In the last regular-season tangles between former North Patriots Josh Phegley and John Cummins, Indiana and Purdue are tangling in a three-game college baseball series this weekend at West Lafayette.
A doubleheader was scheduled for Saturday after a Friday night rainout, with a single game set for today at 1 p.m. That game will be carried live on the Internet via IUHoosiers.com.
At 10-4 in the Big Ten, Indiana was just half a game behind first place Ohio State and Illinois entering the weekend series. The Hoosiers are seeking their first Big Ten regular season championship in 60 years.
Phegley enters the weekend among the league’s top 10 in average (sixth, .379), slugging (second, .689) on-base percentage (second, .485), home runs (tied for first, 13), RBI (second, 54), runs (tied for first, 45) and walks (tied for third, 32).
Recently against Michigan, Phegley had a big series both at the dish and behind it. The junior went 6-for-11 with a pair of solo home runs on the weekend. The second bomb, in the eighth inning of Sunday’s contest, shifted the momentum back in Indiana’s favor after the Hoosiers surrendered a run in the bottom of the seventh in a tight ballgame. The catcher also threw out four of seven Wolverines trying to steal off of him.
Phegley posted his fourth career five-hit game against Morehead State on March 10, hitting three home runs and adding a double and single for six RBIs. The huge game vaulted Phegley to his second career Big Ten Player of the Week mention and he was named to the College Baseball Foundation’s National All-Star Lineup for Week Four.
Cummins ranks second on Purdue’s team in hitting at .387, with five doubles, one triple and 12 RBIs. Purdue is 18-21 overall and 5-9 in the conference.
Comings and goings — Cleaning out the Yahoo! Mail and Facebook inboxes of stuff from everywhere:
• Willis to Taylor — Versatile Terre Haute North football standout Frank Willis, who excelled as a receiver last year and even saw some emergency quarterback action, has signed to play for Taylor University in Upland.
As a junior, Willis caught 17 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns with a long catch of 65 yards. Last fall, he caught 30 passes for 589 yards and three scores, including a 70-yarder.
North Coach Chris Barrett hasn’t played a game without Willis yet, and misses him already.
“Frank is an outstanding young man who will be as difficult to replace off the field as he will be on the field,” Barrett said. “He is a natural leader who is not afraid to do the right thing as well as an outstanding receiver. He will have an outstanding career at Taylor.”
Willis is looking for the opportunity to continue his career.
“I picked Taylor because God called me there and they also have a pretty rockin’ football team,” he said. “I think the transition will be easy because people that go on to the next level in football have the will power to do anything that crosses their path, and to make a family and fight with them every week.”
n Pilipovich to Rose – North senior baseball standout Nick Pilipovich will be taking his talents to Rose-Hulman next year to compete for Coach Jeff Jenkins’ Engineers.
This season, Pilipovich is hitting .343 with four doubles, one home run, four RBIs and a .465 on-base percentage.
North Coach Shawn Turner also predicts good things for the versatile Pilipovich on the college diamond.
“Nick is a hard-working young man in the classroom and on the field, and he will give Rose-Hulman a player with the ability to play behind the plate, at first base, and in the outfield,” Turner said. “He has above-average footspeed and a strong arm and is dedicated to being the best player he can be.
“We are very proud of Nick for taking careof business academically as well as athletically to gain this opportunity at Rose-Hulman, and look forward to seeing his many accomplishments over the next four years.”
Pilipovich likes Rose for a variety of reasons.
“The main reason I picked Rose was because of the reputation Rose has upheld both with academics and athletics,” he said. “Rose has a very strong baseball program that is on the rise, and I want to be a part of it. I think the transition will be somewhat smooth, but I know that I have a lot to work on with my game to compete well on the next level.”
• Blank still thinking — Former North basketball standout Nate Blank has not yet decided on his next collegiate home since deciding to transfer from Gardner-Webb after two seasons.
The former Indiana All-Star is still mulling over several options.
“I still havent decided if I want to sit at a Division I school [after transferring] or play right away at a D-II,” Blank said.
D-I schools he’s been talking to are Ball State, Valparaiso, Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky, while D-II schools on his list are Indianapolis, Hillsdale and Findlay.
• OCC hoops news – Former Shakamak standout Jared Rehmel has completed his eligibility at Olney Central and has not yet decided on his next home, either.
He plans to visit Central Arkansas in the “next week or so.” All good basketball trivia experts know that Central Arkansas is where Scottie Pippen began his basketball career as a walk-on.
UCA was an NAIA school then, but has moved up to Division I and is in the Southland Conference. The Cougars have already signed Rehmel’s backcourt mate from last year, 6-0 guard Ryan Daniels — who starred at Drake in 2007 on the Bulldogs’ NCAA tournament team.
Two other OCC Blue Knights from this year’s 20-10 team have also signed to play Division I next year.
Hoping to join that list are incoming freshmen Austin Akers, a 6-2 point guard from Northview, and 6-1 guard Chase Brinkley of Paris.
OCC Coach Mike Burris of Eastern Greene wore out the highways between Olney and Indiana this winter, coming to watch Akers a total of 12 times. Burris knows he found an overlooked gem in Akers, who has excellent point guard and shooting guard skills.
Brinkley was a two-time All-Apollo selection in basketball who averaged 20 points, five rebounds and four assists per game during his senior campaign as Paris went 17-12 and advanced to the championship game of the Class 2A Robinson Sectional.
He was also a standout football player at Paris.
“Chase is a tough kid who we think can come in and earn good minutes from day one,” Burris told the Olney Daily Mail. “He’s a strong guard who plays extremely hard. He was a two-sport star at Paris and his football experience has helped him be successful on the basketball court.”
• Axtell to SMWC – North Vermillion’s Derryn Axtell has decided to play college basketball at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
“I chose SMWC because I’ve always focused mainly on my academics and my goal is to attend medical school, and SMWC seemed like the correct avenue to choose to lead me there. Also after spending many years playing basketball, being offered to play there was just an added bonus to the school.
Hard work and unselfishness are two of Axtell’s best qualities.
“I played four years of varsity basketball, and I received the assist award every year. I’ve always known that I wasn’t the most talented team member, but I made it my goal to be the hardest worker and along the way learn as much as I could. As far as competition goes I’m ready for the challenge!”
• Brandenburg to McKendree — Casey senior Kaleb Brandenburg will take his football talents to the McKendree Bearcats this fall.
A co-captain of the 2008 IHSA Class 2A state runner-up football team, Brandenburg played many roles for Keith Sinclair, including starting fullback and starting linebacker.
“Kaleb was an improved player and student throughout his high school career,” Sinclair told the Mattoon Journal-Gazette. “Kaleb played a leading role this season as a captain of our team and developed good leadership qualities which were very important to our success.
Brandenburg scored 10 rushing touchdowns for the 13-1 Warriors and had one defensive touchdown and a safety. He finished his senior season with 110 tackles, two tipped passes, one interception, a quarterback sack and a blocked kick.
Joey Bennett is a former Tribune-Star sports reporter and copy editor who now teaches and coaches at Northview High School in Brazil. He can be reached at tribstarcollegereport@yahoo.com.
College Report
College Report: Phegley, Cummins square off in IU-PU series
- College Report
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Catching up as the school year winds down
Odds and ends from here and there as the school year quickly winds down. For starters, high jumper Nick Jaeger of Terre Haute South was named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s male track & field newcomer of the year:
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College Report: Lively earned collegiate upgrade with strong play
Hillary Lively signed to play Division II basketball at Maryville (Mo.) during her senior year at North Vermillion, but those plans changed and she would up at nearby Danville Area Community College — where she recently concluded an outstanding two-year career.
Lively was impressive enough to earn a Division I scholarship to Southeast Missouri State of the Ohio Valley Conference, and both her future and past college coaches think she will continue to succeed there.
“She fits what we need,” SEMO coach Ty Margenthaler said. “She has college experience, she is strong and physical and plays well around the basket and moves well.
“Her strength, rebounding and touch around the basket will be a big help. On the defensive end, she’ll be able to guard a true center.” -
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley prep athletes getting ready for next level
The NCAA “regular” signing period begins Wednesday for all sports except football, field hockey, soccer, track and field, cross country and men’s water polo.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Conferences honor Valley softball players
Several Wabash Valley area college softball players have been honored by their respective conferences for outstanding play this spring.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Jake Newton makes big impact for Lincoln Trail College
Jake Newton had a long time between playing in competitive basketball games, a span of about 18 months, and used the frustration from that long dry spell to produce a stellar freshman season for Lincoln Trail College this winter.
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COLLEGE REPORT: A.J. Reed earns SEC Player of the Week honors
After belting three home runs during a five games last week, Kentucky sophomore left-handed pitcher/first baseman A.J. Reed was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Spring newcomers making marks
Several freshman baseball and softball NCAA Division I players from the Wabash Valley have already made immediate impacts at their new schools, while others are waiting for their turns to shine.
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COLLEGE REPORT: A.J. Reed named third-team preseason baseball All-American
Two-way sophomore standout A.J. Reed was one of three University of Kentucky players named third-team preseason All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Sponsler honored after big week for Wabash men's hoops
Wabash College freshman Ross Sponsler of Terre Haute North was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 6.
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COLLEGE REPORT: North grad Hughes finds success after facing preseason adversity
A.J. Hughes knew he was in for a battle as he competed with three other walk-on punters in the preseason for the lone starting job on the Virginia Tech football team.
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Etling, Meggs enjoying great year
It’s been a great year so far with more to come for a pair of longtime friends and St. Patrick’s School classmates.
Former Terre Haute resident Jack Meggs quarterbacked the Bellevue Wolverines football team to the Washington Class 3A state championship this fall, culminating with a 35-3 win over Sammamish Eastside Catholic — Bellevue’s fifth straight crown.
Danny Etling, meanwhile, has completed graduation requirements at Terre Haute South and is preparing for an upcoming high school all-star game and his first college classes in a couple of weeks. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley’s women’s college hoops players start strong
Several women’s college basketball players from the Wabash Valley have gotten off to good starts this season on the hardwood. Highlights:
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COLLEGE REPORT: Mayhew, Mascari provide fall highlights
Several dozen Wabash Valley athletes enjoyed successful fall seasons collegiately in cross country and tennis this year. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Former North teammates start strong in college
Former Terre Haute North teammates Ross Sponsler and Matt O’Leary made their college basketball debuts last week and had outstanding initial performances. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Shoemaker OBP leads Chisox farmhands
Former Indiana State, Olney Central and Northview baseball standout Brady Shoemaker opened a lot of eyes last summer in the Chicago White Sox farm system, earning him a spot on a mlb.com blog team that highlighted the team’s outstanding minor leaguers at each position.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Boeglin has plenty of ISU memories, but not all are related to basketball
Melanie Boeglin, an All-American who played on the women’s basketball team at Indiana State from 2002-2006, will be inducted into the 21st class of the Indiana State University Athletics Hall of Fame on Thursday.
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COLLEGE REPORT: North grad leading DePauw volleyball in winning streak
DePauw’s volleyball team has won seven straight matches entering this weekend’s DePauw Invitational, including four straight wins last weekend to capture the Rose-Hulman invitational title.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Engle moving up football coaching ranks
Michael Engle graduated from DePauw University in the spring of 2011 with a degree in political science and future plans to advance his studies in law school.
Being a coach’s son and a competitive athlete by nature, Engle has put those plans on hold for now. -
COLLEGE REPORT: From Terre Haute South to Division I competition to coaching careers
Adriane Wunderlich and Katelyn Bishop both turned stellar high school careers at Terre Haute South into Division I collegiate careers at Indiana State and Southern California, respectively.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Former prep athletes getting ready for fall college season
An impressive total of at least 122 Wabash Valley athletes and coaches will be competing collegiately for the first time during the upcoming school year or have changed schools to continue their careers.
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COLLEGE REPORT: SP’s Boetjer is Indiana’s Miss Softball
South Putnam’s Brooke Boetjer, who will be a freshman on the Indiana University softball team next spring, was named the 2012 Indiana Miss Softball last month between games at the North/South All-Star games in Carmel.
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College report: North grad Mayhew is second team all-American at IU
Indiana University running standout Zach Mayhew of Terre Haute North was honored earlier this month as a second-team All-American by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
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College report: Bloomfield runner to join IUPUI track, cross country teams
Bloomfield track/cross country standout Julie Riggins will be joining the developing IUPUI program next fall as one of six incoming recruits.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Roberts takes coaching position at UNC-Greensboro
Terre Haute native Mike Roberts is continuing his climb up the college basketball coaching ladder, recently departing Rice for a spot as the associate head coach at North Carolina-Greensboro.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Valley grads playing role for No. 13 Vincennes
A few springtime odds and ends:
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COLLEGE REPORT: Shouse making his mark for Danville Community College
Derek Shouse definitely flew under the radar in his one season of playing for the Terre Haute South boys basketball team last winter.
Not highly recruited, he made his way to Danville Area Community College as a walk-on with the hopes he could find his way onto the court at some point. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Bullock finds sunny home to continue tennis career
Most college athletes progress along similar paths to get to their final destinations athletically, but Terre Haute South grad Taylor Bullock’s route to the Eckerd College women’s tennis team was a little different than most.
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COLLEGE REPORT: TH South QB entertains Division I offers
Danny Etling’s trek to being a big-time college quarterback took a huge step this week when the Terre Haute South junior picked up a scholarship offer from Purdue, according to 247sports.com.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Seibert stepping up her game
Terre Haute South grad Haley Seibert has seen the usual ups and downs of her freshman basketball season at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne and is making the most of her opportunities this season.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Vikings Waters, Barton excited about college basketball
West Vigo grad Lauren Dailey helped the Lady Vikings basketball program to a lot of success at the end of the 1990s, and went on to play for Eastern Illinois from 2001-2004.
- More College Report Headlines
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Catching up as the school year winds down
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