markers that pay tribute to undervalued legends of the past near downtown. Southeast Neighborhood Park is located at Fellows and Wenger streets.
Among the hidden histories to be highlighted are those of the Foundry Giants (an African-American baseball team that played in South Bend’s Studebaker Industrial League in the 1930’s) and Uncle Bill’s All Colored Girls Softball Team that excelled in the region in the ’30s and ‘40s).
“We want to tell these stories about baseball history,” says Insley. “I’d like to see the game return to the day when it had a lot more diversity. Baseball has become an elite, exclusive game. It was never that.
“Are we going to change the world? No. But we’re going to do our part.”
Insley and Mike Hebbeler (who is program director at the Center for Social Concerns) founded the Sappy Moffitt Baseball League in 2013.
The league — named for former South Bend Green Stockings pitcher Elmer “Sappy” Moffitt, who was born in nearby New Carlisle and is the all-time leader in innings pitched, strikeouts and wins in South Bend professional baseball history — features more than 120 adults playing recreational games on Sunday afternoons at Boland Park.
Team names are a nod to the heritage and places in South Bend. There’s the Du Lac Rockets, Ironhides, Monroe Park Millracers, Oliver Chill, Ottawa Arrowheads, Porters, River Park LongNecks, South Shore Liners and Studebaker Larks.
“We want to play in the urban core,” says Insley, who sees Foundry Field as a place not only for the adult league but for youths in organized or pick-up baseball.
“It’s been near to see guys playing with their kids in (the Sappy Moffitt League). There’s something powerful about kids watching adults play.”
A train wall will double as an outfield barrier and a location for murals and markers.
“It becomes more than a baseball field,” says Insley. “It’s a broadly-utilized space — an impactful space.”
Clinton Carlson, an associate professor for Visual Communication in Notre Dame’s Department of Art, Art History & Design and a Sappy Moffitt League player, has lent his expertise to the group for the past year.
“I’m a designer,” says Carlson. “I use my skills to help share the vision of Foundry Field.
“Let’s get more baseball being played by adults and kids. We want to drive more kids to play. We don’t want to replace rec leagues or Little Leagues that might be struggling.”
Milt Lee, the Director of Community Programs and K-12 Athletics for South Bend Community School Corporation, got to know project originators as a player with the Studebaker Larks.
“I discovered that these are really sincere guys — not just in everyday life but when it came to being responsible community people,” says Lee. “When they brought the idea of creating a field where people can mentor young people, come and play pick-up baseball, learn how to become good teammates and learn life lessons you certainly can’t pass it up. It means everything to South Bend Schools.”
Lee says the aim of the corporation is aligned with the Foundry Field project.
“A major strategic priority of ours is to introduce non-traditional Olympic sports to kids in underserved communities throughout the corporation,” says Lee. “One of those sports happens to be baseball.
“The number of kids in South Bend — particularly black kids — has dramatically decreased since the 1970s.
“We’ve determined to create equitable access to those types of sports in those areas. That’s a major priority of ours. One is the reasons is that the more kids are exposed to games at an early age the more they’ll play multiple sports and play sports for a lifetime so they’ll have better mental and physical health. We’re trying to change health outcomes in underserved communities through recreation and athletics.”
Lee says the area around Southeast Neighborhood Park has a reputation of being a tough place to live.
“I can’t think of a better area and neighborhood to have a beautiful space and place that would make people feel proud and be a place where kids and families could gather to have unbelievable experiences,” says Lee.
South Bend Community Schools — where there is open enrollment and magnet schools — is taking a neighborhood approach with its students. Lee sees programs like those at Foundry Field and nearby facilities like the Boys & Girls Club will get as many as possible to go to Riley High School.
“We want to make sure all the coaches, athletic directors and families
gather as a neighborhood and begin to build relationships that would encourage them to stay together,” says Lee. “If we can keep these kids connected early in their neighborhoods, the better chance we have to keep those kids in our high school system.
“We can stave off some of that migration (to corporations outside South Bend).”
As Lee sees it, high schools ADs — Dawn Huff at Adams, Al Hartman at Clay, Seabe Gavin at Riley and Garland Hudson at Washington among them — should be be seen as the neighborhood CEO for sports and athletics and invite young kids to campus for camps and competitions etc.
Lee says there is some baseball for SBCSC middle schoolers.
“We’ve been losing student-athletes left and right in our middle school program because of the whole travel baseball phenomenon. The more we have kids playing the game at age 5, 6, 7, 8 and working with our Little Leagues, I think we can create some type of base training and feeder program to our high schools.
“The sooner we can get kids playing the game and make they fall in love with it and get them connected to really good coaches, we hope to have them playing the game for a lifetime.”
A diversity of interests and talents are going into the project. Some are focused on the baseball side. Others on fundraising, grant writing, design or historical research.
Greg Bond, Sports Archivist for Hesburgh Libraries and the Curator of the Joyce Sports Research Collection at Notre Dame, is affiliated with the school’s Sport, Media and Culture Minor.
He is helping with research and notes that the stories will be told through a variety of media and does not need to be constrained to a physical location such as the location of Foundry Field.
“It will be accessible to people in other ways to be determined,” says Bond. “We want to make this a sustainable project (for future researchers). One big push is to make it not dependent on people involved right now. That’s very important.
“It’s heartening to see how many people are passionate about this project.”
Katherine Walden, an Assistant Teaching Professor of American Studies at Notre Dame, is also part of the Foundry Field project along with her students.
Among courses regularly taught by Walden is “Baseball and America.”

Foundry Field is coming to the urban core in South Bend, Ind.

Foundry Field drawing. (Sappy Moffitt Field Foundation Image)

Foundry Field drawing. (Sappy Moffitt Field Foundation Image)

Foundry Field drawing. (Sappy Moffitt Field Foundation Image)

Foundry Field drawing. (Sappy Moffitt Field Foundation Image)

One of the hidden histories to be told at Foundry Field is that of Uncle Bill’s All Colored Girls Softball Team. (Northern Indiana Center for History Photo)

Elmer “Sappy” Moffitt.

The Sappy Moffitt Baseball League was founded in South Bend, Ind., in 2013.

Edgewood alum Pittsford learns from many along his diamond path

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

Harrison Pittsford is soaking up the knowledge of veterans while getting in his summer reps as a first-year player for the South Bend Royals, members of men’s wood bat leagues in both South Bend and Fort Wayne.
At 20, Pittsford is younger than most of his Royals teammates. That includes 53-year-old Jayson Best.
“It’s cool learning from guys like Bestie,” says Pittsford, who completed his second year at NCAA Division III Manchester University in North Manchester, Ind., in the spring. “I see how they play the game.
“It’s a great experience playing with those guys.”
Best, who was born in Lafayette, Ind., played professional baseball from 1989-97. He ascended to Double-A in the Minnesota Twins organization as a pitcher and later was head baseball coach at Goshen (Ind.) College. He pitched a no-hitter for the Royals in Mishawaka, Ind., on July 10.
Pittsford, a 2020 graduate of Edgewood High School in Ellettsville, Ind., comes up to play mostly weekend doubleheaders with former GC hitting star and current Eastern (Greentown) head coach Erik Hisner-managed Royals and Manchester teammate/roommate Hunter Aker (a South Bend Clay High School graduate).
While he does some catching, Pittsford is getting playing time in the outfield since he expects to be there much of the time at Manchester.
The Royals are to compete in a National Amateur Baseball Federation regional in Fort Wayne July 28-30. The top two finishers move on to the NABF World Series Aug. 2-5 in Battle Creek, Mich.
Pittsford was named to the 2022 all-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference second team at designated hitter.
The righty swinger played in 30 games (28 starts) and hit .327 (33-of-101) with six home runs, eight doubles, 29 runs batted in, 27 runs scored and a 1.002 OPS (.418 on-base percentage plus .584 slugging average).
Rick Espeset competed his 26th season as Manchester head coach in 2022.
“Espy got my attention in the recruiting process,” says Pittsford. “His success and longevity eye-catching for me.”
Espeset’s Spartans have won 619 games with six national tournament appearances, including two trips to the D-III World Series (2004 and 2013).
As much as Pittsford appreciates all the knowledge that Espeset shares, he is also grateful for the insights on the mental approach.
“We’re taking time to detach from baseball with breathing and mindfulness,” says Pittsford.
As a D-III program, Manchester conducts four weeks of fall practice with the whole team and coaches. Players are then on their own for a few months until everyone reconvenes shortly before the start of the season.
“Nothing’s really forced on us,” says Pittsford. “If guys want to get better they are going to get better. I get motivated seeing my teammates working out.
“We have good leadership from underclassmen.”
A Sport Management major, Pittsford was named Academic all-HCAC in 2022.
“I want to stay involved in sports in some capacity,” says Pittsford of his post-college path. “That could be coaching, running a sports facility or being an athletic director. I want to be involved in sports and make a difference for kids and make sure the next generation has the same opportunities I had coming up.
“Sports can teach you a lot of life lessons like building character and making friendships.”
Born in Bloomington, Ind., and growing up in Ellettsville, Pittsford participated in baseball and basketball through Richland Bean Blossom Youth Sports and was also part of Monroe County Youth Football Association.
He was in travel ball with the Ellettsville Explosion, Diamond Dynamics and then Tier Ten.
It was with Diamond Dynamics that Pittsford met coach/instructor Tony Kestranek.
“He was passionate about baseball,” says Pittsford of Kestranek. “He taught us when to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive.”
At Edgewood, Pittsford played four years each of football and baseball and two of basketball.
A special teams player as a freshman, he was the Mustangs’ starting center for three seasons.
Brian Rosenburgh was defensive coordinator Pittsford’s freshman year then head coach for the last three.
“I loved him as a person and a coach,” says Pittsford of Rosenburgh, who was also a Physical Education teacher at Edgewood.
An football coach was Mychal Doering.
“He’s an amazing guy,” says Pittsford of the father of classmate Izaiah Doering and JAG (Jobs for America’s Graduates) specialist at Edgewood. “He was high-energy and he motivated you. He was always checking on people outside of school and he taught me about life and handling the ups and down.
“He’s going through chemo (for cancer). It’s cool to see how he’s battling through that.”
Pittsford considered playing college football, but decided to go with his first love of baseball. Besides, at 6-foot, 230 pounds he is considered to be undersized for a college lineman.
Bob Jones, who has been a Business teacher for more than 40 years and head baseball coach for 36, passed along many diamond lessons to Pittsford.
“He knows a lot of baseball,” says Pittsford of Jones, who went into the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame last week. “It’s nice to learn from a guy who’s been around the game for so long.”
One of Jones’ more than 500 victories came during the first game of 2019 — a season that ended with the Mustangs finishing as IHSAA Class 3A state runners-up.
Playing in a tournament at Vincennes University, Edgewood fell behind 11-0 to Terre Haute North Vigo after four innings.
The Mustangs chipped away and eventually won 20-18 in a game that was played in a steady drizzle.
“It was a pretty crazy game,” says Pittsford, who started at catcher and batted No. 2 that day and drove in two runs.
Later moved to the No. 9 hole, it was there that Pittsford smacked a walk-off home run against West Vigo in the semifinals of the Owen Valley Sectional.
Several other Edgewood players wound up playing college baseball, including Class of 2019’s Joe Kido (Indiana State University), Ethan Vecrumba (Indiana University), Cooper Thacker (University of Southern Indiana) and Blake Deckard (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology), Class of 2020’s Pittsford and Sam Kido (Indiana University South Bend) and Class of 2021’s Luke Hayden (Indiana University).
Satoshi Kido — father of Mac, Joe and Sam — was an Edgewood assistant in 2019 and has been Pittsford’s hitting coach since he was 7 or 8.
“He’s helped me so much with my swing over the years,” says Pittsford. “He always knows how to fix my swing when I get in a slump.”
Pittsford spent much of 2021 dealing with a torn right shoulder labrum.
Harrison is the youngest of 1986 Edgewood alums Jay and Cheryl Pittsford’s two sons. Alex Pittsford (25) is a graduate of Edgewood (2016) and Wabash College (2020) and is now pursing his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Notre Dame. He was in football and swimming in high school.
Jay Pittsford taught English for 19 1/2 years and then served as an assistant principal. Cheryl Pittsford is an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Physician’s Assistant.

Harrison Pittsford (Manchester University Photo)

Harrison Pittsford (Timothy Jacob Photography)

Harrison Pittsford (Timothy Jacob Photography)

Harrison Pittsford (Timothy Jacob Photography)

Harrison Pittsford (Timothy Jacob Photography)

Harrison Pittsford (Timothy Jacob Photography)

Zeese talks about mental performance, championship mindsets

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

Tapping into potential is what Kelli Zeese does as director of operations and a mental performance coach for Selking Performance Group.
Coming straight from helping the University of Notre Dame softball team, the South Bend, Ind., native shared ideas on the mental game and championship mindset Tuesday, March 29 at the final South Bend Cubs Foundation Coaches Club meeting of 2021-22 at Four Winds Field.
A graduate of Saint Joseph High School in South Bend, Zeese has a Psychology degree from Saint Mary’s College, a Masters of Business Administration/Masters of Sports Administration from Ohio University and is pursuing a Masters of Performance/Sport Psychology from National University.
She went to work for Selking Performance Group in 2020 after serving as assistant director of Athletics Facilities and Operations at Boston College.
Among many other experiences, Zeese has been Director of Baseball Operations at Notre Dame, where she had been head baseball student manager and also a football student manager.
Kelli grew up playing sports — her favorite was softball — as the oldest child of Mark and Linda Zeese. She has two younger brothers — Aaron and Kerry. The latter was the starting third baseman on Saint Joseph’s 2017 IHSAA Class 3A baseball state champions and is now a junior infielder/pitcher at Roosevelt University in Chicago.
J.R. Haley, son of South Bend Cubs Foundation executive director Mark Haley, was a senior on that John Gumpf-coached Saint Joe squad.
Zeese (pronounced Zay-zee) said that the purpose of mental performance training is to answer the question: How can I deliver my best, consistently, when it matters most?
“Recognize that (delivering) very best is going to be different from your very best,” said Zeese. “How can I do so consistently whether it’s the first or last pitch of the game, we’re up by 10 or down by 10? We want our mindset to be the same.
“We don’t want to have these (Instagram-like) filters like this is my mindset when we’re up by three, but when we’re down by three this is my mindset.
“How do I respond in pressure situations?”
While her talk was in the context of sport and specifically baseball, she said these concepts have helped in academic, business and life situations, including preparing for a test, presentation, job interview and or difficult conversation.
Zeese talked about brain science and presented tangible training tips, including positive/productive language, perfection vs. excellence and being in the present moment.
Achieving optimum mental performance means to “Know you why.”
“Why do you do what you do?,” said Zeese. “What type of important or legacy do you want to leave? What do I do today to make that happen? Why do you coach? Why are you part of this organization?
“We talk with our athletes about different forms of motivation. Who’s the source of your motivation? What types of rewards are there?”
Zeese gave advice to the coaches/instructors in the room.
“Part of your objective is to create that environment in which they can grow and thrive,” said Zeese. “What a great vehicle sports and baseball is to be able to do that.”
Selking Performance Group — led by Dr. Amber Selking, whose new book is “Winning the Mental Game: The Playbook for Building Championship Mindsets” and is host of the “Building Championship Mindsets” podcast — likes to set itself apart by helping people understand who the brain works.
“It allows people to be more intentional about the training itself,” said Zeese.
She showed this with a hex nut dangling from a string — an activity former Notre Dame soccer player Selking shows in her “Dare to Think Like A Champion Today” TEDx Talk.
The activity demonstrates the brain-body connection and psycho-neuromuscular theory at work.
Participants are asked to hold the string out with the nut dangling and stationary and using only their thoughts they are to think about it going forward and backward then side to side then in a circle and then stopping.
“Our thoughts are sending these electrical signals through our brain to the neurons in the muscles and nerve endings throughout the body,” said Zeese. “That’s how truly powerful our thoughts are.
“The brain-body connection says thoughts affect our emotions which affect our physiological responses which is going to dictate our performance.
“When we were are thinking we don’t want to strike out our emotions are often fear or anxiety. Our physiological response is that our bodies and our muscles are tense and our visions constricts and narrows. Our performance is going to show.”
Zeese said that science shows that 70,000 to 80,000 thoughts enter the mind each day.
“We can’t control that these thoughts are going to enter our brain,” said Zeese. “However, we can control which ones stay.
“We identify whether (a thought is) productive or unproductive. Does it serve us or not. We’re going to release it if it doesn’t.”
The objective is to change a negative into a positive.
It’s a mindset (a patterned way of thinking about anything).
Alex Smith was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 National Football League Draft by the San Francisco 49ers and struggled as a rookie quarterback.
“I felt I just had to be perfect to justify by draft status,” said Smith in a video clip presented by Zeese. “I became my own worst enemy. I constantly strove for others’ approval and and worried about what they were thinking.
“I felt like I couldn’t even make the smallest of mistakes. This became a paralyzing cycle.”
Smith changed his mindset and went to three Pro Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs and was the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year with the Washington Redskins/Football Team.
“Accept what you cannot control,” said Smith.
“We grow through failure,” said Zeese. “Identify your weaknesses and turned them into strengths”
Zeese interjected the acronym F.A.I.L., which stands for First Attempt In Learning.
“It’s OK to fail, but let’s get better from it,” said Zeese.
She said that most people think you either win or fail and that successful people know you may fail multiple times before winning.
There’s a difference between perfection and excellence.
Society tells us we need to be perfect. Failure is part of the process. It’s OK to fail. But it’s how you respond and how quickly you recover.”
Zeese said being in the present moment and setting ourselves up for success means our mind needs to be where at the same pace as our feet. The body is always present and we want to be strategic about the use of the past and future.
“We’re going to think about past performances and if it was a poor performance, we’re going to learn from it,” said Zeese. “You can create a highlight reel in your head of positive past performances to build up your confidence.”
After showing clip from the ESPN E:60 special on Evan Longoria and his mental approach, Zeese talked about how the major leaguer approaches the game “one pitch at a time” and uses the visual cue of looking at the top of the left-field foul pole to release and re-focus. These cues or triggers can be visual, physical or verbal.
There is an acronym used by Zeese and her colleagues — W.I.N., which stands for What’s Important Now?
“What’s important THIS pitch?,” said Zeese. “Just it matter that you just swung at a ball in the dirt? Does it matter that you just overthrew a ball or that you just walked a batter?
“When we talk about winning games we break it down. We win innings — both offensively and defensively. We win at-bats by winning one pitch at a time.”

“Dare to Think Like A Champion Today” TEDx Talk by Dr. Amber Selking

Kelli Zeese (Selking Performance Group Photo).

Kelli Zeese (University of Notre Dame Photo).

Huntington, Taylor play first games in Arizona; other teams open this month

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

Two NAIA teams got a head start on the rest of the state’s 38 college baseball programs in starting the 2022 baseball season.
Huntington University and Taylor University of the Crossroads League got going in Mesa, Ariz., the Foresters going 1-3 (HU beat Benedictine at Mesa 14-10 in 10 innings Feb. 20 and lost 19-4 to Arizona Christian and 13-9 to Benedictine at Mesa Feb. 21 and 15-3 to Arizona Christian Feb. 22 ) and the Trojans 2-2 (TU beat Kansas Wesleyan 6-2 Feb. 26 and San Diego Christian 20-8 Feb. 27 and lost 7-5 to Arizona Christian Feb. 28 and 10-8 to The Master’s Feb. 29).
Oakland City, Bethel, Grace, Indiana University-Kokomo, Marian Saint Francis, are scheduled to lift the lid Friday, Feb. 4 and Vincennes Saturday, Feb. 5.
For many other teams, the first game of 2022 is a few weeks away. See below:

INDIANA COLLEGE BASEBALL
Records Through Jan. 30

NCAA D-I
Ball State (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 vs. Bucknell at Charleston, S.C.
Butler (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 at Murray (Ky.) State.
Evansville (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 at North Carolina State.
Indiana (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 at Clemson.
Indiana State (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 vs. Brigham Young at Port Charlotte, Fla.
Notre Dame (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 vs. Manhattan at Deland, Fla.
Purdue (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 vs. South Dakota State at Sugar Land, Texas.
Purdue Fort Wayne (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 at Georgia State.
Valparaiso (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 at Memphis.

NCAA D-II
Oakland City (0-0) — Opens Feb. 4 at Johnson University (Tenn.).
Indianapolis (0-0) —Opens Feb. 18 vs. Notre Dame (Ohio).
Southern Indiana (0-0) — Opens Feb. 18 at Young Harris (Ga.).

NCAA D-III
Anderson (0-0) — Opens Feb. 12 at Sewanee (Tenn.).
DePauw (0-0) — Opens Feb. 19 vs. North Central (Ill.) at Carbondale, Ill.
Hanover (0-0) — Opens Feb. 22 at Centre (Ky.).
Manchester (0-0) — Opens Feb. 25 vs. North Central (Ill.) at Westfield, Ind. (Grand Park).
Earlham (0-0) — Opens Feb. 26 vs. Olivet (Mich.).
Franklin (0-0) — Opens Feb. 26 vs. Albion (Mich.) at Chillcothe, Ohio.
Trine (0-0) — Opens Feb. 26 at Asbury (Ky.).
Wabash (0-0) — Opens Feb. 26 vs. Heidelberg (Ohio) at Westfield, Ind. (Grand Park).
Rose-Hulman (0-0) — Opens Feb. 27 vs. Northern Vermont-Lyndon at Auburndale, Fla.

NAIA
Taylor (2-2) — Next game Feb. 4 at Tennessee Southern.
Huntington (1-3) — Next game Feb. 11 vs. Ottawa (Kan.) at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Bethel (0-0) — Opens Feb. 4 at Champion Christian (Ark.).
Grace (0-0) — Opens Feb. 4 vs. Trinity International (Ill.).
Indiana University-Kokomo (0-0) — Opens Feb. 4 at Louisiana State-Shreveport.
Marian (0-0) — Opens Feb. 4 at Brewton-Parker (Ga.).
Saint Francis (0-0) — Opens Feb. 4 at Bethel (Tenn.).
Indiana Tech (0-0) — Opens Feb. 11 vs. Columbia (S.C.) International at Emerson, Ga.
Indiana University South Bend (0-0) — Opens Feb. 11 at Rio Grande (Ohio).
Indiana University Southeast (0-0) — Opens Feb. 11 at Louisiana State-Shreveport.
Indiana Wesleyan (0-0) — Opens Feb. 11 at Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Goshen (0-0) — Opens Feb. 12 at Oakland City.
Calumet of Saint Joseph (0-0) — Opens Feb. 25 at Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.).
Purdue Nortwest (0-0) — Opens Feb. 25 at McKendree (Ill.).

Junior College
Vincennes (0-0) — Opens Feb. 5 at Motlow State (Tenn.).
Marian’s Ancilla (0-0) — Opens Feb. 11 at Southeastern Illinois.
Ivy Tech Northeast (0-0) — Opens Feb. 25 vs. Jackson (Mich.).

Notre Dame’s Gumpf, Lynch together again with Bethesda Big Train

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

Brady Gumpf and Ryan Lynch were youngsters when they were first baseball teammates.
The two buddies played in the summers for the Granger (Ind.) Cubs with Chris Hickey as head coach and Greg Lynch (Ryan’s father and former University of Wisconsin baseball player) as an assistant. Then came the Jay Hundley-coadhed Indiana Outlaws. That travel organization became the Evoshield Canes (now Canes Midwest). Both have earned All-American and all-tournament honors from Perfect Game.
“We car-pooled down to Indianapolis every weekend,” says Lynch of the trips to meet up with the Outlaws or Canes. “It was always fun playing against him at school.”
Lynch and C.J. Kavadas tried to coax Gumpf to play with them at Penn High School. But Gumpf stayed at South Bend (Ind.) Saint Joseph where his father – John Gumpf — was Indians head coach.
When it came time for college ball, 2020 high school graduates Gumpf and Lynch both landed close to home at the University of Notre Dame. Because of depth and talent for head coach Link Jarrett’s Irish, Gumpf did not get into a game and Lynch pitched 2/3 of an inning in the spring of 2021. ND went 34-13, won the South Bend Regional and lost to eventual national champion Mississippi State in the Starkville Super Regional.
This summer, righty-swinging outfielder Gumpf and left-handed pitcher Lynch were again teammates with the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League-champion Bethesda (Md.) Big Train, where Sal Colangelo was manager, Sam Bender hitting coach and Craig Lopez pitching coach. They were placed there along with Irish mates Matt Bedford and Danny Neri by Notre Dame assistant Rich Wallace.
In 28 regular-season games, Gumpf hit .290 (20-of-69) with three home runs, one triple, one double, 13 runs batted in and 18 runs scored.
“At the beginning of summer I was struggling a little bit at the plate, but I turned it around pretty easily,” says Gumpf, whose last game action came in the fall of 2019 for Team Indiana, coached by Prep Baseball Report Indiana’s Phil Wade and Blake Hibler. “It was the first time playing in awhile. I was still able to grow as a player and improve. It was mostly just getting the reps.”
Gumpf, a 6-foot-1, 195-pounder, split his defensive time for Bethesda between right and left field and did make an appearance at third base.
A catcher/outfielder in high school, Gumpf has been mostly an outfielder at Notre Dame.
“With my overall athleticism, I made the transition to that pretty easily,” says Gumpf. “I can still catch.”
Brady played at what is now South Bend East Side Baseball Softball Association before joining the Granger Cubs.
At Saint Joe, he was on the roster as a freshman as the Indians won the IHSAA Class 3A state championship in 2017. There was another sectional title in 2018. The 2019 season ended in the final game of the Griffith Regional with a loss to eventual 3A state champion Andrean.
Gumpf was honorable mention all-state as a sophomore and junior and all-conference second team in 2018 and first team in 2019.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic there was no 2020 prep season. Gumpf was invited to play in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., but was advised by Notre Dame coaches to take the summer off and train on his own.
Gumpf has declared himself to be a Management Consulting major.
Brady’s mother, Deanna Gumpf, is head softball coach at Notre Dame. Deanna and John also have a daughter — Tatum.
Lynch, a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder, made regular-season mound appearances (seven in relief) for the 2021 Big Train and went 2-1 with a 5.54 earned run average. In 13 innings, the southpaw produced 22 strikeouts and eight walks.
“It was a good experience for me to get some innings in and to develop,” says Lynch, who pitched in mid-week scrimmages with ND substitutes last spring.
“I want to try to become a starter,” says Lynch. “I think I have the skill.
“We do have a lot of guys who started coming back and there are transfers that we picked up. I want to compete this fall and earn some kind of spot.”
Chuck Ristano is the Notre Dame pitching coach.
Lynch employs both a four-seam and two-seam fastball as well as a change-up, curveball and slider.
The lefty gets plenty of arm-side run on his fastballs. The four-seamer sat at 88 to 91 mph in the spring.
He tosses a “circle” change and gets his “12-to-6” curve to run in on lefties and drop a little bit.
The slider is harder than the curve — mid 80’s vs. about 75.
“One of my strengths is that all of my pitches look the same when they come out (of my hand),” says Lynch. “That’s good. That’s what I want — to keep the hitters off-balance.”
Lynch has decided on Finance as a major as he enters his sophomore year at Notre Dame. He moves back to campus this weekend and classes begin Monday, Aug. 23. Baseball activities are expected to begin shortly after that.
At Penn, Lynch was the 2020 Gatorade Indiana Baseball Player of the Year. Penn topped Saint Joe for the Northern Indiana Conference title in 2019.
The Greg Dikos-coached Kingsmen were Class 4A state runners-up in 2017 with freshman Lynch in center field. He pitched a no-hitter that same season.
Greg and Diana Lynch have three children — Kristina, Ryan and Brandon. Kristina Lynch plays soccer at Florida State University, where the Seminoles won a national title in 2018.

Brady Gumpf (University of Notre Dame Photo)

Ryan Lynch (University of Notre Dame Photo)

Brady Gumpf (University of Notre Dame Photo)

Ryan Lynch (University of Notre Dame Photo)

Brady Gumpf (Bethesda Big Train Photo)

Ryan Lynch (Bethesda Big Train Photo)

Brady Gumpf (Bethesda Big Train Photo)

Ryan Lynch (Bethesda Big Train Photo)

Brady Gumpf crosses the plate (Bethesda Big Train Photo)

Ryan Lynch (University of Notre Dame Photo)