Bulldogs finish regular season with 11-0 shut-out of KV

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

5-23-2012

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
KANKAKE VALLEY (15-13)	0	0	0	0	0	-	-	0	1	2
CROWN POINT (26-4)	0	2	9	0	-	-	-	11	11	0

Monday, 5-21-2012 - 62 degrees & sunny, Nonconference game in CROWN POINT, IN

WP - Jake Lindeman (8-1) 1K, 1 walk (2 inn.)
LP - Steve Gonzveld (0-1) 0K 3 walks (2.3 inn.)

Kankakee Valley (15-13)
Zach DeFries (CF) 0-for-2
Josh Monk (2B) 0-for-2
Jake Wright (LF) 1-for-2
Kevin Cooper (DH) 0-for-1, walk
David Cooper (1B) 0-for-1
Matt Myers (3B) 0-for-1
Steve Gonzveld (P) 0-for-1
Josh Sizemore (SS) 0-for-1
Tim Hillers (RF) 0-for-1

CROWN POINT (26-4)
Zach Plesac (S) 12-for-4, triple, RBI
Brett Bayer (2B) 1-for-2, double, RBI, walk
Jake Lindeman (P) 1-for-2, walk, RBI
Joe Hopman (CF) 0-for-2, sac bunt
Ronnie Plesac (1B) 2-for-2, walk
Bobby Morgan (C) 1-for-2, 2 RBIs
Alex Nickla (3B) 2-for-2, 2 RBIs
Johnny Lynk (DH) 2-for-2, 2 RBIs
Jake Jenks (RF) 0-for-2

CROWN POINT (5-21-2012) It wasn't much of a game and on the final day of the schedule, it didn't figure to be. Crown Point stayed at school after their five-inning 11-0 victory over Kankakee Valley, to get in a short practice and focus on the upcoming playoffs, which begin Wednesday night.

There's no way to know how Crown Point will do in sectional play at Merrillville, which was to begin last night (Wednesday with a game against Michigan City.
But this regular season is something to be proud of. The Bulldogs (26-4) win Monday night was their 12th in a row. Pretty good for a team that's been without its top left-handed pitcher (Ronnie Plesac) all season and has played the last 15 games without its starting center fielder.

"Even without the injuries," said CP coach Steve Strayer, "I'd be happy with a 26-4 record. It's great that we have a few guys back. Ronnie is back (as a hitter and first baseman) and Johnny Lynk is back. This was his first game tonight."

"I thought we'd come out a little flat tonight since we won that tournament (at Benton Central) Saturday. We played very well and it was a long day. I thought we'd be flat, but we weren't."

Crown Point scored twice in the second inning against KV left-hander Steve Gonzveld. Alex Nickla had an RBI single and he later scored on a KV error. KV had defensive problems in the third inning. With the bases loaded and one out, CP's Bobby Morgan lined a two-run single to left to make it 4-0. Nickla then hit the first pitch from relief pitcher Matt Berdine for an RBI single and Lynk followed with a two-run hit to make it 7-0.

After Jake Jenks flied out for the second out, Zach Plesac, Brett Bayer and Jake Lindeman all hit long slicing drives to right field. On each ball, KV right fielder Tim Hillers, who coach Doug Greenlee later explained usually plays in left field, lost the ball in the wind and the sunset (the game began at 6 p.m.). While Hillers might have caught one or two of those hits on a cloudy, wind-less day, this was not that day and all three drives fell for extra base hits, giving CP had its 11-0 advantage.

Greenlee is getting his side ready for the 3A Sectional Wednesday and Saturday.

"We're going to have to play better defense than we did tonight," said Greenlee after the game. "We played everybody tonight. We threw two freshman. We just wanted to get a game in. A game is better than practice at this point."

"We played six games last week but at this time of the year, two practices in a row is like taking two weeks off. One day off is enough. We wanted to play a game tonight and it's better for us, no matter how we looked."

Kankakee Valley hosts the six-team 3A Sectional 18 this week and while 3A No. 2 Andrean (24-3) is the favorite, you don't overlook the host school.

"We got a good draw," Greenlee said. "We play Knox (in the quarterfinals) and we beat them 9-2 when we played them. But it was 2-0 in the sixth inning. Then, we'd play Hanover (who drew Calumet in the other quarterfinal). We lost to them 11-6 when we played them last Thursday. It was 6-6 in the seventh and a double play ground ball hit a rock in the infield and jumped over the shortstop's head. That opened the flood gates and they won."

The Bulldogs completed the road season on Saturday with two wins at the Benton Central Invitational. Jake Lindeman and Jake Jenks hit home runs in a 15-4 win over Benton Central in the championship of the four-team playoff. Joe Hopman and Bobby Morgan each had two doubles. CP topped Western 8-4 in the semifinals as freshman Noah Burkholder got the victory and catcher Bobby Morgan was 3-for-4.

DOG NOTES: Senior center fielder Kevin Brunski won't be back this season and will require knee surgery. Brunski was hurt against Lake Central on May 4. Junior first baseman Johnny Lynk is back after missing 10 games after a collision with catcher Bobby Morgan.

"We're trying to be careful with Johnny," said coach Steve Strayer. "He's still a little fragile. So we're still pinch-hitting and DH-ing him. Ronnie (Plesac) can dive and do anything. He just can't throw the ball."

Crown Point's 26-4 record assures the fourth best in the school history. The Bulldogs were 29-3-1 in 2007, 30-3 in 2009 and 27-5 in 2010. CP has never won more than 30 games or lost fewer than three.

Kankakee Valley coach Doug Greenlee says that it's a bigger advantage to play the sectional at home for his school this week than it would be for most others because there aren't any 3A schools near KV. Other than Lowell and Rensselaer, there aren't any schools near KV period.

"We're 15-13 and we've been tested," he said. "We've been a better road team this year, but it's an advantage not to get on the bus. Think about our trips. When Munster or Highland comes to KV they say, "Wow, that's a long drive. Well, every one of our trips is like that. So it's a big edge for us to be at home."

2012 CROWN POINT (26-4)
Coach Steve Strayer (10th season)
21-12 (2011), 27-5 (2010), 30-3 (2009), 29-6-2 (2008), 29-3 (2007)

3/27 (W) 16-5 (5 inn.) at Warsaw (15-13)
3/31 (W) 10-0 (5 inn.) Elkhart Memorial (10-19)
4/2 (W) 9-5 at Hanover Central (17-10)
4/3 (W) 10-0 (5 inn.) at Lowell (9-17)
4/5 (W) 3-2 Munster (14-13)

4/6 (W) 4-2 Griffith (14-14)
4/10 (W) 4-2 Chesterton (14-12)
4/12 (L) 5-12 Lake Central (25-1)
4/14 (L) 4-11 at (SB) Clay
4/14 (W) 10-0 (5 inn.) at Mishawaka (15-13)
4/16 (W) 10-1 at Portage (22-6)
4/18 (W) 5-1 MERRILLVILLE (5-20)
4/20 (W) 6-4 LaPORTE (11-18)
4/21 (W) 5-1 Bishop Noll (20-6)
4/24 (W) 9-3 at MICHIGAN CITY (11-10)
4/26 (W) 7-4 VALPARAISO (17-11)
4/28 (Rain) Indianapolis Cathedral (22-4)

5/2 (L) 1-10 LAKE CENTRAL (25-1)
5/3 (L) 6-7 PORTAGE (22-6)

Plymouth Invitational
5/5 (W) 3-2 Carroll (21-7)
5/5 (W) 14-2 Plymouth (12-14)

5/ 8 (W) 6-5 at MERRILLVILLE (5-20)
5/9 (W) 3-2 Chesterton (14-12)
5/10 (W) 11-1 (6 inn.) at LaPORTE (11-18)

County Line Classic
5/11 (W) 9-8 Boone Grove (15-12)

5/14 (W) 7-6 Washington Township (21-5)
5/15 (W) 15-9 MICHIGAN CITY (14-12)
5/17 (W) 6-1 at VALPARAISO (17-11)

Benton Central Invitational
5-19 (W) 8-4 Western (18-9)
5-19 (W) 15-6 Benton Central (14-12)
5/21 (W) 11-10 (6 inn.) Kankakee Valley (15-13)

MERRRILLVILLE (4A) Sectional
5-23 (W) Michigan City - 7 p.m.
5-24 (Thu) quarterfinals - 5 p.m.
5-26 (Sat) semifinals (TBA)
5-28 (M) championship game (TBA)

CLASS 4A Sectional 2
QUARTERFINALS at MERRILLVILLE
5-23 (W) Chesterton vs. Valparaiso (16-11) 4:30 p.m.
5-23 (W) Michigan City (15-13) vs. CROWN POINT (26-4)
5-23 (Thurs) Portage (22-6) vs. MERRILLVILLE (5-20) 4:30 p.m.
5-23 (Thurs) Hobart (21-7) vs. LaPorte (11-18)

SEMIFINALS
5-25 (F) semifinal game two - 4;30 p.m.
5-25 (F) semifinal game two - 6:30 p.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP
5-28 (Mon) 11 a.m.