By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

Indiana University of Pennsylvania plays in the rugged Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). The Crimson Hawks are coming off of a 25-23-1 campaign in 2012, finishing at 11-13 and in fifth place in the PSAC West. To give an idea of the caliber of baseball being played in the PSAC, the NCAA Division II Champion last year was West Chester from the PSAC East. West Chester finished the 2012 season at 47-10, with eight losses coming in conference play.

Head Coach Jeff Ditch is in his eighth year as the head coach at IUP and is just one year removed from a 2011 season which saw the Crimson Hawks advance to the championship game of the PSAC tournament for the first time since 1990. The appearance in the PSAC tournament was the second in a row and third in the past four years. Through the end of the 2012 season, Ditch had a seven-year record of 144-161-1 to rank fourth in wins among all IUP coaches since 1933.

IUP has landed six recruits in the early signing period. All six are Pennsylvania players and each is ranked in the Prep Baseball Report Pennsylvania Class of 2013.

Jason Martin, RHP/OF, Seneca Valley HS
Martin is a 6-foot, 160-pound athlete who has topped out at 90 mph from the mound and 91 mph from the outfield this summer. He also runs a 6.9 60-yard dash. He is the No. 39 ranked player in the Class of 2013.
(See photo to the right)

Matt Eperisi, C, Mars HS
Eperisi is a 5-foot-9, 170-pound catcher from Mars HS. He is a solid backstop with a 1.95 pop time. Eperisi is the No. 86 ranked player in the Class of 2013.
                                              
Scott Hess, C, Cathedral Prep HS
Hess is a 5-foot-10, 205-pound C/OF with a projectable frame. He has good gap power and the ability to hit for average. He is the No. 138 ranked player in the Class of 2013.

Dylan Foor, RHP, Everett HS
Foor is a 6-foot, 160-pound RHP/2B from Everett HS. He hit .387 and went 5-2 with a 1.03 ERA in 2012. Foor is the No. 153 ranked player in the Class of 2013.

Chris Calliari, OF, Brockway HS
Chris Calliari is a 5-foot-9, 165-pound OF from Brockway HS. He hit .574 with 24 stolen bases in 2012. Calliari is the No. 158 ranked player in the Class of 2013.

Zach Chinchilla, RHP, Quigley Catholic HS
Chinchilla is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound RHP/OF from Quigley Catholic. He was among the WPIAL leaders in strikeouts in 2012. Chinchilla is the No. 162 ranked player in the Class of 2013.

Jeff Ditch Discusses the IUP Recruiting Class With Prep Baseball Report

Prep Baseball Report:  How does your 2013 recruiting class compare to recent classes in regards to the number of players who have signed during the early signing period?

Coach Ditch:  We graduate seven players in the spring so the six we have signed now will fill those roster spots.  We will continue to recruit a couple more pitchers for the April signing date.  The number of players we sign each year is a direct reflection of the number we graduate.  We do not over recruit our roster and cut players.  Recruiting and roster management is very position specific and based on team needs to compete for a PSAC championship.  The largest fall signing class we have had was 12 in 2010 as that was the year our first recruiting class from 2006 graduated.  In both 2011 and 2012 we signed seven in November.

Prep Baseball Report: What do you feel is the strength of this recruiting class and were you able to address the needs you feel you will have going into 2013-2014?

Coach Ditch:  First, it is important to point out that any and all success we have recruiting at IUP is a direct result of our current players and the many positive things they are accomplishing as student-athletes at IUP.  We were focused on pitching, catching, and speed with our evaluations and this class reflects strength in all three of those areas.   Jason Martin, Zach Chinchilla, and Dylan Foor each possess arm strength and a feel for pitching.  The two catchers, Scott Hess and Matt Eperesi, are coming in at a time when we graduate two catchers from our current team and Chris Calliari will be looked upon to improve our team speed and be a catalyst on the bases.

Prep Baseball Repot: Do you have any advice to underclassmen that are just beginning the process of looking at schools and trying to gage a potential college coaching staff’s interest?

Coach Ditch:  My best advice is to play as much baseball as you can and the recruiting process will take care of itself.  College coaches attend games, showcases, camps, pro tryouts, tournaments, indoor workouts, team practices, and any other similar events to identify players of the ability to help our team.  With all the information that is available online, feel free to research colleges that you determine as a good fit and email that coach to make him aware of your playing schedule and events you will be attending.   It is also important to achieve academic success and register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Prep Baseball Report: The PSAC has become a pitching rich Division II conference. You have three pitchers in this recruiting class, how quickly can they contribute to your pitching staff?

Coach Ditch:  We think all players we sign will help us quick.  Each year we have freshmen who make significant contributions to our team.  This year we have four senior pitchers who pitched significant innings as juniors and I expect them to each get even more innings as seniors, so with that being said, the incoming pitchers will be thrown into the mix right away during their freshmen season.  You are right about the PSAC being a pitching rich conference.  Last year West Chester won the DII National Championship and Mercyhurst won the PSAC West and, in my opinion, pitching was the reason.

Prep Baseball Report:  PBR Pennsylvania arrived on the scene in late April of 2012. How have you been able to utilize the information that Prep Baseball Report offers to your advantage?

Coach Ditch:  I draw much information from the PBR website and PBR twitter.  I also see several of the PBR scouts and evaluators at all the various events and that gives the PBR information even more credibility.  It is more accurate to compare and contrast recruiting information with people who are evaluating in person and are familiar with all levels of college baseball.  PBR has made a big splash in the recruiting process in a very short time.

Send all recruiting information to PA Director of Scouting - Greg Williams