Geeser puts passion over flash with North Putnam Cougars

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

Chris Geeser is entering his eighth season as a baseball coach at North Putnam High School in Roachdale, Ind.
The 2023 season will mark his fourth in charge of the Cougars program.
It’s is Geeser’s desire to put a “well-organized, hard-nose competitive team” on the field.
“We’re going to play the game hard,” says Geeser. “We’ll run out ground balls and give it our best effort.”
Geeser, 31, promotes sportsmanship and sees no room for showboating and bat flipping in baseball.
“I’d rather see the passion than the flashiness,” says Geeser.
A true-blue Chicago Cubs fan, Geeser counts former North Side pitcher Carlos Zambrano among his favorites.
“He was so passionate,” says Geeser of a player who won 125 games and socked 24 home runs in 11 seasons with the Cubs.
Geeser was born in Rockford, Ill., and moved to Martinsville, Ind., as a fourth grader.
He played four years of baseball for the Martinsville High School. Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Bill Tutterow led the Artesians in Geeser’s freshman year. Luke Moscrip was head coach the next season and Mike Swartzentruber (now a Lake Central) in 2009 and 2010.
“I was a big fan,” says Geeser of Swartzentruber. “We had a lot of talent my junior and senior year. He was very detailed and very intense.”
Geeser graduated from Indiana State University in 2015 and was hired to teach Business at North Putnam about a week before school began in 2015-16.
North Putnam (enrollment around 445) is a member of the Western Indiana Conference (with Class 2A Brown County, 2A Cloverdale, 3A Edgewood, 2A Greencastle, 3A Indian Creek, 3A Northview, 3A Owen Valley, 2A South Putnam, 2A Sullivan and 3A West Vigo).
Each WIC team meets one time during the season.
The Cougars are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 with Cloverdale, Greencastle, Parke Heritage, South Putnam and Southmont. North Putnam has won four sectional titles — the last in 2007.
With many North Putnam athletes involved in football, soccer or cross country, Geeser held IHSAA Limited Contact Period practices once a week in the fall. Those attending got a chance to throw and work on defensive basics and take plenty of batting practice.
“The skill that falls off faster than anything is hitting,” says Geeser. Since the winter Limited Contact Period began the Cougars are spending one day on bullpens and defensive drills and the other on hitting (in the cage or at stations around the gym).
“There’s not a whole lot of standing around at my practices,” says Geeser. “We’d like to get 100-150 swings.”
Sharing facilities with winter sports means coming in before school or going later in the evening.
North Putnam offers basketball, wrestling and swimming in the winter.
Winter workouts have had as many as 20 attendees, but the average is around 12.
Since Geeser became head coach the Cougars have fielded varsity and junior varsity teams and he expects the same in 2023. He guesses there might be 24 or 25 players in the program in the spring.
While there are no recent graduates in college baseball, Geeser sees that potential for junior right-handed pitcher Jaylen Windmiller, who struck out 27 and walked five in 22 2/3 innings for a 2022 team that went 13-13.
Geeser’s assistant coaches include returnees Cameron Brothers and Jackson Kendall and newcomer Anthony Rossock. Brothers and Kendall are North Putnam graduates and Rossock, who played at Anderson University, is a Greencastle alum. All three are North Putnam teachers.
North Putnam Middle School fields a team in the spring made up of seventh and eighth graders (and sometimes sixth graders).
North Putnam Youth Baseball League sponsors teams from T-ball to 12U. Geeser is actively involved with the organization.
A number of renovations to the school’s on-field diamond last summer, including rolling and re-building the infield, mound and home plate areas.
“I think our field’s pretty nice,” says Geeser. “We have really good lights.”
A Musco Lighting system can be controlled by a phone app.
Chris andy Lacey Geeser celebrated four years of marriage in the summer of 2022.

Chris Geeser. (North Putnam High School Photo)

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Kyle seeks steady improvement at South Putnam

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

Kurt Kyle took over as head baseball coach at South Putnam Middle/High School in Greencastle, Ind., for the 2022 season.
As he gets his Eagles ready for 2023, there are a few things he sees as important.
“We want to continue to have a (junior varsity) and go down to the (South Putnam Youth League) and build our program back up,” says Kyle. “We want to make the routine plays. You should look to better yourself every practice.
“Don’t beat yourself up on errors. Let stuff go or it’s going to haunt you the rest of the game.”
As Kyle sees it, pitchers “have a job to do.”
“Don’t let batters or runners get in your head,” says Kyle. “We have defense behind you.
“I want to win, but I want to see you guys progress throughout the season.”
A fan of “small ball” — things like bunting and hitting behind the runner — Kyle wants his team to put that into their arsenal.
“A lot of teams in (the Western Indiana Conference) do it,” says Kyle. “It’s a lost art around (Putnam County).”
South Putnam (enrollment around 385) is a member of the WIC with Brown County, Cascade, Cloverdale, Edgewood, Greencastle, Indian Creek, North Putnam, Northview, Owen Valley, Sullivan and West Vigo.
Each conference foe meets once each.
The Eagles were part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2022 with Cloverdale, North Putnam, Parke Heritage and Southmont. South Putnam has won four sectional championships— the last in 2010.
IHSAA Limited Contact Period activity began from the week of Labor Day and wrapped past week.
With most baseball players in the school involved with football, Kyle had about eight at twice-a-week sessions.
The Eagles play home games on Dalton Field, which is characterized by the short distance from home plate to the back stop (Kyle estimates 10 feet) and the left field fence (the coach guesses less than 300 feet).
Bill Jackman is one assistant coach and Kyle says he hopes to bring in Mike Wolvin as the other.
Gavin Eyster (Class of 2023) plays travel baseball. Kyle says he could play in college.
As a feeder system, there is South Putnam Youth League (T-ball to 12U) and middle school club ball (grades 6-8) which plays its games at the high school.
A 1994 graduate of Cloverdale (Ind.) High School, Kyle served as an assistant or middle school coach at his alma mater before taking over as head coach in 2019. He led the Clovers through 2021.
Kyle played at Cloverdale for head coach Sonny Stolz.
“He was old school an tough-nosed,” says Kyle. “He never let us get away with anything.
“He was tough on me. I was a catcher all four years.”
Kyle is employed by Crown Equipment Corporation in Greencastle, where he builds and repairs lift trucks.
Kurt is married to Jessica. Between them they have four children (three girls) — Kendra (22), Kayla (20), Keenan (13) and Olive (9).

Kurt Kyle.

New head coach Taylor emphasizing fundamentals at Indian Creek

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

Fundamentals will be a priority as new head baseball coach Greg Taylor begins to make his imprint on the program at Indian Creek High School in Trafalgar, Ind.
Taylor has been guiding the Braves on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the current IHSAA Limited Contact Period.
“We’re establishing fundamentals from the very beginning and preparing them for off-season drills,” says Taylor, whose players will take part in weight training, arm conditioning and have a chance to hit in the “barn” as Indian Creek gets prepared for the 2023 season. “Our strength and conditioning coach (Bram Wood) is fantastic. (Strength training) gives them the advantage of being physically fit and it plays into health. The boys miss less (play and practice time) and are not hurt as often.”
Taylor notes that Wood’s training is sports-specific, even geared to positions within sports.
Three assistant coaches — Chris Steinway, Mark Ferguson and Craig Davis — were part of the IC staff a year ago. Tim Guyer is new to the program. The Braves look to field varsity and junior squads in 2023.
Indian Creek (enrollment around 625) is a member of the Western Indiana Conference (with Brown County, Cascade, Cloverdale, Edgewood, Greencastle, North Putnam, Northview, Owen Valley, South Putnam, Sullivan and West Vigo).
The Braves were part of an IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping in 2022 with Brown County, Edgewood, Owen Valley, Sullivan and West Vigo. Indian Creek has won six sectional titles — the last in 2019.
A fieldhouse, which will be used by baseball and other teams, is under construction at Indian Creek. The location of the softball field has been moved.
Turf was added to the football field for this fall and is available for baseball and other squads to practice on when their diamonds are too wet.
There is a movement to establish a middle school baseball program that would play as a club sport in the spring.
Meanwhile, the high school staff is working with local youth league and travel ball players.
“We want them to engage in our program,” says Taylor. “That’s an important thing — getting a feeder program following the same philosophy, fundamentals as high school.”
A volunteer years ago at Indian Creek when Brian Luse was head coach, Taylor followed Luse to Franklin Community.
Recent Indian Creek graduates who moved on to college baseball include the Class of 2018’s Dylan Sprong (Franklin, Ind., College) and 2019’s Dustin Sprong (University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky.) and Wyatt Phillips (University of Indianapolis).
For several years, Taylor has coached travel baseball. The last four years have been with the Shelby County Cubs.
A native of Fort Wayne, Ind., Taylor is a 1992 graduate of Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, where he played four years for Spartans head coach Tom Muth.
“We did a lot of fundamental work,” says Taylor, who was a shortstop.
He played two years each for Indiana Baseball Hall of Famer Jerry Blemker at Vincennes (Ind.) University and Gary Hogan at the University of Arkansas Little Rock.
Taylor was selected in the 40th round of the 1996 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.
The switch-hitting middle infielder played through 1998. Future National League MVP Jimmy Rollins was a teammate on the 1997 Piedmont Boll Weevils and 1998 Clearwater Phillies and the two sometime roomed together on the road.
A senior director in medical affairs for pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, Greg has been married to Kate for 25 years. Kate Taylor is in public relations and coaches diving at Indian Creek.
The couple has two children — Ella (16) and Grayson (13). Ella Taylor is a junior diving and track athlete at IC. Indiana Creek seventh grader Grayson Taylor is in baseball, tennis, basketball, diving and track.

Greg Taylor.

Mirizzi changes gigs, now leading Plainfield Quakers

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

Steven Mirizzi enjoyed his previous coaching assignment, but has made a move that brings him closer to home.
Mirizzi, who lives in Avon, Ind., with fiancee’ Tiffany Herr and three children (son Jackson, 9, daughter Mackenzie, 5, and son Keegan, 3) has gone from head coach at Indian Creek High School in Trafalgar, Ind., to head coach at Plainfield (Ind.) High School. He lives about 10 minutes from the Home of the Quakers. It was about an hour commute to Indian Creek.
Jackson plays travel baseball (Indiana Bulls 10U Black with his father as coach) and Mackenzie is in competitive cheerleading. Steven Mirizzi balances family and his own lawn care service.
“Leaving Indian Creek was really hard. I think they will have a strong shot at winning the (Western Indiana) Conference and the sectional (in 2023),” says Mirzzi, who led the Braves program 2018-22 with sectional crowns in 2018 and 2019 and a regional tile in 2018. “I am very grateful that (athletic director) Derek Perry, (principal) Luke Skobal and (superintendent) Dr. Tim Edsel gave me the opportunity to lead their program. They are some of the most-memorable seasons of my coaching career.
“(Moving to Plainfield) came down to having a chance to compete at the highest level in a good conference.”
Plainfield (enrollment around 1,800) is a member of the Mid-State Conference (with Decatur Central, Franklin Community, Greenwood, Martinsville, Mooresville, Perry Meridian and Whiteland).
The Quakers were part of an IHSAA Class 4A sectional grouping in 2022 with Avon, Brownsburg, Decatur Central, Terre Haute North Vigo and Terre Haute South Vigo. Plainfield has won eight sectional titles — the last in 1997.
Mirizzi was hired in early August and from the time of his call-out meeting through the IHSAA Limited Contact Period practices drawing 25-plus players each time out and now wrapping up with a Red-Blue World Series, lofty goals have been set.
“We have high expectations,” says Mirizzi, who takes over a program that was 6-22 at the varsity level in 2022. “We want to win 20 games every year and compete for conference and sectional championships.
“We want to win a state title.”
Plainfield just broke ground on turf fields for baseball and softball, which are expected to be ready next spring. The baseball field already has stadium seating dugout-to-dugout and will get new fencing.
“I want to get the community excited again about Plainfield baseball,” says Mirizzi. “We have a good dynamic for our coaching staff. We will be able to develop our guys through the program and make our varsity competitive.”
The varsity staff includes Tyler Brown (pitching coach) and Eric Farley (former Indiana University catcher and local youth coach) with Steve Fuson returning as head junior varsity coach and Mike Harper back as head freshmen coach. Plainfield alum Noah Lane also returns and helps at also levels.
Fuson is also a director for the Plainfield Havoc, which serves as a feeder program for the Quakers.
Mirizzi and company are looking for pitchers who can compete in the strike zone to keep the team in games.
“We want to let (defenders) make plays and limit walks,” says Mirizzi. “I’m excited about our defense and offensive lineup. We have strong senior group.”
Among returning regulars in the Class of 2023 are Mason Birke, Noah Hessong, Maddox Holtsclaw, Cooper Martin and Bryce Pax.

Steven Mirizzi.

Steven Mirizzi, fiancee’ Tiffany Herr and children Jackson, Mackenzie and Keegan.

A turf baseball field is going in at Plainfield (Ind.) High School.

Wabash catcher Terry likes controlling the game

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Catcher has been Canton Terry’s primary position since he began playing baseball as a boy at Clinton (Ind.) Little League.

He backstopped Babe Ruth League teams in Terre Haute, Ind., and at South Vermillion High School in Clinton, the second of four Terry brothers to playing for father Tim Terry. There’s T.J. (24), Canton (21), Cooper (19) and Easton (15).

Canton’s high school days also saw him catch two travel ball summers each for the Matt Merica-coached Indiana Thunder and Tony Smodilla-coached Indiana Havoc. 

At present, Terry is a lefty-batting catcher/designated hitter at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. The 2020 season was his third for head coach Jake Martin’s Little Giants. 

“The catcher controls the game almost more than the pitcher does,” says Terry. “It comes down to good quality pitch calling. My whole career I’ve always called all the pitches. I take take a lot of pride in it. I take every pitch into consideration and how the batter did the previous at-bat and what pitches are working for (the pitcher).”

Terry has an aptitude for remembering what batters did within a game.

“I see how he handled the last pitch or even how his confidence looks at the plate,” says Terry. “Where they have their hands to load the swing (also comes into play). 

“We definitely don’t give them their cream-of-the-crop pitch, but try to keep them off-balance.”

Sometimes, Terry puts on an auto-shake for the pitcher. He will appear to shake off the sign when he really intends to throw — for instance — a first-pitch fastball.

“Having him do that can throw off the batter,” says Terry.

Like he has for years, Canton also had a brother for a teammate. The 2019-20 school year was Cooper Terry’s freshmen year at Wabash.

“I helped him raise expectations and know what level of play he needs to get to,” says Canton of Cooper. “I also showed him the do’s and don’ts of college. 

“Wabash is a pretty academically-rigorous school. You have to put in hard work.”

Canton’s leadership was not contained to his brother.

“I try to lead by example and not try to cut anything short,” says Terry, who notes that the Little Giants were still getting into the weight room and working out in the winter when coaches were not allowed to be a part of it. “Putting in the hard work it takes to make a championship level team.”

The COVID-19 pandemic halted the 2020 season for Wabash (6-2) in March and Terry started in three games and finished with a perfect fielding percentage of 1.000 with 11 putouts and two assists.

During the shutdown, he stayed ready for his next baseball opportunity and is now with the Nighthawks in the 12-team College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. He drives two hours from Clinton twice a week to play for the team that has Anderson University assistant John Becker as head coach.

“It’s been an awesome opportunity to get a lot of playing time and a lot of at-bats,” says Terry. “I’m with a great group of guys. 

“I don’t think we’ve had a single bad game with chemistry.”

Terry played in 14 games with three starts as a Wabash freshmen in 2018. He hit .313 (5-of-16) and drove in five runs while reaching base at a .476 clip. In 2019, he got into 36 games with 29 starts and hit .318 (28-of-88) with one home run, 19 RBIs and a .462 on-base percentage.

All the while he’s enjoyed playing for Martin.

“He’s been a really good coach,” says Terry. “He’s definitely a coach that cares for his players — in and outside of baseball.”

This summer has not all been about the diamond for Terry. There is also an eight-week internship with a Neuroscience professor, doing online research. 

“We’re studying impulsivity for quitting smoking and other addictive behaviors,” says Terry, a Psychology major and Biology minor.

Terry started on a path to be a double major in Physics and Math before taking and enjoying a neuroscience class.

When the Wabash campus was closed, Terry came home and finished his spring courses online. 

It was not easy having to focus that long with five other people in the house, including three rambunctious brothers.

“There are a lot more benefits to in-person (learning),” says Terry. “Wabash has one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios in the country. Overall, the learning experience is a lot more successful and functional in-person.”

On-campus classes at Wabash is scheduled to resume Aug. 12.

Terry is a 2017 graduate of South Vermillion. He earned 10 varsity letters — four in baseball and two each in cross country, soccer and basketball.

“I’ve been asked a lot about playing for my dad,” says Terry. “It wasn’t weird to me. I was always at high school baseball practices. It’s just the norm. There were no problems or issues.”

But expectations are higher.

“Being a coach’s son, you expected to give the hardest effort and have the most perfection,” says Terry. “That helped me.”

In 2017, senior class president and Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader Terry hit .612 and was named district player of the year, first-team all-state and to the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series. He was also team MVP and team captain for the second straight year. In 2016, he was on the all-Western Indiana Conference team and led the WIC in hitting (.490). He was South Vermillion’s rookie of the year in 2015.

Canton played soccer for Juan Montanez and basketball for Phil Leonard as a freshman and sophomore and ran cross country for Mike Costello as a junior and Kent Musall as a senior.

“I had several concussions in sports so I focused mainly on baseball,” says Terry. “As a catcher I always have a helmet on — on defense or batting.”

Tim Terry, who is also South Vermillion’s athletic director, was the South head coach and T.J. Terry was an assistant for the 2019 IHSBCA North/South All-Star Series in Madison.

Kim Terry, Tim’s wife and the mother of the four boys, is a science teacher at SVHS.

Canton Terry, a 2017 graduate of South Vermillion High School in Clinton, Ind., has played three baseball seasons at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., through 2020 and is now with the Nighthawks in the College Summer League at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. (Wabash College Photo)

Accountability, camaraderie important to Wells and his Greencastle Tiger Cubs

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Ben Wells received a baseball foundation that he now uses as head coach at Greencastle (Ind.) High School.

Wells played four seasons at Owen Valley High School in Spencer, Ind., and two at the University of Indianapolis and applies what he learned in guiding the Greencastle Tiger Cubs.

As a third baseman and pitcher, Wells started on varsity as a freshman for head coach John Heckman at Owen Valley. It wasn’t a common practice at the school at that time.

“Age doesn’t really matter,” says Wells of the message being sent by his coach. “You put your best nine out there and go with it.”

After the spring of 1999, John Heckman turned the Patriots program after that season to his son, Trent Heckman.

“I I learned a lot about quality of practice and to work hard at all times,” says Wells of the Heckamans. Wells graduated from OV in 2002.

Gary Vaught, who retired after the 2018 season with 808 career victories and a pair of trips to the NCAA Division II World Series, passed on the importance of discipline to Wells in his two campaigns with the Greyhounds (2003 and 2004).

Vaught held his players accountable. They knew where they needed to be and when. If they failed to do so, there was a price. It could involve playing time or, perhaps, extra running or conditioning.

“Kids don’t understand that being a college athlete is a full-time job,” says Wells, who found that out first-hand. “I also picked up valuable techniques and skills I try to instill in my players today.”

Finishing his history eduction degree at UIndy in 2006, Wells had an idea that he would like to be a baseball coach. He is heading into his third season as Greencastle head coach in 2019 after four campaigns as an assistant.

Wells was junior varsity coach at Owen Valley in 2007 and an assistant at North Putnam High School in 2009 and 2010.

Greencastle belongs to the Western Indiana Conference with Greencastle, North Putnam, Northview, South Putnam, Sullivan and West Vigo in the West Division and Brown County, Cascade, Cloverdale, Edgewood, Indian Creek and Owen Valley in the East Division.

“We have one of the best 3A conferences in the state,” says Wells, noting that Northview was moved up to 4A via the IHSAA tournament success factor. “Our conference is pretty loaded.”

WIC games are played back-to-back weeknights. Only the first game counts toward conference standings.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” says Wells, who has indicated that prefers both games count.

After the intradivisional games, crossover games are played between the divisions (West No. 1 vs. East No. 1 and so on).

Non-conference foes include Cascade, Covenant Christian, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Monrovia and Tri-West Hendricks.

With about 550 students, Greencastle is the fourth-smallest 3A school in Indiana. The Tiger Cubs are in an IHSAA sectional with Brebeuf Jesuit, Danville Community, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Indianapolis Northwest and Tri-West Hendricks.

The schedule includes some varsity/junior varsity doubleheaders.

The one-day Putnam County tournament brings Greencastle, Cloverdale, North Putnam and South Putnam together for competition. The Tigers Cubs won the event in 2018.

What about the 2019 team?

“We have a pretty talented sophomore group,” says Wells, who expects to have number of players who played varsity as freshmen in last spring. Among those are Bryce Barger, Ethan Maier, Jordan Meyer, Nick Sutherlin and Brody Whitaker.

Seniors Alex Costin, Tanner Sanders and Trey Wood are also in the mix.

The Tigers Cubs have not yet had any college baseball commitments. Wood plans to attend Taylor University in Upland, Ind., to play football. Recent graduate Tanner Nicholson is on the baseball team at Franklin (Ind.) College.

Wellls’ assistant coaches are Greencastle head boys basketball coach Bryce Rector (who is also head JV baseball coach) and boys basketball assistant Craig Whitaker.

The Tiger Cubs play on-campus on a field that was recently added new infield dirt, clay mixture around home plate and upgrades for drainage.

“There’s still a lot more we want to do,” says Wells.

A seventh grade social studies teacher at Greencastle Middle School, Wells has the opportunity to get to know future players before they get to high school.

“It’s an interesting dynamic,” says Wells. “I get a head start building relationships with those players.”

GMS, which serves Grades 6-8, has a baseball team. It is a club sport and not affiliated with Greencastle Community School Corporation.

“What we’ve lacked in the past is a feeder program,” says Wells. “When I grew up, Babe Ruth was the big thing. When we got to high school, we had known each other and played together since we were young.”

Such a system would build camaraderie and Wells would know what he had coming at the high school level.

“It’s something I’m trying to build,” says Wells. “We have not been able to get it pulled off yet.”

Greencastle is coming to the end of its fall baseball workouts. A new IHSAA rule allows coaches to practice with their teams for two hours two days a week during a certain period of time. The window closes after Oct. 12 and opens against the first week of December.

“I kind of like it,” says Wells. “I puts us all on a similar playing field. We’re a smaller school and have to share a lot of our athletes. (The rule) allows us to get as many guys together at once to throw and get in their cuts. It keep us in baseball shape throughout the year.

“It also helps us not burn out students on one thing.”

Ben and Kristen Wells have been married 11 years and have three children — 5-year-old son Lincoln and 3-year-old twin daughters Britain and Brooklyn.

Greencastle (Ind.) High School won the 2018 Putnam County baseball tournament. Tiger Cubs with the hardware are (from left): assistant coach Bryce Rector, Gus Manion, assistant coach Craig Whitaker, Abe Wade, head coach Ben Wells and Jacob Harris.

Attitude, camaraderie important to veteran South Vermillion baseball coach Terry

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Attitude.

Bonding.

Continuity.

These are three of the building blocks for South Vermillion High School baseball.

“Attitude’s such a big thing,” says Wildcats head coach Tim Terry. “They pick each other up (and don’t point fingers when things don’t go their way). Once everybody starts doing that, that attitude is catching and they don’t stay down.”

During the season, the team comes to school early to get in some hitting practice.

“The kids work pretty hard,” says Terry. “We hit every morning. We probably take at least 100 cuts before school starts. That has a lot to do with our success.”

The Wildcats went 20-4 in 2017 and followed that up with 27-4 in 2018. The 2017 squad set a school record for consecutive victories with 15. With six starters moved on, the 2018 team won the first 20 games of the season and went on to earn the program’s ninth sectional championship and seventh on Terry’s watch.

A 1973 Clinton (Ind.) High School graduate, Terry has been head baseball coach at South Vermillion since the 1982 season (Clinton became South Vermillion in 1977).

“I’ve got an advantage because with a lot of these players, their dads played for me I’ve been around so long,” says Terry, who has helped the Wildcats take sectional hardware in 1982, 1985, 1988, 1995, 2002 (2A), 2014 (2A) and 2018 (2A).

At the 2018 postseason banquet, Terry brought out some of those trophies for two-generation photo opportunities.

Between the genuine family atmosphere and players going out to breakfast after the early-morning hitting sessions and many of them playing in the summers together with Clinton American Legion Post 140, there is plenty of camaraderie.

“We had real good unity,” says Terry of the 2018 squad, which featured four seniors, four juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen. “Everybody accepted their roles and I didn’t have to worry one bit about that kind of stuff.

“In this day and age, those kids are hard to find. (Many) think they ought to be varsity players as soon as they walk up. That’s not the case if you want to have a good program.”

One this year’s seniors — Indiana State University-bound third baseman/pitcher Matthew Panagouleas — was selected to play in the 2018 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in South Bend.

Matthew’s father, Steve Panagouleas, played for Terry. Steve’s connection to First National Bank and helped get a donation of a $16,000 scoreboard to South Vermillion baseball.

Assisting Tim Terry are oldest son T.J. Terry (a former outfielder and pitcher) and Brian Pestoff.

Cooper Terry (a pitcher, shortstop and outfielder) is heading into his senior year and Easton Terry (a catcher, pitcher and first baseman) the eighth grade in 2018-19.

The second of Tim and Kim Terry’s sons — Canton Terry (a catcher) — was a 2A all-stater and IHSBCA North/South All-Star in 2017 and now plays at Wabash College.

Most South Vermillion players grow up playing in the Clinton Little League. The three youngest Terry boys have played travel ball with the Terre Haute-based Indiana Havoc.

T.J. Terry is now the Clinton Post 140 manager with his father as an assistant coach.

Tim Terry was a three-sport athlete at Clinton High, playing football for coaches Rene Foli and Brent Anderson (South Vermillion gridders now plays on Coach Brent Anderson Field), basketball for coach Ron Henricks (the Clinton Wildcats won a Western Indiana Conference title during Terry’s prep career) and baseball for coach Don Shearer (1968-81 at Clinton/South Vermillion).

Terry went on to play baseball for coaches Jim Rendel and Bob Warn at Indiana State. His first teaching job came at Turkey Run High School in Marshall, Ind. His second year there, he became head baseball coach and was then coaxed home to join Shearer’s coaching staff at South Vermillion before taking over the reins.

For more than three decades, Terry was also head girls basketball coach at South Vermillion. He gave that up after the 2013-14 season. He has been the school’s athletic director for four-plus years.

The Wildcats are members of the Wabash River Conference (along with Attica, Covington, Fountain Central, North Vermillion, Parke Heritage, Riverton Parke and Seeger).

Tim Terry, a 1973 Clinton (Ind.) High School graduate, has been head baseball coach at South Vermillion High School since the 1982 season. (Steve Krah Photo)

 

First-year coach Mirizzi has Indian Creek Braves setting their baseball goals high

BY STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

Baseball expectations have risen at Indian Creek High School.

After a sectional championship drought of 43 years, the Braves earned sectional crowns in 2016 and 2017 at Danville.

Indian Creek lost to eventual state champion Northview in the finals of the 2016 Crawfordsville Regional and Tri-West Hendricks in the semifinals of the 2017 Brebeuf Regional.

With a new head coach, new sectional site and seven returning starters, the Braves are aiming high in 2018.

“We have some lofty goals we want to accomplish when the state tournament rolls around,” says Steven Mirizzi, who takes over the Indian Creek program after five seasons as a Danville assistant. “We have a deep pitching staff. If we can get it going offensively, I really like our chances.

“We’re hungry for something bigger and better.”

Top Braves arms include junior right-handers Trevor Ankney, Dustin Sprong and Wyatt Phillips and senior right-hander Jared DeHart.

Ankney is a Purdue University commit. Sprong and Phillips are receiving attention from NCAA D-I schools. DeHart is one of the Braves’ captains. Junior Devin Parr is a soft-tossing left-hander.

Senior third baseman/right-hander Dawson Read is a Kalamazoo College commit.

Indian Creek, located in the Johnson County town of Trafalgar, moves to a 2018 IHSAA Class 3A sectional hosted by Bishop Chatard and also featuring Beech Grove, Herron, Indianapolis Broad Ripple and Indianapolis Manual.

The Braves lost to the Sullivan in the 2017 Western Indiana Conference crossover championship game.

A WIC title is on the IC 2018 goals list. The rotation goes back to the East Division this year, meaning the Braves would host the conference championship game if they get there.

Besides Indian Creek, the WIC East includes Brown County, Cascade, Cloverdale, Edgewood and Owen Valley.

The WIC West consists of Greencastle, North Putnam, Northview, South Putnam, Sullivan and West Vigo.

The Braves are to open the season this weekend in Evansville with games against Martinsville, Evansville North and Decatur Central either at North or historic Bosse Field.

The Indian Creek slate also features a spot in the Northview Invitational. Depending on WIC crossovers, the Braves could play as many as 12 games against Class 4A opponents.

“That will benefit us later in the season and at tournament time,” says Mirizzi.

His last season at Danville, Mirizzi served on a staff led by Pat O’Neil.

“He’s a very knowledgable coach,” says Mirzzi of O’Neil, who played for and coached with 13-time Hall of Famer Ken Schreiber at LaPorte High School. “He’s really good with pitchers and very good with situational management

“He motivates you want to be better and do your game the right way.”

Before landing at Danville, Mirizzi spent two seasons on the coaching staff at Princeton Community. Austin Rhoads, who was an assistant at Lakota West High School in West Chester, Ohio, near Cincinnati, when Mirizzi played there, was head coach of the Tigers. Rhoads has since become athletic director at Springboro (Ohio) High School.

Mirizzi was a four-year starter at Lakota West, helping the Firebirds to the regional finals in his sophomore and senior seasons (2004 and 2006).

Lakota West, coached by former Cincinnati Reds minor league catcher Bill Dreisbach, won an Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I state championship in 2007.

A district split into two high schools in 1999 also saw Lakota East win a Division I state baseball crown in 2011.

Mirizzi remembers Dreisbach for his professionalism and ability to motivate.

“He wanted his guys to buy in and commit,” says Mirzzi. “He had a good way of getting that out of us.

“He pushed us to be better than we really were.”

In that 2004 season, Lakota West lost to what Dreisbach considered a lesser opponent and conducted a post-game practice that lasted well into the night. The Firebirds went on a 15-game win streak that took them into the regional.

“He got our attention,” says Mirizzi. “He knew we were better than we were playing.”

The 2004 Lakota West team lost to eventual state champion Cincinnati Moeller, a team featuring two future big league pitchers.

Right-hander Andrew Brackman was was Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft first-round selection by the New York Yankees in 2007 and left-hander Eric Surkamp a sixth-round choice of the San Francisco Giants in 2008.

Like Mirizzi — who treks daily from Avon to Trafalgar — Dreisbach way from the high school.

After high school, Mirizzi played two seasons each at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill., and at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark.

Mitch Hannahs, who is now head coach at Indiana State University, was leading the Lincoln Trail program when Mirizzi was there and taught the future coach about the mental side and how to manage a game.

Mirizzi has assembled a coaching staff of Curtis VanDeVenter and Craig Hoskins at the varsity level and Donovan Britt with the junior varsity. VanDeVenter, a former University of Indianapolis catcher, and Britt are Whiteland High School graduates. Hoskins went to Brown County.

There are 33 players in the program with 17 currently on the varsity roster. Mirizzi expects some to swing between varsity and JV depending upon need and performance.

Indian Creek plays its games on-campus.

While it is still in the planning stages, Mirizzi says upgrades to the athletic facilities could bring a new or renovated baseball field, new football field and a fieldhouse to the campus in the next few years.

First-year athletic director Derek Perry is in the middle of this process.

Mirizzi is very busy with baseball away from his duties at Indian Creek. He and former Danville assistant and personal trainer Nick Runiyon are partners at Hoosier Performance Factory in Indianapolis.

Based out of the facility is a travel baseball organization — the Indiana Braves. This year, they plan to field teams ages 12U through 18U.

Mirizzi and fiancee Tiffany Herr also do network marketing. The couple have two children — Jackson Mirzzi (4) and Mackenzie Mirizzi (15 months).

Steven Mirizzi is in his first season as head baseball coach at Indian Creek High School. Mirizzi went to high school in Ohio and played college baseball in Illinois and Arkansas. He comes to the Indians off an assistant stint at Danville. (Daily Journal Photo)

 

Alum Steimel now pointing way for Sullivan Golden Arrows baseball

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

A man who has been leading at the developmental levels of community baseball is now the head coach at Sullivan High School.

Tony Steimel, a 1990 Sullivan graduate, has spent the past decade in charge of the recreational Sullivan Baseball League, which begins with 4-year-olds who swing against pitches from coaches and play in games where outs are counted.

“We want to get kids used to real baseball as young as possible,” says Steimel, the SBL president. “We don’t challenge kids enough. They can handle more than we give them credit for.”

For the last five years, the owner of Steimel Communications in Sullivan has been a volunteer, spending much of his time coaching seventh and eighth graders in games all around west central and southern Indiana.

“That’s as key and important as anything we’ve done around here,” says Steimel of a non-school affiliated group which plays as far north as South Vermillion territory, as far south as Barr-Reeve and as far east as Edgewood. “What they do going into high school is really critical to your program.”

Those teams played “A” and “B” five-inning doubleheaders while using up to 10 different pitchers with an eye on the future.

“Anybody who has the mental capacity and the desire should be put on the mound,” says Steimel. “That’s the same way it is at the junior varsity level.”

This spring, Sullivan has schedule 20 dates for its junior high-aged teams and Shawn McKinney will coach those kids when not working with the junior varsity or varsity squads at the high school.

“It’s in good hands,” says Steimel of the junior high program. “We’ll be on the same field. We’ll definitely be talking.”

Steimel, who will also be assisted by newcomer Josh Wood and local baseball veterans Tom Hannon, Tom Hanks, Brian Pirtle and Brian Schulze, takes over a Golden Arrows high school program with a history of success.

Since 1985, Sullivan has gone 534-357-1 with 10 seasons of 20 wins or more.

Matt McLaren guided the Arrows for six seasons (2012-17) and went 110-62. The last three squads were 21-9, 20-9 and 21-6. He is now head baseball coach at Richland County High School in Olney, Ill.

Bob Mirkovich (1964 to 1981, 238-150-3) and Craig Grow (1995 to 2004 and 2010; 194-112-1) are two of the winningest Sullivan coaches over the years.

Current Sullivan athletic director Otto Clements was Steimel’s head coach in his senior season.

Mirkovich coached in the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in 1976 and 1982 and Craig Grow coached the All-Stars in 2002.

Sullivan players in the series have been shortstop Jack Smith (1976), pitcher Charley Noble (1977), outfielder Greg Bender (1982), shortstop Greg Wood (1986), pitcher Jon Boothe (1987), shortstop Michael Rinck (1998), shortstop K.C. Grow (2001), pitcher Devin Jones (2002) and third baseman Korey Grow (2004).

Sullivan has won 16 sectionals (1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2015), three regionals (1976, 1987, 1991) and one semistate (1976) and had one state runner-up finish (1976).

Thirteen times, the Arrows have reigned as conference baseball champions (1973, 1976, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1997, 1998  and 1999 in the old Tri-River Conference and 2017 in the Western Indiana Conference).

Sullivan is the WIC West Division with Greencastle, North Putnam, Northview, South Putnam and West Vigo.

The East Division features Brown County, Cascade, Cloverdale, Edgewood, Indian Creek and Owen Valley.

In 2018, WIC teams will again play a home-and-home series against divisional foes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with the first game counting toward conference standings. Crossover games will be played at the end with the top teams in each division meeting for the championship.

The Arrows are in an IHSAA Class 3A sectional grouping with Brown County, Edgewood, Owen Valley and West Vigo.

Sullivan heads into the spring with a few familiar varsity faces and some new ones. There were around 24 players on the first day of practice Monday, March 12.

Some of those have less baseball experience than others. But Steimel welcomes them.

“There are teams that need players and players that need teams,” says Steimel. “We want to include kids that need to be part of something positive. There’s a lot of negative things kids can get into.

“It should set a good example for our star players as well.”

While graduation took six seniors in 2017 and five of nine position players and three of five starting pitchers are gone, the Arrows still have senior right-handed pitcher/shortstop Sam Steimel (a University of Evansville commit) and senior catcher Shane Garner. Both have been starters since they were freshmen.

Senior outfielder/left-hander Chris Taylor and junior corner infielder Jack Conner also returns.

“We’ve got a really young group,” says Tony Steimel. “Our sophomores are solid but unproven. Kids that played JV last year will be asked to step up this year.”

Sophomore right-hander Bray Foster slots in as Sullivan’s No. 1 pitcher behind Sam Steimel. Sophomore first baseman Max Mize is also in the mix.

While Sam Steimel has been playing for the Indiana Bulls, his father says many of his top players have played travel baseball with organizations based in Terre Haute, including the Indiana Havoc (a group Tony Steimel has coached) and Mad Dog. There’s also Sullivan American Legion Post 139.

Sullivan plays its games on-campus at a field that got new lights a few years ago. Plans have been drawn up and budgets made for upgrades in the next few years. That includes 35-foot high netting to replace the backstop and new handicap-accessible bleachers.

Tony and Alison Steimel, a Sullivan graduate, will be married 20 years in 2018. Besides Sam, they have another son. Freshman Eli is a left-handed pitcher and first baseman.

The Steimels (from left): Alison, Tony, Eli and Sam. Tony Steimel is the new head baseball coach at Sullivan High School. Sam Steimel is a senior and Eli a freshman for the Golden Arrows.

 

Veteran Edgewood Mustangs coach Jones just keeps on learning

By STEVE KRAH

http://www.IndianaRBI.com

One of the many lessons a son has learned from his father is that of lifelong learning.

With more than 40 years as a business teacher at Edgewood High School in the Monroe County town of Ellettsville and upwards of 30 as head baseball coach, Bob Jones can draw on a deep well of knowledge.

Jones, who recently turned 66, has plenty of know-how. But the former student at Central Catholic High School in Vincennes (now Vincennes Rivet), Vincennes University and Indiana State University is not content with that wisdom alone.

“He sits in the first or second row at the (Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association) State Clinic each year,” says Sam Jones, one of Bob’s sons (Jade is the other) and a member of his EHS coaching staff. “He doesn’t want to miss a word.

“The knife most used is the best-sharpened.”

Bob Jones has also been a regular at clinics hosted by Jasper High School.

He employs the same approach as an educator. To prepare for his personal finance and introduction to business classes, Bob takes his text book home every night and reads it over so he will know the subject when addressing students the next day.

“He’s definitely not going to settle for complacency,” says Sam Jones, a 2006 Edgewood baseball alum and himself a seven grade social studies teacher at Cloverdale. “And he’s always evolving with the game (of baseball).”

Bob Jones and his staff, which also includes Tom Anderson (pitching coach), Eli Mathers (strength coach), Mac Kido, Austin Chapman, John Cage, Kyle May (junior varsity), John Justis (junior varsity) view their baseball program as what Sam Jones calls “a living and breathing thing” that changes with the times.

When he saw the benefits, Bob Jones started having his players lift weights daily — even game days.

“We live and die by the weight room,” says Sam Jones.

When Jaeger Sports bands came along with J-Bands for arm care, Edgewood began using them.

With all the private lessons and travel organizations now available, the Edgewood staff knows today’s players are pretty smart.

“They can feel and understand what their body is telling them and make some adjustments,” says Sam Jones. “The last eight or 10 years, dad has also had a lot of success reaching to to (students at nearby Indiana University) who want to stay connected to the game.”

Those IU students come and work with the Mustangs on the diamond and influence them beyond it. Many have gone on to become business professionals.

“They give vision for these kids,” says Sam Jones. “They know what’s possible if they apply themselves.”

Bob Jones has led Edgewood to sectional baseball championships nine times (1987, 1991, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2014) and regional titles twice (2007 and 2011), all the while giving plenty of responsibility to his assistants.

“He empowers them to make decisions,” says Sam Jones. “We believe in building a tribe.”

Two years ago, Bob Jones was struck on the leg by a foul ball and a hematoma caused him to miss three weeks of baseball.

His assistants rallied in his absence and the Mustangs did not miss a beat.

Edgewood, an IHSAA Class 3A school with around 800 students, typically fields three teams. Last spring, there was a varsity and two JV teams.

Sam Jones says that is likely to be the case again in 2018.

“The new pitch count has forced us to spread out our games a little more,” says Sam Jones, who lays out the JV schedules, making sure to get a balance of 4A schools like Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Terre Haute North Vigo and Terre Haute South Vigo in with 1A and 2A competition. “We’re giving our freshman to compete against bigger and better competition right off the bat. We also do not wanted them to overwhelmed with teams that are above and beyond their skill set.”

The pitch count at levels below varsity is tighter than in is for varsity (1 to 35 pitches requires 0 days rest; 36 to 60 requires 1 day; 61 to 80 requires 2 days; 81 to 100 requires 3 days; and 101 to 120 requires 4 days). There was discussion at the IHSBCA State Clinic of making one standard for all since many schools will use pitchers for varsity and JV games — sometimes in the same week.

Edgewood is a member of the Western Indiana Conference and is part of the East Division along with Brown County, Cascade, Cloverdale, Indian Creek and Owen Valley. The West features Greencastle, North Putnam, Northview, South Putnam, Sullivan and West Vigo.

Each team plays home-and-home division series on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with only the first game counting in the WIC standings. There are crossover games at the end of the season — East No. 1 plays West No. 1 and so on.

Bob Jones wants to see all sectional opponents during the regular season so Edgewood has Brown County, Owen Valley, Sullivan and West Vigo on its schedule.

The Mustangs plays home games on Ermil Clark Field, which is located between the high school and junior high buildings.

As part of a phase of athletic upgrades for Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation, the baseball field is scheduled to get new dugouts and a backstop after the 2018 campaign.

A few years ago, players, coaches and parents chipped in to eliminate the hill in right field.

During spring break, they laid the sod and put down the bricks needed to level the fence.

“There were a lot of man hours from our players to make that field playable,” says Sam Jones. “If we don’t have kids that are interested in our field or our purpose that doesn’t happen.

“We’re super grateful for that.”

While junior high baseball is currently on hiatus, Edgewood does have Richland-Bean Blossom Youth Sports feeding it program along with area travel teams including Tier Ten, Demand Command and Diamond Dynamics. These organizations have players from multiple high schools.

“It’s a cohesive baseball community here,” says Sam Jones. “We like to think Monroe County has some pretty good baseball.”

Edgewood currently has Tanner Kolbe (Taylor University) and Connor Morton (Franklin College) on college baseball rosters. Current Mustang Josh Chasteen committed to Campbellsville (Ky.) University.

Celebrating an occasion together (from left): Sam Jones, Bob Jones, Jade Jones and Cris Jones. Bob is a longtime teacher and head baseball coach at Edgewood High School in Ellettsville, Ind. Sam, a 2006 Edgewood graduate, is one of his assistants.