CROWN POINT (7-31-2004) - The rain-delayed match up of the top four American Legion teams in the top third of Indiana was not a disappointment on Saturday. But tentatively, we have a No. 1 team. Plymouth Post 27 took advantage of Crown Point's mistakes and Hammond's bullpen to move into a commanding position in the 2004 Crown Point American Legion Regional.

The Marshall County team led all the way to shut down CP 5-2 and took advantage of an injury to Hammond pitcher John Babinski to haul out the big bats on Hammond 11-2 in two rounds of tournament play Saturday (July 31).

After rain washed out the first round games Friday, four games were slated for Saturday. Plymouth beat CP and Hammond Post 168 stopped Bristol Post 143 by a 2-0 score under cloudy morning skies before Plymouth blasted Post 168, 11-2 under the afternoon sun. CP scored five runs in the first inning to get started in a 10-6 win over Bristol, eliminating Post 143.

Hammond was jolted when star pitcher John Babinski was hit with a batted ball and had to leave Saturday's game against the hard-hitting Plymouth team, a 2003 state finalist. Plymouth took a 2-0 lead on a home run by Bowling Green freshman Josh Dietz, a Plymouth high grad, and Hammond could not get their usually potent offense going.

“He's a North-South all-star,” said Plymouth coach Dean Colvin. “We'd played them twice and beaten them twice but they were both high-scoring games. I didn't think we hit very well in this game but we played well defensively."

Hammond coach Dean Toth said he didn't waste any time figuring whether to throw Bokowy first on Saturday and Babinski, the all-area star from Lake Central second.

“We were pretty much going with Brian no matter who won the first game. Once he settled in, they couldn't touch him.”

Hammond has dominated most games this season with their bats but Toth knew those days were over.

“I think the boys are understanding that when you get out of your sectional in the American Legion season, the quality of play goes up dramatically. There's quite a jump between the sectional and regional and there would be another jump between the regional and the finals.”

The level of play was the feature all day. CP was sub-par defensively in the first half of the first game but all four teams were strong defensively after that. CP made two errors in the must-win night game against Bristol but they had no effect on the outcome.

“Winning is fun,” said CP second baseman Matt Long, who made a leaping catch to go with several routine plays. “After those five runs in the first inning, it was a lot easier.”

Schultz, who is CP's most experienced pitcher, was held for the second game of the day and he said he understood.

“It's easy when you get early runs. That's the position I want to be in. Tony (Manager Tony Samano) said, “I want you to start the first game because you're our number one but I want to throw 'Bear' (Steve Walsh) there and if you pitch the second game, that could send us to state. “

Schultz, a 6-3 right-hander who is headed for Wabash College, said he realized that Samano might turn to him if the Hammond game was close in the ninth inning.

“He might look at me in the second inning,” joked Schultz. “And I'll go out there. If I threw 141 pitches, I could go out there tomorrow (Sunday) and throw another 100.”

Crown Point rolled up 16 hits against Bristol, which used four pitchers. Center fielder Jake Pierce, who was a batting .296 at the start of the day, had four hits. Andrean grad and Valparaiso University recruit Ryne Pishkur (.410) was 3-for-5. Right fielder Dave Dickerson was 2-for-5 against Bristol, giving him a team-leading 42 hits in 103 at-bats on the season.

REGIONAL NOTES: There was not likely to be a winner-take-all regional title game Monday. No matter who won the CP-Hammond game, Plymouth was to face them late Sunday. If Plymouth won that game, they would be regional champs. If CP or Hammond defeated Munster, that would likely end the tournament. With both teams then advancing and both teams with one loss, it would be foolish to play a meaningless Monday night game three days before the state finals.

Oddly, radio station WJOB (1230) was carrying syndicated filler programming while Munster's Bokowy was no-hitting Bristol early Saturday afternoon. The Hammond station chose not to carry Hammond Post 168's playoff games.

Plymouth brought the largest fan following as Post 27's team showed up in a rented bus while fans stayed overnight in Merrillville.

July 30, 2004

CP – Plymouth (rain)

Hammond – Bristol (rain)

July 31, 2004

Plymouth (27) 5, Crown Point (20) 2

Hammond (168) 2, Bristol (143) 0

Plymouth (27) 11, Hammond (168) 2

Crown Point (20) 10, Bristol (143) 6

August 1, 2004

Crown Point (25-11) vs. Hammond (25-7) 12 noon

Plymouth (24-8) vs. Hammond or CP – 4 p.m. (title)

July 31, 2004 - 82 degrees at Teagle Field – CP