Bevier keeps hitting through pain

ELKHART — The left ankle pain is still there for Elkhart Christian senior baseball player LJ Bevier.

“It’s not 100-percent now and I don’t know when it’s going to be 100-percent,” said an honest Bevier, who injured his ankle in a boys basketball sectional game in early March. “It was a pretty bad sprain. The ankle feels 80-percent healthy on a good day.”

Despite the injury, Bevier is having plenty of good days this year as a high school baseball player.

He’s batting an amazing .688 with 11 RBIs, while batting third in the lineup. He’s also hit three doubles, one triple and stolen two bases.

But Bevier admits it hasn’t been an easy season.

“The beginning of the year was stressful and not like any other season,” Bevier said. “With the basketball team having a semi-state run, I missed pre-season practices and official practices. I was no where near baseball ready or game ready.

In addition, I sprained my ankle and I wasn’t 100-percent physically for baseball. It was a bit of struggle for me at the beginning of the year. It took extra hours for me to get back to and above to where I wanted to be.”

Expectations on the diamond were going to be high for Bevier as a senior because of what he had done in past seasons. He had batted .410, .452 and .286 and been a three-year starter at shortstop, while batting second and leadoff. Bevier also totaled 16 extra base hits and had stolen 42 bases.

“LJ has been an anchor at the shortstop position for us,” said Elkhart Christian baseball coach Shawn Baker. “LJ has natural athletic ability and is such a joy to watch on the field because of his knowledge of the game, his natural skills and his fantastic personality.

“He’s been a strong player for us and teams notice him when we play. I expect him to lead our team and have similar or greater success like in past seasons for us.”

Individually, Bevier is striving for consistency.

“Last year and also as a sophomore I got off to hot starts and batted over .500,” Bevier said. “That average dipped towards the end of the year and I batted in the .400’s. I’d like to see how high I can keep my average the rest of this year. I would like to sustain a high batting average. It’s going to be hard, but I’ll see what I can do.”

It has been more gratifying for Bevier to see the program improve throughout his four years. The Eagles won only six games and lost 27 over his first two years. The team improved greatly last year, as ECA ended up 9-9.

“I would say overall it has been fun to see where the program has gone,” Bevier said. “When I was a freshman it was probably one of the worst seasons ECA has ever had. It was my worst season in high school baseball. The next year was pretty much the same. Last year we finished .500 and we had guys go play college baseball. It has been amazing to see the upward climb and be a part of it. Hopefully, things continue to trend upwards this season.”

Bevier also was a key part of an upward climb in the boys basketball program. He averaged 8.3 points a game for a team that finished 17-10 and won Class 1A sectional and regional titles. It was the first regional championship for the program and the third sectional title, with the last one coming in 2020. The 17 wins were the most since the 2017-18 season when the Eagles finished 19-7.

But the end of the basketball season was difficult for Bevier because of the ankle injury. It forced Bevier to sit out the Eagles’ dramatic 58-57 Class 1A regional championship win over Tri-County.

“It was a huge injury,” he said. “I wasn’t able to push through and play (at the regional). That was difficult for me. I just had to trust my teammates, coaches and God. I was thankful that my teammates rallied around me. I was so happy to see them win the regional. I was cheering my heart out for sure.

“Looking back at the whole basketball season, it was pretty unbelievable. We had a tight knit and connected group and we were on a mission. It’s cool to be a part of a school that I had gone to most of my life and be part of history. We’ll be remembered for awhile.”

Bevier was a a three-sport athlete at ECA, as he was also a four-year starter on the soccer team. He played center-back middle defender.

“Soccer as a kid was my favorite sport, more than baseball,” he said. “As I got older I liked baseball more. After I was adopted when I was six, my dad (Sean Bevier) taught me the sport. My older brother (Josh Bevier) also helped me with the sport. He’s an assistant coach on the baseball team.”

LJ, who owns a 3.8 grade-point average, is looking to major in business and sports management in college and be an athlete.

“I’m looking into playing baseball in college,” he said.

Before his college career begins, LJ wants to end a baseball drought at ECA.

“In my time at Elkhart Christian we haven’t won one sectional game,” LJ said. “I want to see us win a game this year.”