Spring sports review 2026: Baseball
Rob Czarniecki, DAC co-Most Valuable Position Player, and Troy Barrett, DAC Most Valuable Pitcher, both were named to the 11-player all-state team.
Tom Keegan
Onwardtrojans.com
Lest anyone doubt what the best high school baseball conference in the state of Indiana is, just check out the 2026 DAC standings, note what school placed fourth and then see the state championship hardware displayed prominently in the school’s trophy case.
That’s right, Lake Central finished fourth in the DAC and won its second state championship in three seasons, pushing the DAC’s hold on the state championship to three consecutive years.
Chesterton, led by seniors Rob Czarniecki (Kentucky) and Troy Barrett (Purdue) swept two games in the DAC season from the eventual state champs and was regular season champion of the state’s best conference.
Barrett was named Most Valuable Pitcher and Czarniecki co-MVP with Crown Point catcher Sean Dunlap.
Barrett and Czarniecki both made the 11-player Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association all-state team.
They also were named Prep Baseball Report first-team all-state and the online publication named Czarniecki the Offensive Player of the Year.
The Trojans finished the year with a 22-7 overall record and went 12-2 in DAC play. Their season ended in the first round of the playoffs with a 3-0 loss to DAC rival Valparaiso.
Final DAC standings: 1. Chesterton, 2 tie. Crown Point and Valparaiso, 4. Lake Central, 5. LaPorte, 6, Portage, 7. Merrillville, 8. Michigan City.
All-DAC
Chesterton: Troy Barrett, Rob Czarniecki, Caden Hackett.
Crown Point: Sean Dunlap, Carson Payne, Conner Gaines, CadenMatusak.
Lake Central: Jacob Forystek, Brayden Walls.
LaPorte: Cody Benedict, CT Rusboldt.
Portage: Hunter Cole.
Merrillville: Trevor Goodwin, Kaleb Henry.
Valparaiso: DJ Malloy, Trent Gill, Lucas Haas, Noah Sena, Cooper Gear.
Most Valuable Pitcher: Troy Barrett.
Most Valuable Position Player: Rob Czarniecki and Sean Dunlap.
Chesterton team awards:
Most Valuable: Troy Barrett and Rob Czarniecki.
Sportsmanship: Ethan Glassman.
Most improved: Eli McClelland.
Mental attitude: Lucas DeVore.
IHSBA All-State:
Pitchers: Troy Barrett (Chesterton), Gannon Grant (Center Grove).
Catcher: Sean Dunlap (Crown Point).
First base: Luke Arnett (Bloomington South), Aaron Humphrey (Evansville).
Second base: Donovan Craig (Munster).
Third base: Jake Winger (McCutcheon).
Shortstop: Braxton Cline (Goshen).
Outfield: Rob Czarniecki (Chesterton), Hudson Stewart (Center Grove), Mason Meyer (FW Mt. Vernon).