Published: September 08, 2008 11:13 pm         

Talent 'Hotbed': Indiana State baseball program locking up

ISU also receives commitment from Castle’s Robby Ort

TERRE HAUTE — The Indiana State baseball program is quickly becoming a celebration of the talent produced around the Wabash Valley.

West Vigo coach Steve DeGroote, who had two players verbally commit to coach Lindsay Meggs last week, foresees real championship-style celebrations taking place in the not-too-distant future.

“It’s a hotbed here,” said DeGroote, a former assistant for Bob Warn at ISU. “When I was at ISU, we had several kids [from the Wabash Valley] plug some holes that made us a College World Series team.”

Catcher Jeremy Lucas and second baseman Jordan Pearson of a tradition-rich Viking program want to win at ISU. Lucas has no doubt he’ll be comfortable with Indiana State, which will already include former Terre Haute South shortstop Koby Kraemer, former Terre Haute North standouts Nick Ciolli, Joe Meggs and Brandon Dorsett, as well as Kyle Burnam of Marshall, Ill.

“It’s going to feel like we fit in just because we know a lot of the players,” Lucas said. “[Coach Meggs] wants to turn it around and he’d like to do it with hometown guys.”

Pearson, who hit .483 last spring with 10 homers, 42 RBIs, five doubles and 22 stolen bases, sees Meggs as a man with similar competitive qualities to himself.

“Coach Meggs has a passion for winning. I like to win,” the low-key second baseman said.

Pearson’s father Kenny, a former Indiana All-Star and current West Vigo assistant coach, said “once ISU made an offer, [Jordan] was dead set.

“I really feel that, talking to coach Meggs, he feels it was important to get Jordan and Jeremy.”

Also committing last week was outfielder Steven Ball of Rockville, a sweet-swinging left-handed outfielder. He is the third Rockville standout in his class to head to ISU, joining Matt King (football/baseball) and R.J. Mahurin (basketball).

Ball could “be of instant help as a freshman,” said his coach, Bob Kyle.

Ball hit .445 with 13 home runs, three triples, five doubles and 60 RBIs in helping Rockville reach the Class A semistate last season.

“As much as I’ve been around the game, he’s got as quick a bat through the zone as anybody I’ve seen,” Kyle said.

Ball was also a key pitcher for the Rox, going 7-3 with a 3.11 earned-run average, while striking out 89 batters in 55 innings.

Lucas, who had a slow start in the spring before finishing with four home runs, 27 RBIs and 11 doubles, spurned offers from Michigan State, Southern Illinois and Arkansas State.

Lucas said he had his best hitting season over the summer for Indiana Pony Express.

“I like what coach Meggs is doing with the program, and I want to be a part of what’s going on. There’s going to be a definite improvement,” Lucas said.

Indiana State has also received a verbal commitment from Castle infielder Robby Ort.



Valley talent

Recent additions to the Indiana State University baseball team from Wabash Valley programs include:

• Jeremy Lucas, West Vigo

• Jordan Pearson, West Vigo

• Kody Kraemer, Terre Haute South

• Nick Ciolli, Terre Haute North

• Joe Meggs, Terre Haute North

• Brandon Dorsett, Terre Haute North

• Kyle Burnam, Marshall

• Steven Ball, Rockville

• Matt King, Rockville