31st Porter County Conference (PCC) Baseball Tournament

Quarterfinals at South Central, 5-20-2006
5-20 (S) Kouts (8-8)  vs. Hebron (7-11)  9 a.m.
5-20 (S) Washington Twp. (14-6)  vs.  HANOVER CENTRAL  (9-7)
5-20 (S) Morgan Township  vs. LaCrosse (11-8)
5-20 (S) South Central (8-12) vs. BOONE GROVE (16-3)
NOTE: Tentative starting times after the first game are 11a.m., 1 p.m and 3 p.m. but the actual first pitch may be much later than that. 

5-22-6  (M) Semifinals games at Washington Township and (TBA)  4:30 p.m.
5-24-6  (W) PCC Championship game at South Central - 4:30 p.m.

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UNION MILLS -   The season started with Boone Grove as the favorite, but Washington Township has stepped up and even Hanover Central appears to have a real chance as the 31st Porter Country Conference (PCC) baseball tournament gets ready to begin.  Unlike any other sports tournament in NW Indiana, the PCC baseball tournament begins at one site and then spreads out for the semifinals and then heads back to South Central for the midweek championship game.

When Washington beat Boone 7-3 two weeks ago, it signaled that a challenger had arisen for Boone's PCC crown.  The Wolves, rated No.1 in Class 2A at one point, have not had any losing streaks.  It's just that the league is tougher than anticipated this season.  The wild card is Hebron, which can score 10 runs in any game and give up 10 to almost anybody.  In the small South Central ballpark, Hebron could bomb almost anybody on the right day.  Washington and Boone clearly have top teams while LaCrosse and Hanover Central have stayed above the .500 mark, making predicting the always wild opening round, four-game quarterfinal Saturday a risky proposition at best.

 

Washington Township (14-6)

VALPARAISO -  The good news for Washington Township is that they've won the PCC regular season for the first time ever. The bad news is that makes you about as special as anyone who's phone records have been traced by the US government.  The PCC tournament decides who is champion and Washington drew improving Hanover Central in the quarterfinals Saturday.

Washington is not that big a surprise.  They returned every pitcher off a 12-14 team including Carl Chambers (4-0, 2.04  ERA) and Dan Giangiullo (3-3) and Sam Curry (4-3).  Giangiullo (23-39, .590) is having his best year.  The Senators beat Hanover 14-2 last month with Chambers on the mound and there's not much doubt the Wildcats will see him again.  Chambers struck out 14 against LaCrosse on April 25.  With Curry coming out of the bullpen, this has been a pitching rich team that will gain advantages as the tournament goes on.

It is not an advantage for good pitchers to play in South Central's small park which is only 291 feet down the right field line.  But with the semifinals played on Washington's classic old-school sunken wooden ballpark 1/2 mile east of US 49, this could be the Senators' year.

 

Boone Grove (16-3)

PORTER TOWNSHIP -  Boone is the uncrowned king of Northwest Indiana small school baseball and just because Washington Township defeated them during the PCC's round robin play, that does not make anyone else the favorite next week.  Boone, which has won eight PCC tournamnet titlles, lines up pitchers Kyle Ferber (4-1), and Ryan Cupp (5-0) to take on all comers.  David Diaz (2-1) struck out 12 last week in the 15-5 win over Morton.  No one has scored more than seven runs against Boone in any of the first 19 games this season.

Since the extra-inning 7-3 loss to Washington Township in April, Boone has won four in a row including a 15-5 win over Morton.  The losses are to Washington Township (14-6), arch-rival Hebron (7-11) and Merrillville (17-3).  The Wolves are 4-1 against Class 4A competition and 3-0 against 3As, which indicates that this is one of Boone's best teams.  The Wolves have scored 10 runs or more eight times and they are the 'big dog' in the yard.  Boone, a 19-time regular season champion of this league, always feels they should always win the PCC tournament.

 

Hanover Central (9-7)

CEDAR LAKE -   Hanover could lose the first game or they could win it all and there's no predicting what the Cats will do.  The team has been sparked since new coach Al Myszkowski put sophomores Andrew DeYoung and Brian Jager 1-2 in the batting order.  But it will all come down to a senior core that includes double play combo Todd Sheehy (SS) and Mark Myszkowski (2B), infield twin bookends Jon and Jake Kint and all-purpose player Brent DeMateo.  DeMateo carries the heaviest burden because he'll probably go head-to-head with Washington's undefeated Carl Chambers Saturday morning.

Get them past that quarterfinal and HC junior Joe Angone (3-3) is stronger than anybody Kouts or Hebron would have in the semifinals.  HC may have the toughest road to the finals title and the trick number one will be maintaining confidence and composure if they fall behind.

HC is the Cubs.  They have not won this tournament in 30 years and it would be very big local baseball news if they even come close.