BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After eight seasons as DePauw’s head coach, Blake Allen is joining the Indiana baseball coaching staff.

Allen will be an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, an Indiana spokesperson confirmed Monday. Allen posted a 142-139 overall record and guided the Tigers to a 23-17 record in 2024.

Allen replaces Derek Simmons, who spent the last five seasons coaching Indiana hitters and infielders and serving as the third-base coach on game days. He also spent the last three seasons as the program’s recruiting coordinator.

Following the 2024 season, Simmons left Indiana to join the Duke baseball program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Indiana went 33-26-1 and made its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance in head coach Jeff Mercer’s sixth season.

A DePauw University news release stated on July 26 that Allen has announced his resignation effective Aug. 5 with plans to accept another opportunity.

“Blake has been a tremendous mentor to our student-athletes and athletics staff, I thank him for his service and influence on DePauw baseball, our athletics program, and University as a whole,” Stevie Baker-Watson, DePauw’s athletic director, said in the release. “We are grateful for Coach Allen’s leadership of our baseball program and he will forever be a Tiger.”

DePauw, an NCAA Division III program in Greencastle, Ind., won 22 or more games in four seasons under Allen, including a 33-13 run in his first season. Allen coached 32 All-North Coast Athletic Conference players, nine first-team selections, two Newcomer of the Year recipients and one Pitcher of the Year honoree.

Prior to DePauw, Allen was part of the Vanderbilt coaching staff from 2015-16 and 2004-08 as a first base coach, assistant hitting coach, bullpen coach and catching coach. Between Vanderbilt stints, he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Western Kentucky, where he also served as the Hilltoppers’ hitting, pitching and catching coach.

Allen began his coaching career as an assistant baseball coach and football coach from 2001-03. He was an assistant coach for both sports at Franklin College from 2003-04 and served as a recruiting coordinator.

A St. Louis, Mo. native, Allen played outfield for DePauw during the 1996 and 1997 seasons and played defensive back for the football team in 1997. He transferred to Blackburn College and graduated after playing on the baseball and football team. Allen also has a Master of Science degree from Indiana State.

GREENFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Firefighters rescued three workers Monday morning after they became stuck in a narrow manhole and one fell semi-unconscious.

The Sugar Creek Township Fire Department said on social media that their crews, the Hancock County Technical Rescue team, and other fire departments were called to the 2200 block of West Bedrock Lane around 8 a.m. for a confined space rescue.

That street is in a suburban development off County Road North 200 West just north of U.S. 40 in Greenfield.

First responders arrived and found the three workers. Medics lowered an oxygen mask to the semi-conscious worker to stabilize their condition. The workers then climbed out of the manhole with a little help from firefighters on the scene.

One of the workers was taken to the hospital for additional treatment.

It wasn’t clear what the workers were working on or how they got stuck in the manhole.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Our hot and humid pattern continues in central Indiana to start off the work week. Heat index values will be in the upper 90s today. Some wildfire smoke, which is mainly elevated, will create hazy skies at times.

TODAY: A few spots of patchy fog waking up. Mostly sunny skies are expected today along with haze from wildfire smoke. A stray pop-up shower can’t be ruled out, but that chance is pretty low. High temperatures in the low 90s with heat index values in the mid to upper 90s.

TONIGHT: Mostly clear skies remain with patchy fog possible in the early morning hours. Low temperatures in the low 70s.

TOMORROW: Partly cloudy. A chance of showers and storms will be possible later on in the day along a cold front. High temperatures near 90 degrees.

7-DAY FORECAST: Behind the front Wednesday, slightly more comfortable air works mid to late week. Daily highs will still get into the 80s. However, there will be no major chance of rain on the way with plenty of dry days ahead.