By Thad Satre
Prep Baseball Report, Indiana 

The excitement is high surrounding the Park Tudor baseball program this season. The Panthers are coming off a successful 2012 campaign in which they claimed the Indiana Crossroads conference championship with a 7-1 conference record. Head Coach Courtney Whitehead guided Park Tudor to a 24-5 overall record and a deep postseason run, winning both the sectional and regional championships. The expectations are the same for 2013 as seven starters return along with three pitchers. 

The Panther’s top returner is senior and Harvard commit Kevin Rex (OF/RHP). The No. 34 ranked prospect in Indiana's 2013 class, Rex, is the top returning bat in Coach Whitehead’s lineup after hitting .417 with six doubles, 4 home runs, and 21 RBI’s. Rex will also anchor the rotation with junior Pierce Hardacker (RHP/SS). Rex was 4-1 with a 3.10 ERA while Hardacker had a 2.63 ERA and three wins. Hardacker, No. 48 in Indiana's 2014 class, is the Panther’s defensive anchor at shortstop, committing only three errors all of last season. 

Marko Adams (RHP/C) and Matt Pauszek (INF) are seniors who hit .317 and .367 respectively in 2012. Both will be asked to step into bigger roles this season. Other top returners include juniors Chris Elbrecht (RHP/OF), John Rulli (INF), and Eric Sutton (OF). 

Park Tudor will look to hold off Speedway, Scecina, and Triton Central as the Panthers defend their Indiana Crossroads Conference title.