Crimson Pride seek progress in Year 2

The way IU Columbus athletics director Zach McClellan described it, the Crimson Pride’s first year of baseball last season was about existing.

This year, it will be about progress.

IUC will look to make big strides this season after going 5-41 in its inaugural campaign in 2023.

“Some people think that progress would be winning more than five games,” said Alex McComb, a sophomore catcher from Columbus East. “But we’re not going to try to just achieve that. We’re going for .500.”

IU Columbus baseball coach Scott Bickel talks about the upcoming season during media day at Indiana University Columbus in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. At left is athletics director Zach McClellan.

Mike Wolanin | The Republic

McClellan was originally set to coach the Crimson Pride last season, but with the demand in his role as athletics director, he turned the program over to Scott Bickel shortly before the season began.

“I consider this coach Bickel’s first year,” McClellan said. “Last year, when I was head coach and AD, we made a transition right before the season. I think any judgement on last year’s team should be a judgement on my leadership and not his. He took a tough situation and made the team go, made it happen. I respect him for all that. So this truly is coach Bickel’s first year.”

IUC ranked in the top 10 nationally in NAIA last year with 145 stolen bases as a team. Wyatt Sutton, a sophomore infielder from Eastern Hancock, was in the top 10 nationally with 46 steals as a freshman.

Peyton Blinn, a junior infielder from Cascade, led the team with a .338 batting average and 30 RBIs, followed by Sutton at .312. Jared Ross, a senior from Franklin, hit five home runs.

The top returning pitchers are Drew Bradley (junior, Danville), Blake Nigg (junior, Mooresville) and Gavin Haltom (sophomore, Franklin Central). The Crimson Pride picked up a big arm in Casper Clark (junior, Columbus North), who started out at Indiana University and played the past two years at John A. Logan College in Illinois.

“We’re excited for him to come home and reestablish himself,” Bickel said. “He’s a guy I look forward to what he’s going to do.”

Darius Compton (freshman, Monrovia) and Jose Martinez (redshirt freshman, Columbus East) are among others who could pitch some innings.

“We have a very young staff,” Bickel said. “It’s going to be very interesting to see how these guys blossom.”

McComb, who was injured for most of last season, is battling for the catching job with Ethan Guire (sophomore, Kokomo) and Craig Perry (freshman, Mooresville). Ben Fricke (senior, Mt. Pulaski, Illinois) returns at first base.

Sutton and Blinn return in the infield. Junior College recruits Johnny Sewell (junior, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers) and Tarron White (junior, Fort Wayne Northrop) could play in the infield, along with Austin Martin (freshman, Jennings County).

Returning in the outfield are John Codner (junior, Cincinnati Moeller), Connor Beatty (senior, Augusta, Michigan), Cyrus Robinson (sophomore, Franklin Central) and Tristan Wirth (sophomore, South Knox). Blinn could also play in outfield, and Robinson could play first base.

IUC has two other recent local graduates on its roster in pitcher Lane Zohrlaut, a freshman from Jennings County and first baseman Avery Seegers, a freshman from South Decatur.

“I start locally,” Bickel said, in terms of recruiting. “There’s a lot of great players in this town and neighboring counties. Locally, I watch ballgames. I like to go to high school games. I like to go to high school practices. It’s about relationships. I’m still building relationships with everyone.”

Bickel has a pair of new assistant coaches in Brennan Laird and Connor Morris. The Crimson Pride have 44 players on this year’s roster.

“We’re working on a junior varsity team right now,” Bickel said. “If our numbers are what they are, we have to determine the best way to try to create some experience with our numbers that are eligible academically and healthy.”

IUC opens the season Saturday and Sunday with doubleheaders against Aquinas (Michigan) at Grand Park in Westfield. The first home games are March 1-2 against West Virginia Tech and will be played on the Crimson Pride’s new baseball field at Ceraland.

“We aren’t the same,” Bickel said. “We’re heading in the right direction. I can’t wait to find out what it actually ends up being. There’s no doubt in my mind we’re better in most major facets of team and culture and program.”

The 2024 IU Columbus baseball schedule:

Saturday vs. Aquinas (Mich.) at Grand Park (Westfield), 1 p.m. (DH)

Sunday vs. Aquinas (Mich.) at Grand Park (Westfield), noon (DH)

Feb. 9 at Tennessee Southern, 1 p.m. (DH)

Feb. 10 vs. Marian at Pulaski, Tenn., 1 p.m. (DH)

Feb. 20 vs. Grace at Grand Park (Westfield), 1 p.m.

Feb. 23 vs. IU South Bend at Dunbar, W.Va., 2 p.m.

Feb. 23 vs. Rio Grande at Dunbar, W. Va., 5 p.m.

Feb. 24 vs. IU South Bend at Dunbar, W.Va., 2 p.m.

Feb. 24 vs. Rio Grande at Dunbar, W. Va., 5 p.m.

Feb. 27 at Taylor, 5 p.m.

March 1 vs. West Virginia Tech, 2 p.m.

March 2 vs. West Virginia Tech, noon (DH)

March 5 at Campbellsville, 1 p.m. (DH)

March 8 vs. Point Park, 1 p.m.

March 9 vs. Point Park, noon (DH)

March 14 vs. Cincinnati-Clermont, 1 p.m.

March 15 at Alice Lloyd (Ky.), 1 p.m.

March 16 at Alice Lloyd (Ky.), 1 p.m. (DH)

March 20 at St. Francis, TBA

March 22 at Brescia (Ky.), 4 p.m.

March 23 at Brescia (Ky.), 2 p.m. (DH)

March 26 vs. Wright State Lake Campus, 1 p.m.

March 28 at Grace Christian, 1 p.m.

March 29 vs. IU Kokomo, 1 p.m.

March 30 vs. IU Kokomo, 1 p.m. (DH)

April 3 at Cincinnati-Clermont, 1 p.m.

April 5 vs. Midway, 1 p.m.

April 6 vs. Midway, 1 p.m. (DH)

April 9 at Huntington, 4:30 p.m.

April 10 at Asbury, 1 p.m.

April 12 at Oakland City, 1 p.m.

April 13 at Oakland City, 1 p.m. (DH)

April 16 vs. Miami-Hamilton, 3 p.m.

April 17 vs. Asbury, 2 p.m.

April 19 at IU Southeast, 5 p.m.

April 20 at IU Southeast, 1 p.m. (DH)