ANDERSON, Ind. —
Michael Bilyeu missed a good deal of the American Legion season with injuries last summer.
But the only real lingering pain stems from the way the year ended, with a lopsided loss for Anderson Hockett against rival Muncie in the sectional.
Much has changed in the months since for both teams, making for an interesting home opener today at Memorial Field.
“A lot of people here didn’t play last year,” Bilyeu said. “But we did get smashed. It would be great to put it on them.”
Despite heavy roster turnover, Bilyeu is surrounded by familiar faces. Among them, the four other seniors from Highland’s final baseball team — Tyler Branford, Chase Freeman, Brad Kindred and Chandler Sidwell.
Many of the Scots will help fill the heart of a powerful lineup that aims to put Post 127 back among the state’s elite.
Kindred is likely to hit at the top of the order. He said batting leadoff for a team like this is a relatively easy chore.
“I know if I get on, I’m going to get hit in,” he said.
Freeman, Kindred and Sidwell spent last season playing for a travel team known as the Pony Express. With each signed to play college ball next year (Freeman at Murray State, Kindred and Sidwell at Coker College), they decided to stay closer to home this summer.
“We’re all signed,” Freeman said. “So there’s no reason to pay now to play when we can play here for free.”
Daleville’s Zach Tumulty, Alexandria’s Drew Overman and Pendleton Heights’ Tyler Holloway also played for the Pony Express last year. Each is on Hockett’s roster now.
It all adds up to a significant advantage in team chemistry.
“We all believe in each other,” Sidwell said “Everybody knows what everyone else can do.”
That camaraderie already has paid dividends.
The team gelled quickly and launched five homers in a doubleheader sweep against St. Bernice on Saturday. Hockett won the first game 15-5 and survived a 25-22 shootout in the second.
“Sometimes when you’re putting a team like this together it takes weeks for the players to get acclimated to each other,” said Hockett manager Travis Keesling, who also coached many of these players on a travel ball team in their youth. “It took these guys about five minutes.”
Bilyeu already has noticed some differences between last year’s team and this one.
“Everybody seems more confident and laid back this year,” he said. “I think there’s more talent this year.”
The optimism extends beyond the playing field.
Bill Miles scouted and assembled much of the roster. Now he’s trying to entice as many fans as possible to come to the ballpark and watch it play.
Tickets cost $4 per game or $20 for a season pass. But high school and college students from any school will be admitted free.
It’s part of a larger plan to increase Hockett’s presence in the community. Miles is unveiling this summer the HELPS initiative, which stands for Hockett Enriches Life Program.
Toward that end, Hockett is introducing the Second Inning Harvest. For each run scored by the home team in the second inning at Memorial Field, $10 will be donated the Second Harvest Food Bank.
“We want this program to be more involved in the community off the field,” Miles said. “We want to be involved with the city of Anderson.”
The longterm goal is to entice enough corporate sponsorship to cover the team’s operating costs. At that point, more of the proceeds from the gate could be given back to charities throughout the community.
The program’s other primary goal is to increase exposure for its players. Miles would like to attract scouts from power conferences like the Big East, Big Ten and SEC to watch top local talent.
Games like today’s showdown with Muncie should help.
“Muncie always puts together a good team,” Keesling said. “It should be a good ballgame. It’s a good test to see where we’re at.”
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Related Photos
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Highland HS seniors playing on the Anderson Hockett team are front: Brad Kindred and Tyler Branford. Back: Chase Freeman, Chandler Sidwell, and Michael Bilyeu. John P. Cleary / The Herald Bulletin
Discussion
Will familiarity breed success?
Highland seniors part of well-known Hockett roster
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