With another strong offensive showing, the Red Team took a 3-2 lead in the Little Giant World Series on Wednesday afternoon.  After fending off early rain showers, sophomore Jake Thomas' (Evanston, IL - Evanston High School) bat once again led the way, while freshman Dan Metz (Kokomo, IN - Northwestern High School) set the pace on the mound for the Red squad.  When the dust settled, the Reds came away with a 6-0 victory.  The final two games of the series are scheduled for Tuesday and Saturday of next week.  Feel free to join the players, coaches, and families for a cookout following the Saturday finale on Homecoming.     

Posted by Cory Stevens at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The official date and time for the annual Wabash College vs. Franklin College game at Victory Field in Indianapolis has been set.  The Little Giants will take on the Grizzlies on Thursday, April 19th at 6:00pm.  The mid-week game will fall in between a weekend road trip to the College of Wooster and a conference home stand against Ohio Wesleyan University for the Wabash Men.  A special thanks goes out to Lance Marshall, the skipper of the Grizzlies.

Posted by Cory Stevens at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A first inning grand slam from sophomore Mike Korfhagen (Cincinnati, Ohio - LaSalle High School) paved the way for the Red Team to tie the Little Giant World Series at two games apiece.  6-2 was the final score of the seven inning affair.  The Red and White squads will square off again on Wednesday afternoon at Mud Hollow Field to see who will take the upper-hand leading into the final week of competition after the upcoming RHIT scrimmage.

Posted by Cory Stevens at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Sunday afternoon, the White Team took a one game lead in the Little Giant World Series. With the possibility of more bad weather looming, the White squad stepped up and adequately handled the adversity in a decisive 5-2 victory.  This win gives them a one game advantage over the Red Team with the series now at 2-1.  Both teams will battle two more times this week before the Little Giants travel to Terre Haute on Sunday, October 1st to take on Rose-Hulman.

Posted by Cory Stevens at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Wabash vs. Rose-Hulman fall scrimmage scheduled for Saturday, September 23rd in Terre Haute has been rescheduled due to severe weather.  The competition date has been rescheduled for Sunday, October 1st at Rose-Hulman.  Our itinerary for the day will remain the same.  Please contact me, Coach Stevens, with questions and/or concerns.

Posted by Cory Stevens at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wabash will take on Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on Saturday, September 23rd in Terre Haute.  The scrimmages will serve as the one contest date of the non-traditional season, as specified by NCAA rules.  The Little Giants and Engineers will square-off in four separate seven-inning games on Saturday beginning at 10:00am.  The main purpose of the contest date is to see a variety of line-ups against outside competition, while evaluating skill levels across the board.  You are encouraged to stop by and support your Little Giants in this sneak preview of the 2007 season.

Posted by Cory Stevens at 02:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wabash Baseball will hit the road in 2007 for games at two of the best baseball venues in the nation.

The Little Giants will host the North Park University (IL) Vikings on Tuesday, April 10th in RailCats Stadium at U.S. Steel Yard.  Game time is tentatively scheduled for 7:00pm.  The Steel Yard is home to the Gary Southshore RailCats of the Northern League.  The RailCats were the 2005 Northern League Champions.  The Steel Yard opened in the spring of 2003.

Once again in 2007 the Little Giants are scheduled to take on the Grizzlies of Franklin College at Victory Field in Indianapolis.  This late season tradition between Wabash and Franklin began in 2001.  Victory Field is home to the Indianapolis Indians. The Indians compete in the Western Division of the International League as the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  In August of 2001, Victory Field was rated by Sports Illustrated as the best minor league ballpark in America.    

Whether it be in Gary or Indianapolis, I hope to see you out at the park for some first class Wabash Baseball!

Posted by Cory Stevens at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On a beautiful Saturday morning at Mud Hollow Field, the Red Team evened-up the Little Giant World Series in Game 2 with a 4-3 victory in 9 innings.  Sophomore Jake Thomas led the way for the Red Team, going 2-4 with a third inning homerun.  With a late inning surge, the White Team did manage to advance the tying run to second base in the top of the 9th, but failed to score him.  The Series will resume on Sunday morning at The Hollow.

Posted by Cory Stevens at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Update on the Flynn family:

Things are going well for Tom, Carol, and Kyra out in California.  They currently reside in the Foster City area of San Francisco.  Carol is enjoying her fantastic new position with Genentech, a biotechnology research company.  Tom is pursuing numerous real estate ventures which have started out well.  He reminds me regularly how much he misses Wabash, and more importantly the players.  Tom also assures me that he is getting even bigger from the weightroom since his move to Cali.  Below you can see the amazing view from the deck of Tom's home.

Hopefully we will see Tom and his family at a game or two sometime in the spring.  Anyone who is interested in reaching Tom can contact me at stevensc@wabash.edu for information.

Posted by Cory Stevens at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Tuesday, a steady dose of severe weather in Crawfordsville forced the squad into the Knowling Fieldhouse for practice.  Undeterred, the team undoubtedly got after it for another solid day of practice.  Although no college baseball team envisions being indoors on September 12th...a scenario which is much more likely to occur in late January and early February for northern college teams...our Men rose to the challenge.  

The freshmen are slowly but surely adapting to the pace and intensity of college baseball and a true full-scale practice, while our older players are stepping into leadership roles...regardless of our practice location. With a little luck and some help from Mother Nature, we will be back at The Hollow on Thursday.  The adversity of Tuesday once again proved that 'Wabash Always Fights!'  

Posted by Cory Stevens at 06:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our fall season officially began this past weekend with a full scale skills showcase at Mud Hollow field.  Returning players and freshmen were first timed in the 60 yard dash, with position players also being timed from home-to-first .  Position players were then evaluated defensively with attention given to arm strength, footwork, and defensive body action. Following defensive work, position players took a full round of evaluated live batting practice. Finally, everyone participated in an informal live scrimmage.  To say the least, it was a very thorough day and the coaching staff was impressed by what we saw!

On Sunday, the Little Giant World Series got underway with a single nine inning game.  The squad will be playing a seven game series throughout the fall season.  Our roster was carefully divided by the coaching staff into the Red Team and the White Team.  With both teams battling hard, the White Team came out victorious in Game #1 by a score of 6-1.

A special thanks goes out to Ryan Vest for his help with evaluation and instruction throughout the weekend.  Ryan, a former standout at Florida Southern College (a perennial Division II powerhouse), is currently a hitting instructor at the Chicago White Sox academy in Lisle, Illinois.  Ryan summed up the weekend well by stating that "there is a lot of talent in place here with this program.  Individual and team success will be determined largely by who is willing to do the extra work and improve on the details of their game."

Hopefully this weekend proves to be a great start to a great season.           

Posted by Cory Stevens at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Wabash Baseball family would like to congratulate Mike Mack '04 and his bride-to-be Elizabeth Campbell on their upcoming wedding.  The couple will exchange vows on Saturday, September 30th in Greenfield, Indiana.

While at Wabash, Mike was a four time letterman in the outfield and at third base.  He made a significant impact on the program by being a team captain in 2004, the 2004 Wabash MVP, and the 2004 Wabash Offensive Player of the Year  Mike also received All-NCAC honors in 2003 and 2004, was named NCAC Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2004, and set the single season homerun record in 2004.  The former Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and Sphinx Club member is currently employed as an Investment Representative for Edward Jones.  Mike and Elizabeth will reside in Indianapolis.

Congratulations Mike and Elizabeth, and best wishes for a great future!

Posted by Cory Stevens at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shaun Rico '08 is an intimidating force on the baseball field.  If you are ever looking for Shaun around campus, your best bet is to stop by the Allen Athletics Center.  You are likely to find him working on his swing in the cage or pumping iron in the fitness center.  Shaun was a regular starter at 1B for us in 2006.  This season he should play a large role as a leader on and off of the field.  Shaun is a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.  Shaun's older brother, Nick Rico '06, was a four year letterman on the mound for Wabash.  Nick was recently married this past summer and resides in Phoenix, Arizona.  

"Ever since I came to Wabash I've felt more at home than I do when I am actually at home. No offense Mom and Dad. Being from Arizona and growing up in the heat, Indiana was a bit of a culture shock to me, but I am confident that no other school in this country could have helped me adapt better than Wabash. 

Ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted to play college and professional baseball.  After my senior year in high school I felt that neither of those would be possible, until I was introduced to Coach Stevens and Coach Flynn. They were confident, regardless of my high school career that I could be a big producer here for the Wabash Baseball team. This year is going to be a breakthrough year.  I think we have an incredible freshman class, that Coach Stevens has valiantly put together, as well as great core of returning players this year. There is no doubt in my mind that not only a conference championship is possible, but nation-wide recognition is in our minds as well.  I put my faith in our coaching staff as well as in my teammates…and I feel they do the same.

 Wabash doesn’t just stress academics, they also encourage athletics, and brotherhood as a healthy median between the two. Coach Stevens doesn’t just stress baseball, he helps us recognize what we are getting out of our education, as well as our athletic careers...helping us become better players, better students, better brothers, and better sons. That is what makes Wabash so incredibly special, in my opinion, more unique than any other school in this nation.  If you look past the fact that we are an all male institution and uncover the shades over your eyes, you can see the true colors and beauty that this campus composes.

 After playing two summers in the Arizona Summer Collegiate League, I am excited to transfer that success onto the Mud Hollow diamond, and help take our program to the next level. This is the year that everything comes together. We have the coaching, we have the players, and we have the attitude, now all we have to do is produce. It’s going to be a great year and I am honored to help lead the Wabash College Little Giants to a breakthrough season and..... We will deserve to win." 

-Shaun Rico '08

Posted by Cory Stevens at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Scott Hamilton '07 enters his senior year at Wabash as a true leader on campus.  The Indianapolis native and Bishop Chatard graduate has started three years at catcher for the Little Giants.  Hamilton spent the summer of 2005 competing in the prestigious Great Lakes League for the Indianapolis Servants.  Off of the baseball field Scooter is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and a member the Sphinx Club.  In the summer of 2006 he served an internship with Merrill Lynch in Indianapolis.

"Being a senior, I find myself trying to cherish every moment I have left at Wabash College. Wabash has done so much for me in every sense of my life. It has made me a better student as well as a better person. Wabash has transformed me from the boy that I was coming out of high school into the man that I feel I am today.

Besides helping me change myself from a boy to a man, Wabash has aided me in my future endeavors. Being a psychology major, I have one of two options, the workforce, or graduate school. I feel that Wabash has prepared me very well for both of those options. I believe that I will feel comfortable in either environment and that is largely because of how well I have been prepared for the world after Wabash.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to play baseball for Wabash College. Every minute I have been able to be associated with the baseball team has been amazing. Before every fall I always get a feeling of excitement and anticipation to see how the team is going to be in the upcoming season. This year is particularly exciting, because of the number of quality freshman players Coach Stevens was able to bring into the program. I believe this fall is extremely exciting because there will be stiff competition between freshman and upperclassmen at every position. And it will be my privilege to attempt and teach the freshman what it means to play Wabash Baseball and truly deserve to win for Wabash College."

Scott Hamilton '07

Posted by Cory Stevens at 05:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

John Panozzo, M.D., Class of 1989, is the epitome of a Wabash Man.  Prior to attending Indiana University Medical School, doing his internship and residency at Mercy Medical Center and St. Anthony Hospitals in Denver, beginning a practice in family medicine in 1996, and becoming a shareholder and Board member for New West Physicians …he was the cornerstone of Wabash Baseball in the late 80s!  During his time as a Little Giant, Dr. Panozzo was MVP of the 1988 and 1989 baseball squads, while serving as captain of the 1989 team.  The Grand Junction, Colorado native started every game of his four year career at shortstop.  Dr. Panozzo will be inducted into the Wabash College Athletics Hall of Fame this fall.

"Last spring was the 17th season since I last laced up the spikes with any real purpose.  Yet the yearning to go out and take fungos on a freshly cut infield or to stand in the box and rip a clean line drive to the outfield is just as strong now as it was two decades ago.  Today I fill that yearning with coaching my daughter’s softball team, and although rewarding in its own way it’s not the same as being a twenty year old student-athlete.  Playing baseball at Wabash for me was a way to satisfy my passion for the game and my need (obsession really) for competition.  I enjoyed it all - practices, road trips, off-season weightlifting and most of all game day.   In addition, I have to say that Wabash provided me with a world-class education that led to medical school after graduation.  Almost every aspect of my career as a family physician today can be traced to the influences of mentors, friends and experiences while at Wabash.

Living in Colorado the past 13 years, I have not been able to see the team play in person.  However, I find myself constantly searching the website during the season for updated information on my beloved Little Giants.  This past spring I engaged my ex- teammate Kelley House ’90 with a series of e-mails about how to fill my baseball void and my distance from Wabash.  Our answer was to contact the new coach and start building a stronger connection between past players and the current team.  Besides great players and coaches, we believe highly successful programs need a solid foundation of passionate supporters and a community that takes pride in its team.  I am grateful that Coach Stevens has embraced this idea with the On Deck Circle, and I look forward to the good things to come from the program." 

 John Panozzo, ‘89

Posted by Cory Stevens at 03:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am extremely excited for the start of my fourth year at Wabash and my first as the head baseball coach. Our fall season is right around the corner, starting on Saturday, September 9th. It is a bit surreal to see the incoming freshmen already strolling around campus. After a full year of non-stop calls, visits, games, and letters, they are now on campus as Wabash Men. Equally as surreal, is seeing the student-athletes who were freshmen my first year at Wabash (as an assistant), now strutting their stuff around campus as mighty seniors. In many ways, their growth at Wabash parallels my own.

I have inherited a very healthy and talented program. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my mentor and dear friend, former head coach Tom Flynn. Tom, having been the first full-time baseball coach at Wabash and the first to coach in the North Coast Athletic Conference, created a program that is now respected throughout the NCAC, Division III, and the nation. Any success we experience in the future is directly related to the team that Tom Flynn built. With that said, we are ready to take the next step!

The make-up of the Little Giant baseball team this year is remarkable. We begin the fall with a roster made-up of players from nine different states. We return 14 lettermen, while graduating eight seniors from the class of 2006. Four of our returning players earned team awards in 2006: Matt Dodaro - Saint John, IN (Rookie of the Year), David Culp - DeKalb, IL (Golden Glove), Shaun Rico – Phoenix, AZ (Golden Glove), and Chris Schmaltz – Greenwood, IN (Outstanding Pitcher). Matt and Chris also garnered Honorable Mention All-NCAC honors. In addition to our returning players, this incoming class of freshmen could possibly be the most talented in Wabash Baseball history. Members of the Class of 2010 include: Kyle Rush – Lafayette, IN, Dan Metz - Kokomo, IN, Jake Lee – New Palestine, IN, Travis Stirling - Thornton, IL, Tony Goodpaster - Avon, IN, Ben Humphreys – Tucson, AZ, Keegan Leckrone - Park Forest, IL, Rob Harvey – Dover, MA, Nathan Schrader – Lafayette, IN, Kyle Platt – Elkhart, IN, and Willie Matis - Indianapolis, IN.

Two of our returning lettermen, sophomores Jake Thomas – Evanston, IL and Andy Weeks – LaPorte, IN, had the honor of competing in the prestigious Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League this past summer. The GLSCL is one of eight NCAA sanctioned summer wood bats leagues throughout the country, partially funded by Major League Baseball and comprised mostly of Division I players. It is the premier collegiate summer league in the Midwest. Jake and Andy spent their time in Granville, Ohio competing for the Granville Settlers. The Settlers, a new franchise in the GLSCL, finished fourth overall in the league. Jake finished the summer with the third best batting average for the Settlers, while starting 31 of 40 games. Andy posted a 3.16 ERA, making him fourth best statistically on their pitching staff. We have been fortunate as a program to have five players in the past three summers compete in the Great Lakes, including senior catcher Scott Hamilton – Indianapolis, IN. Our coaching staff this season will have a great blend of young energy, experience, and knowledge.

Jared Bogan ’06 will return as an assistant after completing his career at Wabash as one of the most decorated players in history. Jared was named to ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-America Baseball First Team, as well as garnering All-NCAC Honors in 2005 and 2006. In addition, Jared won the 2006 Pete Vaughan Outstanding Athlete Award, the Indianapolis Association of Wabash Men Student-Athlete Award, and the NCAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. Jared is third in Wabash history in home runs and RBIs, and second in career doubles. He will spend his time working with hitters and infielders.

Tom Perkins will enter his fourth year as a member of the baseball coaching staff.  He will continue to work with the Little Giant outfielders. Tom, a native of Crawfordsville and graduate of Ball State University, is also in charge of the athletic equipment room.  In addition to coaching, Tom will oversee all community partnership events the baseball program participates in this year.  Tom has been a tremendous help both on and off of the field to our players and staff during my time at Wabash.

Ryan Flynn will join the baseball coaching staff for his first year. In addition to overseeing the baseball strength and conditioning program, Ryan will coach tight ends for the football team in the fall. Ryan played five seasons of football at the University of Maryland as a tight end and offensive lineman. During his time at Maryland, Ryan competed in the 2002 FedEx Orange Bowl, the 2002 Chic-fil-A Peach Bowl, and the 2004 Toyota Gator Bowl.

To say the least, I am pumped about getting underway this fall. Our coaching staff and players are ready and willing to take Wabash Baseball to the next level. It should be one heck of a ride. I hope to see you around the diamond this fall!

“Deserve to Win!”

Cory Stevens

Posted by Brent Harris at 08:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)