After the 2020 season was wiped out because of the COVID-19 pandemic, local baseball teams are primed for the upcoming season.
The past two days, we previewed the Columbus North and Columbus East baseball teams. Today, we take a look at the other seven area teams, beginning with Hauser.
Hauser
The Jets had all the makings of having a contender in Class A last season with a pair of seniors who are now playing college baseball.
With those players having moved on, Hauser has seven seniors this year who will lead a team that is ranked No. 6 in Class A in the preseason Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association poll.
“I think that’s probably a little ahead of schedule,” Hauser coach Nate Long said. “I’m not sure we’re the sixth-best team in 1A right now. But we’d like to get there.”
Four of the five teams in the Jac-Cen-Del Sectional, including No. 2 Oldenburg Academy, are either ranked or receiving votes in the Class A poll.
“That time of year, you have to play well anyway, but those teams are good,” Long said. “We have to be on top of our game that time of year and have everything in order to have a chance.”
By that time, the Jets hope to have senior Aaron Rork at full health. Rork, a transfer from Columbus North and a Purdue-Northwest recruit, is recovering from a strained labrum and will play shortstop until he is able to pitch and then in games where he doesn’t pitch.
Senior Alex Pattingill will pitch and play in the outfield. Senior Kobe Meahl, who saw some action at catcher in 2019, takes over behind the plate.
Senior Frankie Poole saw action in the infield two years ago. Senior Landon Asher and Clayton West, who also saw action, are battling for outfield spots, along with senior Bryce Trotter, who was a member of the Columbus East team that reached the 4A state final in 2019.
Junior Koby Johnson will play first base and pitch. Junior Eli Miller will pitch and play center field. Sophomore Levi Gollmer will play second and will slide over to short when Rork is pitching.
Sophomore Owen McIntyre could pitch and play in the infield. Sophomore Zane McCanlis could play in the outfield and will be the backup catcher. Juniors Caleb Walker and Sam Miller could play infield or designated hitter.
“Right now, we’re going to lean on our pitching and defense early on,” Long said. “Being out last year, we don’t have that experience. I have a good amount of guys that play travel baseball, so a lot of them got reps in.”
Columbus Christian
The Crusaders have seven players back from their 2019 team.
Freshman Cam Pritchard, sophomore Owen Reed and junior Ethan Nickerson likely will do most of the pitching. Pritchard also could catch and play shortstop; Reed could play second, short or catcher and Nickerson could play in the outfield.
Senior Parker Walden will play first and maybe third, catcher or pitcher; and senior Drew Robison will be at first or third. Junior Gabe Ridder could play center field, infield and pitch, and sophomore Joel Flint could play second or the outfield.
“I think we have some clutch guys,” Columbus Christian coach Todd Hostetler said. “I think we do have a core of five or six or seven guys that should make us fairly competitive this year. I look for Gabe and Parker and Drew to be leaders. I think Parker has really developed in the past two years. He should have some pretty good power to his game, and Gabe and Drew were solid two years ago. Then, the versatility of Ethan, Owen and Cam will help us.”
The rest of the Crusaders will be playing high school baseball for the first time. That includes juniors Jacob Conrad and Izak Hargis, freshman Josh Conrad, eighth-graders Daniel Combs and Isaac Ridder and seventh-grader Levi Hargis also are new
“The younger kids have high ceilings and should progress quickly,” Hostetler said.
Jennings County
The Panthers have only one senior, but have three juniors who were starters as freshmen.
Junior Jacob Vogel was one of the top pitchers and could play second, third or short when not pitching. Junior Ian Sawyer returns behind the plate, and junior Carson McNulty will pitch and play in the infield.
Junior Peyton Hayden takes over at first, sophomore Keegan Manowitz steps in at second and junior Austin Martin will be at short. Vogel or McNulty will play third.
Junior Luke Ownbey will be in left, junior Logan McIntosh in center and junior Ethan Brown or freshman Cole Sigler in right. Senior Layne Skinner could play first, third or DH.
“Just about all of them play travel ball during the summer,” Jennings coach Trent Hardisty said. “They were able to get some games in this past summer when they lifted that COVID restriction. That junior group has played together a long time, so hopefully they can mesh well.”
Brown County
Eagles football coach Randy Minniear, who played football and baseball at Purdue and football in the NFL, took over the Brown County baseball program last year.
“I think we could be decent,” Minniear said. “I don’t know that we’ll be a world beater, but nothing surprises me anymore. The kids are working really hard, and I think we’ll be OK. We’re going to be young, which is bad for right now, but is good for the future of our program.”
Seniors Travis Ely, A.J. Weis, Nolan Patterson and Eli Sichting will do most of the pitching. Ely will be the catcher when he isn’t pitching.
Junior Waunblee Roux could play center field. Leading candidates to fill the other spots are sophomore Sawyer Gore, junior Ethan Voland, freshman Gavin Butcher and sophomore Brady Bond.
“Those are the mainstays that I think I can work around,” Minniear said. “Then, the youngsters are working their way in there. A number of these kids have come back out for baseball after being out for a couple of years. We have a ways to go yet, but they’re working at it.”
Edinburgh
The Lancers return three starters from its 2019 team and have two others who saw significant action.
Senior Noah Detling will pitch and play shortstop, junior Ian Buchanan will catch and pitch and junior Riley Palmeter will play center field and catch. Junior second baseman Nick Detling and senior David Clarkson, who will be DH, also saw action.
Freshman Gabe Bennett also will pitch and play shortstop and center field. Juniors Landen Burton or Caleb Turner will be at first, and junior Colin Richardson steps in at third. Sophomore Jarrett Turner or freshman Wyatt Burton will be in left and junior Cade Anderson takes over in right.
“Most of my kids haven’t played baseball since the sectional two years ago,” Edinburgh coach Dennis Smith said. “We’re still trying to get our feet up underneath us.”
South Decatur
Six players who saw action two years ago are still with the Cougars.
Senior Ben Stier is the top pitcher and can play in the infield and outfield. Senior Wyatt Gatewood returns in the outfield, and senior Joseph Royer can play second, short and pitcher. Senior Griffey Storm can play third and DH, senior Clayton McNealy will catch and DH and junior Zaydun Sharp can play short, pitcher and outfield.
Junior newcomer Evan Wullenweber will be in the outfield. Sophomore Avery Seegers will do some catching, and sophomore Dale Peters could play first base. Sophomores Cameron Henderson and Brady Lane and freshmen Devin Pate and Jordan Blackburn also can play infield and do some pitching.
“We have a lot of guys that are interchangeable,” South Decatur coach Eric Foga said. “In years’ past, we’ve had guys that could play one position or maybe two positions. We have guys that can play infield, outfield, wherever we need them. It gives us a lot of versatility.”
Trinity Lutheran
The Cougars still have their top three pitchers and hitters from their 2019 sectional championship team in seniors Jack Marksberry, Lawson Woods and Tyler Goecker.
Senior Jake Mau returns at first, and junior Evan Hunt, who will be in right field, saw action as a freshman. Goecker and Marksberry will do the catching, and Goecker and Woods will play short when they aren’t pitching.
Sophomore Noah Voelker takes over at second, and freshman Kowan Gross steps in at third, where he will be backed up by freshman Chase Bode. Sophomores Sage Broughton and Andrew Bell and freshmen Peyton Pollert and Levi Pottschmidt are battling for the left and center field spots.
Trinity has been moved to the Jac-Cen-Del Sectional, joining No. 2 Oldenburg and No. 6 Hauser.
“We’re looking forward to another good season,” Trinity coach Ben Kleber said.
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The 2021 Hauser and Columbus Christian baseball schedules:
Hauser
Wednesday;Shelbyville;5 p.m.
April 3;at Bishop Chatard;1 p.m.
April 8;Edinburgh;5 p.m.
April 9;at Edinburgh;5 p.m.
April 10;Trinity Lutheran (DH);11 a.m.
April 15;North Decatur;5 p.m.
April 16;at North Decatur;5 p.m.
April 17;South Central;11 a.m.
April 17;Lawrenceburg;3 p.m.
April 20;Greensburg;5 p.m.
April 22;at Waldron;5 p.m.
April 23;Waldron;5 p.m.
April 27;Rising Sun;5:30 p.m.
April 28;Southwestern (Shelby) 5 p.m.
April 29;at Southwestern (Shelby);5 p.m.
May 1;at Jac-Cen-Del;11 a.m.
May 8;Jennings County;11 a.m.
May 11;Batesville;5:30 p.m.
May 13;at South Decatur;5 p.m.
May 14;South Decatur;5 p.m.
May 15;at Charlestown Tournament;9 a.m.
May 17;Morristown;5 p.m.
May 18;at Morristown;5 p.m.
May 20;East Central;6 p.m.
May 22;at North Daviess;5 p.m.
May 24;at Indianapolis Lutheran;5 p.m.
Columbus Christian
April 2;at Dugger Union;5 p.m.
April 3;at Cannelton (DH);2 p.m.
April 5;at Hauser JV;5 p.m.
April 12;Waldron;5 p.m.
April 13;at Bethesda Christian;5:30 p.m.
April 16;at Horizon Christian;5:30 p.m.
April 17;at Shawe Memorial;11 a.m.
April 20;Traders Point Christian;5:30 p.m.
April 26;at Providence Cristo Rey;5:30 p.m.
April 27;at Indiana Deaf;5:30 p.m.
May 1;vs. Evansville Christian at Dugger Union;TBA
May 3;at Crothersville;5 p.m.
May 4;at Liberty Christian;5:30 p.m.
May 6;at Indianapolis Tindley;5:30 p.m.
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