Brookhart signs with Indiana Tech

ST. HENRY - St. Henry senior Bryce Brookhart signed a national letter of intent Wednesday to continue his baseball career at Indiana Tech in the fall.

Brookhart, who earned first-team All-Midwest Athletic Conference honors in his junior year, follows in the footsteps of Redskins pitchers Ryan Uhlenhake and Nolan Schmitz, who are now with the Warriors.

"When I got on campus, I liked how it felt like a big town," Brookhart said. "Smaller campus, but it felt like a bigger one. Then, when I met the coach, it really sealed the deal. He's really upfront and honest, and he has some good values. He's going to make me not only a better baseball player, but a better man, better father, better husband."

Brookhart, who plans to major in exercise science, chose Indiana Tech over Mount Vernon and Ohio Northern.

Indiana Tech, an NAIA school in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, is coached by Kip McWilliams, who will be in his 15th year at Indiana Tech this spring. McWilliams is 518-317-2 as a head coach, with five WHAC Tournament titles and 12 trips to the NAIA National Championship.

Last year, the Warriors went 32-21 and finished the season with back-to-back extra-inning losses to the University of Northwestern Ohio in the WHAC Tournament.

Brookhart debuted with the Redskins' varsity team in late April of his sophomore year, missing the early part of the season with a torn labrum he suffered playing football. The injury has prevented him from helping out on the mound, and he said that the Indiana Tech coaches still wanted him to build up more arm strength as he continues to put that injury behind him.

At the time, though, St. Henry coach Mike Gast wanted him in the lineup anyway.

"He probably played the field a little bit earlier than he should have, but his bat was so good that we needed him in the lineup," Gast said. "It's pretty remarkable how far he's come to work back from that injury, to regain the arm strength he had before the injury. He's worked his butt off outside of baseball to try to get back there."

As a junior, Brookhart shifted over from second to replace Uhlenhake as the starting shortstop. He hit .293 with three doubles, drove in 19 runs and scored 23, and stole 17 bases.

Statline aside, Gast said Brookhart's biggest strengths are his intangibles.

"Baseball IQ on the field, he's our shortstop, so that's extremely important for us to have," Gast said. "He understands the game, understands situations. He's an extension of the coaching staff on the field, which is really good to have… his hands in the field and his leadership on the field are remarkable as well."

From his first two years of varsity baseball, Brookhart said his proudest accomplishment was being named team MVP by the coaches last year.

Before moving on, he has a chance to add to his St. Henry legacy this spring.

"Just want to play good, error-free baseball with my friends one last time," he said. "Can't wait to see how far we can go."