Sunday, 6-29-2008  -  72 degrees, American Legion at Teagle Field, CROWN POINT, IN

WP - Mike Hernandez (4-1) CG, 12 Ks, 4 walks
LP - Micah Raebel (1-1) 3K, 1 walk (4 innings)

LOWELL 101 (4-5) starters
Micah Raebel (P) 1-for-2, HBP, walk
Kale Popp (RF) 0-for-4
Tony Celebucki (CF) 2-for-3, 2 RBIs, walk, stolen base
Derek Brandenburg (2B) 2-for-4, triple
Nick Bolda (3B) 1-for-4, RBI
Craig Austgen (SS) 1-for-3, double
Evan Ensweiler (C) 0-for-2, walk
Matt Milcarek (1B) 1-for-2 walk
James Frasure (LF) 0-for-3

CROWN POINT (8-9)
David Heath (2B) 0-for-3
Kyle Bacon (CF) 1-for-3, HR, RBI
Jeremy Kooi (RF) 1-for-3
Andrew Schrum (CF) 1-for-3
Bobby Anderson (C) 3-for-3, triple, double
Evan Nikrin (LF) 1-for-3, HR, RBI
Mike Hernandez (P) 0-for-1, sac bunt
Matt Zurbriggen (C) 1-for-2, Sac Fly, double, RBI
Eric Clayton (SS) 0-for-2, walk

Click Here for 2008 Crown Point Post 20 Schedule

CROWN POINT (6-29-2008) - When Crown Point Post 20 and Lowell Post 101 began the American Legion summer baseball season, it wasn't a match up anyone was looking forward to.  Both teams were short-handed, had boys playing out of position and lacked more than a little intensity.  But Sunday's 5-4 CP win over Lowell highlighted that time-honored six-word American Legion baseball phrase: These teams are pretty good "if everybody shows up every game".

Lowell (4-5), with nearly a complete roster, looked nearly the equal of CP (8-9), which also fielded a semi-complete first string.

"We gave them too many runs early," said Lowell manager Steve Harker.  "I thought that Craig (relief pitcher Craig Austgen) came in and shut them down and gave us a chance to win."

Post 101 was unlucky to face a Crown Point Post 20 team that was near full strength.  CP center fielder Kyle Bacon, who missed Friday's 11-5 win over Hobart Post 54 and  Saturday's CP double-header split with Osceola Post 308, showed up for Sunday's game and hit a third inning homer off Post 101 starter Micah Raebel of Kankakee Valley.  Post 20 also regained the services of Crown Point high school shortstop Eric Clayton, who anchored the infield behind high school all-area right-hander Mike Hernandez (4-1), who struck out 12.

"I don't want to make excuses," said CP manager Larry Samano, talking about his team's five-game week where they rallied to go 3-2.  "But when we came back from Terre Haute (the weekend of June 20-22) we were just dragging Monday night when we lost to the (Post 20) 'B' team.  Our game with Plymouth was rained out Wednesday and, looking back, that was good for us.  We played a nice game and won Friday.  We split Saturday even though we only had 10 players and we won today.  We aren't good enough to win when four or five guys don't show up.  We used to be, but not this year."

The difference between Lowell and CP is probably Hernandez, the CPHS grad who went 6-1 with a 3.40 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 67 innings for the Bulldogs' regional championship team.  The 6-foot-2 righty was dominant early, but Lowell collected four hits in the sixth inning to close the gap.  Post 101 center fielder Tony Celebucki's RBI single in the seventh cut the lead to 5-4 before Hernandez, who threw 118 pitches, got Derek Brandenburg to ground out and Nick Bolda to strike out to end the game.

In the sixth, Brandenburg drilled a one-out, 375-foot triple to left center and scored on Nick Bolda' single to center.  Lowell high school junior Craig Austgen doubled to the left field fence, but Bolda had to hold at third base.

With Evan Ensweiler batting, Hernandez tossed a wild pitch, but CP catcher Matt Zurbriggen ran to the screen, which is only about 10 feet away and beat Bolda to home plate as the Lowell runner charged up the line.  The play cost Lowell dearly as Ensweiler then walked and Matt Milcarek singled in a run to make it 5-3.

"We did have some base running issues," said Harker, who watched a fourth inning hit-and-run backfire when Hernandez picked Brandenburg off first base.  "I'm glad we got to see Hernandez.  I thought we got to him late in the game.  The more we see him the better it is for us and I'm sure unless they draw Hammond to start the sectional, we'll see him again."

Raebel didn't have a strong outing Sunday, but only three of Crown Point's runs were earned.  With Raebel, Brandenburg, Nick Bolda and Kale Popp, Post 101 has enough pitching to win a double-elimination four-team sectional.

The first time Post 20 faced Post 101, Hernandez struck out 16 in a 4-0 shutout.  The Red Devils can believe they are gaining on CP especially, since Lowell had to play without Kankakee Valley's Chris Cooper Sunday.  Cooper had batted clean-up in wins over Whiting and Cedar Lake.

"He's probably our best hitter," said Harker.  "We could have used him.  But we haven't played many games yet.  We've got a lot of games to make up in the last couple of weeks.  I don't know if we'll be able to make them all up."

Post 101 is taking a week off in line with the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) moratorium which does not allow any high school coach to have contact with a high school athlete for one week in the summer.  Lowell manager Harker and assistant coach John Becker are both Lowell high teachers.  They would not have been able to coach this week and, because of that, Post 101 simply scheduled no games this week.  They return to action Monday night against Post 20's 'B' team at Teagle Field in Crown Point.

LEGION NOTES:  Those of you who are familiar with American Legion baseball understand that schedules and sectional alignments change frequently.  Apparently, Cedar Lake Post 261 and Lowell Post 101 are not in the same sectional as had been reported here before.

"Cedar Lake uses Morton as its base school," explained CP Post 20 manager Larry Samano Sunday.  "So they are in the same sectional with Highland, Whiting and East Chicago.  Our sectional has Lowell, Hammond and Hobart."

Hammond heads south for the playoffs for the same reason Cedar Lake heads north.  Hammond Post 168 cites Lake Central as its base team.  More than 75% of the roster of Hammond's 19-and-under and 17-and-under teams, are from Lake Central.

Post 20's Morgan Drazer, who is 3-2 for Post 20, is pitching with a cast on his left arm covering a broken bone.  The right-hander, who will be a senior at Kouts this fall, was 7-5 with 67 strikeouts in 65 innings for the Mustangs last spring.  While Drazer can pitch for Post 20, he can't bat, which hurts Post 20.  Drazer batted .471 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs in 30 high school spring games.

2008 Lowell Post 101 (4-5)
American Legion 1st District at Lowell high school
6-3 (W)  10-0 (5 innings) CROWN POINT (B)
6-4 (Postponed) East Chicago (269) 
6-8   (L) 6-8 at CEDAR LAKE Post 261
6-10 (L) 8-12 Hammond (168-B)
6-13 (L) 0-10 at Hammond (168)
6-17 (L) 0-4 CROWN POINT (20)
6-20 (W) 5-3 Whiting Post (80)

6-22 (W) 10-1 Cedar Lake (261)
6-24 (W) 6-1 Highland (180)
6-25 (wet grounds) at Valparaiso (94)
6-29 (L) 4-5 at CROWN POINT-20 (8-9)

7-7 (M) at CROWN POINT (20) B - 6 p.m.
7-8 (Tu) Valparaiso (94) 6:00 p.m.
7-9 (W) at Hobart (54) 6:00 p.m.
7-10 (Th) Hobart (54) 6:00 p.m.
7-12 (Sat) East Chicago (369) 2 games - 3:00 p.m.
7-14 (M) at Highland (180)  6:00 p.m.
7-15 (Tu) at Whiting (80) 6:00 p.m.

Crown Point (20) Sectional
Double-elimination at Teagle Field with Hobart (54), Hammond (168), Lowell (101), and CP (20) 
7-24 (Th) 2 first round games - 5 p.m.
7-26 (Sat) 3 games: 1st round winners, losers and 3rd round elimination
7-27 (Sun) Championship round - 12 noon

Plymouth (27) Regional
Double-elimination at Bill Nixon Field with sectional winners from CP, East Chicago, Valpo and Plymouth
8-1 (F) 2 first round games  - 5 p.m.
8-2 (Sat) 3 games: 1st round winners, losers and 3rd round elimination
8-3 (Sun) Championship round - 12 noon

2008 American Legion State Finals
4 teams - double-elimination at Bill Nixon Field - Plymouth
8-8 (F) 1st round games (TBA)
8-9 (Sat) 1st round winners, losers and 3rd round elimination
8-10 (Sun) Championship round

CROWN POINT-20 A (8-9)
Manager Larry Samano  - 2nd year
6-3 (L) 2-7 Highland-180
6-6 (W) 3-1 Hobart-54
6-10 (W) 3-1 Kouts-301
6-11 (W) 22-0 (5-innings) at East Chicago-369
6-12 (L) 1-12 (5-innings) at Hammond-168
6-13 (Fri) at Whiting-80
6-14 (L) 4-6 at Cedar Lake-261
6-17 (W) 4-0 at Lowell-101

Terre Haute Invitational
6-19 (L) 0-6 Terre Haute (346)
6-20 (L) 1-11 Bristol (143)
6-21 (L) 2-5 Lafayette (11)
6-22 (W) 3-2 Evansville (246)
6-22 (L) 0-11 Bristol (143) 3rd place

6-23 (L) CP-20-B 6,  CP-20-A 2
6-25 (wet grounds) Plymouth-27
6-27 (W) 11-5 Hobart-54
6-28 (L)  1-12 (5 innings) Osceola-308
6-28 (W) 16-10 Osceola-308

6-29 (W) 5-4 Lowell-101
6-30 (M) East Chicago-369 - 5:30 p.m.
7-2 (W) Kouts-301 - 8:00 p.m.
7-3 (Th) at Highland-180 - 6:00 p.m.

7-6 (Sun) Angola-423 - 1 p.m. (2 games)
7-8 (Tu) Hammond-168 - 6:00 p.m.
7-10 (Th) Cedar Lake-261 - 6:00 p.m.
7-11 (F) Whiting-80 - 8:00 p.m.
7-12 (Sat) at Lafayette-11 - 1:00 p.m. (2 games)
7-14 (M) at Hammond-168-B - 6:00 p.m.
7-16 (W) at Plymouth-27 - 6:00 p.m.
7-19 (Sat) Kokomo-6 - 11:00 a.m. (2 games)

Crown Point (20) Sectional
with Cedar Lake (261), Hammond (168), Lowell (101) double-elimination at Teagle Field
7-23 (W) CP Sectional - TBA
7-24 (Th) CP Sectional - TBA
7-25 (F) CP Sectional - TBA
7-26 (Sat) CP Sectional - TBA

Plymouth (27) Regional
4 teams - double-elimination at Bill Nixon Field - Plymouth
8-1 (F) 1st round games (TBA)
8-2 (Sat) three 2nd round games (TBA)
8-3 (Sun) Championship round

2008 American Legion State Finals
4 teams - double-elimination at Bill Nixon Field - Plymouth
8-8 (F) 1st round games (TBA)
8-9 (Sat) three 2nd round games (TBA)
8-10 (Sun) Championship round