TERRE HAUTE —
Terre Haute South, Terre Haute North, Northview and West Vigo return veteran pitchers to the high school baseball mound this spring, some more than others.
But all four coaches agree some actual spring weather would be nice so they can get their defenses out of the gymnasium and onto the baseball diamond to better help those pitchers out.
Braves’ coach Kyle Kraemer is fired up to have a senior trio of Cody Brock, Damon Olds and Pete Lannoo that had quality junior seasons on the hill. Terre Haute North features strong-armed junior Austin Hicks, West Vigo features a pair of southpaws — Brandon Calleja and Kevin Stewart — with vast experience, and Northview senior right-hander Craig Peters leads a staff that coach Scott McDonald says is seven or eight deep.
Let’s take a closer look (in alphabetical order) at the outlook for all four teams:
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n Northview — Coming off a 21-win season and Class 4A sectional title, the Knights are hoping to maintan a high level of success.
Northview will mix in several underclassmen on the mound with the aforementioned Peters, who doubles as the Knights’ shortstop, and senior righty Brock Smith, who is the likley No. 2 in the rotation.
Left-hander Damon Bass was a spot starter as a freshman in 2012, and freshman right-handers Tucker Stewart and Nathan Thomas will be in the mix this spring along with junior Trevor Hetrick.
“Don’t have anybody that will get a ton of strikeouts, but we’re around the plate a lot,” McDonald said.
At the plate, junior Connor Pierce returns to the middle of the lineup, and Devin Clark returns to the top of the lineup. Clark led the team in stolen bases.
“We’ll have a lot of team speed,” McDonald said. “Maybe the fastest team I’ve had. Just have to put the ball in play.”
Junior infielder Connor Ganly, who had a game-winning double in that sectional championship, and junior infielder Kyle Moore are also returnees.
Joe Ball and Bo Stewart are competitors for the starting catcher job, and Ball could also earn time in the outfield.
“I think our defense will be our strongest point. I can’t tell right now,” McDonald said.
Northview (21-9) plays in a scrimmage Thursday against Crawfordsville.
n Terre Haute North — The Patriots graduated a pair of Division I hitters — Tony Rosselli (Indiana State) and Cody Gardner (Wright State) — but coach Shawn Turner is excited about a good mix of veterans and young players who are looking to build on an 18-win campaign.
Hicks led North with a 2.14 earned-run average last season in 39 1/3 innings as a sophomore. Sophomore Greg Hannum, a “hard-throwing and heady” right-hander, could be the Patriots’ No. 2 pitcher, while Tristan Pate slots in at No. 3 on the mound, Turner said.
“He’s picked up velocity and added more movement,” Turner said of Hicks. “He mixes his pitches a little bit better. Any time you can throw three or more pitches where you want them, that’s a good sign.”
The Patriots also lost .300-hitting outfielder Nick Long to a knee injury this season, but senior Sam Wulf, junior third baseman Zach Milam and senior outfielder Colton Pittman all return after batting over .300 last spring.
Wolf is the top returning run producer who’s likely to bat cleanup this year. Milam was second on the Patriots in runs scored in 2012.
“We’re excited to see Wolf complete his high school career with a lot of success,” Turner said. “Zach has a very bright future. Colton is a very strong hitter, hits to all fields, runs well. And has a very hard-throwing arm.”
Junior Jonathan Eilbracht, sophomore Cody Maloon — who’s also a pitcher — Hicks and senior Gabe Sevigny will be in the mix in the middle infield.
“All four are pretty strong,” Turner said. “It’s a good problem to have.”
In the outfield, junior Lane Dransfield will move to center field after playing some in left last year. The lefty will also do some pitching.
“Pretty smooth kid, covers a lot of ground. We’ve had a lot of good center fielders over the years, and he’s another one that fits right into the mix,” Turner said.
Senior MacKenzie Minger looks to take over in right field.
At catcher, freshman T.J. Collett, junior Jake Schlosser, Hannum and junior Nathan Will are all in the mix.
Left-handed pitcher Nick Norton will also add depth for North on the mound.
“I think going in that we have the most talent that we’ve had across the field since I’ve been there. We may not have the dominating one, two or three presence we had when [Josh] Phegley and [Nick] Ciolli were playing. This is a very tallented group.”
n Terre Haute South — Terre Haute South came up short in a bid for a sixth straight Class 4A Sectional crown, but the Braves are enthusiastic about getting back to work on starting another streak.
Brock went 7-0 on the mound in 2012 with a 2.32 ERA, while also batting .300 with five home runs and 26 RBIs.
Lannoo chipped in three wins, four saves and a 3.30 ERA, while Olds struck out 49 in 34 1/3 innings to get three wins. Throw in sophomore left-hander Timmy Herrin, who got some experience as a freshman, and freshman right-hander Logan Ames and Kraemer likes the looks of his staff.
“I don't know that we’ve ever had three senior pitchers,” Kraemer said. “They’ve all logged considerable innings. We're interested in seeing what those pitchers can do this year.”
South’s lineup features some veteran returnees as well. Brock, Lannoo (.387, 17 RBIs) and senior catcher Preston Tofaute (.330, 3 homers, 28 RBIs) will make up a formidable middle of the order.
Shortstop Jacob Johnson (.348, 19 RBIs, 57 runs, 18 stolen bases) will be the South table-setter once again.
Kraemer is looking to fill holes at second base, third base and all three outfield spots.
Senior Cam Higgins and sophomore Jared Wolfe are vying for second base, while Zach Donnally and sophomore Conner Shipley — also a potential pitcher — are battling at third base.
In the outfield, freshman Justin Jenkins and junior Nathan Reed are potential starters in center field, while Sander Downs and Clayton Streeter are working in left field. Austin Slover, a junior, could man right field.
South has the makings of a successful team, but “we have to have guys step up and earn the other spots,” Kraemer said.
n West Vigo — The Vikings have 12 players that started at least one game last season, coach Steve DeGroote said, meaning he expects improvement on a 20-10 campaign. The Vikings finished second in the Western Indiana Conference.
Twin brothers Kevin and Kyle Stewart are two key leaders for the Vikings, DeGroote said. Kevin, a left-handed pitcher, finished strong in 2012 on the mound. He’s joined by Calleja, a southpaw who won seven games.
Kyle Stewart batted third for the Vikings, finishing with a .439 average. He and senior outfielder Kade Lindsey — a .305 hitter in the leadoff spot — are key to making the Vikings offense go.
Senior infielder Lucas Fagg batted .450 as a sophomore and .325 last season with 21 RBIs, DeGroote said.
“He really worked on his pitching. He can throw hard, he’s a prospective pitcher and probably bats among the top five,” DeGroote said.
Sophomore infielder David Inman hit .345 as a freshman with 25 RBIs.
“We’ve had an awesome offseason and worked so hard in the weight room. We’re going to be tough,” DeGroote said.
Austin Wallace and sophomore Donnie Ames split time behind the plate for the Vikings.
Braiden Cardinal is also hoping to return to the lineup at third base as a “much improved” player, DeGroote said.
Brandon Behringer and Alex West will battle for playing time at first base, DeGroote said.
“Behringer really came on in the summer. Some of these kids just put time in. He’s a left-handed hitter that realy improved. West started last year as a freshman,” DeGroote said.
Freshman Jordan Schaffer could fill in at second base when Fagg is pitching. Freshman Bryson Scank is another potential contributor as an infielder/pitcher.
“I’m just ecstatic. I’ve got more kids than I can mention. I couldn’t ask for more to work with and better attitudes and better leadership,” DeGroote said. “I’ve got speed. I don’t have a [Jeremy] Lucas or a [Tyler] Wampler, but I’ve really got some talent here. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.”
High School
Prep baseball coaches have prospects, hope for better weather
- High School
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West Vigo advances to sectional championship with walk-off win in ninth
High school baseball sectional games between West Vigo and Edgewood have had a tendency to be unpredictable over the years, but the Vikings and Mustangs outdid themselves in that area Thursday evening — and Thursday night.
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BOYS TRACK REGIONAL: North gets three winners, South two at Evansville
Terre Haute North had three winners, Terre Haute South two, and the Patriots and Braves finished second and third respectively at the Evansville Regional for boys track on Thursday at Evansville Central.
Hurdlers Cam Stewart and Cole Seward and discus thrower Lee Davis were the winners for North, enabling the Patriots to finish with 60 points to 59 for the Braves. -
PREP ROUNDUP: Martinsville adavances in Class 4A THS Sectional
Martinsville slipped past Mooresville 4-2 in the only game played Thursday in the Class 4A Terre Haute South Sectional for high school baseball.
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South Vermillion pitches team to sectional title, wins for her dad
South Vermillion snapped one streak and extended another Thursday night to win Class 3A Sectional 28 8-5 over Brown County at Edgewood High School.
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Green's grand slam helps Shakamak to sectional win
Patrick Green pitched the first four innings for his seventh win of the year and made things easier for himself with a second-inning grand slam as Shakamak opened the Class A Shakamak Sectional with a 9-1 win over Clay City on Thursday.
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Rockville, Attica winners in Class A sectional baseball action
Host Rockville defeated North Vermillion and Attica came from behind to overhaul defending champion Turkey Run on Thursday in the first round of the Class A Rockville Sectional for high school baseball.
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North baseball pulls away from South in sectional opener
In high school baseball little things mean a lot, and the crack in the door doesn’t have to be open very wide.
Terre Haute North burst through that crack in the bottom of the second inning Wednesday evening at Terre Haute South, scoring seven two-out runs and going on to a surprisingly easy 12-2 victory over the host Braves. -
Blank, Mundy named McMillan Award winners
Posing side-by-side for photos following Terre Haute North High School’s Senior Awards ceremony, seniors Calvin Blank and Chanli Mundy couldn’t look more different.
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West Vigo baseball advances with 10-0 win behind Stewart's two-hitter
West Vigo got off to a good start in Class 3A high school sectional baseball action Wednesday evening at Dick Ballinger Field.
The Vikings scored four runs in the first inning of the first sectional game and went on to defeat Brown County 10-0 in five innings with Kevin Stewart hurling a two-hitter. -
Terre Haute South tennis claims regional crown
It was a lot tougher than some thought it would be, but the Terre Haute South girls tennis team won the Greencastle regional for the second year in a row Wednesday evening at DePauw University Tennis and Track Center.
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Big group of Wabash Valley boys head to Evansville looking for state berths
The top four finishers in each event from last week’s Terre Haute North, Evansville Central, Jasper and Princeton boys high school track and field sectionals will converge on Evansville Central today for regional competition.
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West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
West Vigo got off to a good start but Brown County finished better in Class 3A high school softball sectional semifinal action Tuesday night at Edgewood.
The Eagles bested the Vikings 7-5 and will meet South Vermillion, a 12-7 winner over Owen Valley, for the sectional championship on Thursday starting at 6 p.m.
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Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals
When high school baseball sectionals begin around the Wabash Valley today, one complaint that’s not expected to be heard from any coach is that his team has had too much time off.
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Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
Northview unleashed power rarely seen in high school girls softball Tuesday night to eliminate Terre Haute South 8-1 in the Class 4A Sectional at Martinsville High School.
The Knights hit three home runs in an eight-run third inning to reach the championship game. -
Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
Keirra Porter took first place in two individual events and helped Terre Haute North win one of its relays as the Patriots captured the Evansville Central Regional team championship in girls high school track and field Tuesday night.
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PREP ROUNDUP: South tennis cruises into regional final
Terre Haute South didn’t lose a game en route to blanking Seeger 5-0 in girls high school tennis Tuesday to advance to today’s championship match against Crawfordsville in the Greencastle Regional.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
West Vigo softball holds off nemesis Edgewood in softball sectional
Ice cream was enough of a reward Monday night after the West Vigo Vikings beat eight-time defending champion Edgewood 6-2 in extra innings in the opening game of the Class 3A softball sectional at Edgewood High School. But that’s not what Vikings want.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Shakamak's Green hits two homers in win over West Vigo
Shakamak improved to 22-3 on the season behind a complete-game effort from Brett Yeryar, and Patrick Green hit two solo home runs in a high school baseball game Monday.
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Terre Haute North offense unable to get going in loss to Mooresville
Jack Kirchner chose to give credit Monday night to Mooresville pitcher Taylor Chitwood, not to the Greg Maddux-size strike zone she seemed to enjoy.
But if there were no excuses forthcoming from Kirchner and his Terre Haute North High School softball team, it wouldn’t have been hard to find a spectator or two to come up with extenuating circumstances about the Patriots’ 4-1 loss at the Class 4A Martinsville Sectional. -
Terre Haute North looking strong going into girls track regional
Terre Haute North might need an off night for anyone to catch them in the girls track regional at Evansville Central.
The Patriots are as well-rounded as they’ve ever been, and two relay teams are state contenders with times ranking No. 2 in Indiana among times recorded all spring.
Terre Haute South, Northview and Sullivan have athletes among the contenders in multiple events as well. -
South tennis ready for potential challenge in regional
Terre Haute South and Northview take respective records of 10-5 and 11-5 into the Greencastle Regional today.
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Softball sectionals up for grabs
All three Vigo County high schools and Northview appear to have a realistic chance of winning sectional championships in softball this week.
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Terre Haute South, Northview vie for tennis regional title
Terre Haute South and Northview take respective records of 10-5 and 11-5 into the Greencastle Regional today.
Coach Bill Blankenbaker’s Braves will play Seeger at 4:30 p.m., while coach Emily Goff’s Knights will take on Crawfordsville about 6 p.m. -
Vikings win in extra innings at Rockville
West Vigo scored six runs in its first two innings Saturday, then needed a ninth-inning single by Lucas Fagg to escape with a 7-6 extra-inning win in nonconference high school baseball at Rockville.
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TH South beats Northview in Big Four makeup baseball game
Terre Haute South wrapped up a share of the MIC baseball title and finished up the Big Four Classic with an 8-1 victory over Northview in less than 24 hours on Saturday morning.
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Olds pitches South to share of MIC baseball title
Friday night, winning the second game 5-0 and earning a share of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title.
Damon Olds was dominant on the mound for the Braves, striking out 14 and walking just one while pitching a three-hit shutout. -
South wins first half of doubleheader against Lawrence North
Host Terre Haute South kept its Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference high school baseball title hopes alive — and clinched no worse than second place in the process — by downing Lawrence North 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Friday night.
The second game, which started after Senior Night festivities between games, ended past the Tribune-Star deadline. -
PREP ROUNDUP: Calleja pitches West Vigo past South Vermillion
Brandon Calleja had 13 strikeouts to lead West Vigo to a 5-1 victory against South Vermillion in high school baseball Friday.
Brandon Behringer went 2 for 4 with two RBI for the Vikings, who secured second place in the Western Indiana Conference.
Kaden Lawson had double for South Vermillion (15-7), which finished 4-2 in the WIC. -
Seibert returns from injury to win three events as Braves win sectional crown
His baseball equivalent might be Rick Sutcliffe of the 1984 Chicago Cubs.
When Tyler Seibert returned to the Terre Haute South track and field lineup Thursday for sectional action at Terre Haute North, it was like the midseason trade the Cubs made for Sutcliffe that earned them a playoff spot. - More High School Headlines
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