Knights program flourishes under Hall of Fame coach

Written by
SAM KING
A trip inside the gates of Central Catholic's Gordon Leming Field provides several instant attention grabbers.

The beautiful green grass. The perfectly manicured infield. The introductory sign that boasts five state championship teams and the poster print photos of each one hanging on the fence. The sign hanging on the press box glorifying the program's 10 Indiana All-Stars.

Ask anyone affiliated with the Central Catholic Knights baseball family and they'll tell you the reason for it all stems back to head coach Tim Bordenet.

"I honestly can not say one person loves baseball more than Coach Bordenet," said senior Austin Munn, who has been a part of three of those state championship teams.

But it's more than just loving baseball. Bordenet loves the kids. He loves the school. He loves teaching. He may not love cutting the grass or pulling weeds, but he believes his players deserve to play at a great facility.

Bordenet's dedication to the school where he was once a star shortstop and the success that derived from it are not overlooked.

In January, Bordenet, a 1987 Central Catholic graduate and CC's first Indiana All-Star baseball player, was inducted into the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

In the eyes of those who know him best, the honor was overdue.

"Not one person in the United States is more deserving than that man," said Collin Armold, who pitched CC to the program's first state championship in 2004. "That's not just me saying that because I love CC. It's me saying that because I see what he does on and off the field. He literally eats, sleeps, breathes and lives Central Catholic and the baseball program. He is 100 percent deserving of whatever he gets from baseball."

Bordenet was an Indiana All-Star in 1987 and coached another in Dave Peccia in 1993. No CC player earned Indiana All-Star honors again until Bordenet's second stint as CC coach. In 2001, Eric Anthrop broke that streak and became the second of nine Knights to be recognized for the honor under Bordenet.
Since Armold's selection in 2005, a CC player has been on the team each season.

"He knows a lot about this sport and I am happy I am learning from him," said CC junior third baseman Andrew Hubertz. "It means a lot to this team and this school just to have him around."

After Bordenet graduated, he went to play at the University of Evansville. There he was a member of an NCAA Regional team led by Major League Baseball's No. 1 overall draft pick in 1988, pitcher Andy Benes.

But Bordenet dreamt of playing for Purdue and transferred back home after one season with the Purple Aces.

The move turned out well for him.

As a senior in college, he took over CC's baseball program and led the Knights to their first sectional title in 1991. CC prevailed in a loaded one-class Lafayette Sectional field that featured three ranked teams.

"That kind of was a turning point for me that maybe this is something I needed to continue to pursue," Bordenet said.

He coached CC from 1991-93, then served as the head coach at Muncie Central for two seasons. After assistant coaching stints at South Dearborn and Benton Central, Bordenet came back to his alma mater. Six years ago, he left a teaching position at Benton Central and became CC's athletic director.

CC made appearances at state from 2002-04, finally winning the program's first state title in '04. The Knights won championships again in 2007, '09, '10 and '11.

The Knights are trying to become the first team to win four consecutive state baseball titles. Jasper won three straight from 1996-98 and won again in 2000. CC became the second school to win four titles in five years last year.

"I'm real fortunate to have great assistant coaches all these years and the players bought into the program," said Bordenet, who is 357-149 after Tuesday's win over Western. "When you have players buy into the program, even if they're not that talented, good things can happen.

"This place is very special to me. Central Catholic has been inbred in my blood. I just wanted to give back to the program, give back to the school and make the baseball program special for all the kids to have a chance to partake in it."

Bordenet has no plans to leave again.

"My heart has always been Central Catholic," he said. "This is a special place for me and my family. My wife is from here as well. There's sometimes, there's been other opportunities, but the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

"We've got a great thing going here. As long as I can contribute and be a part of it and our kids are enjoying it, this is a great place to be."