Bulldogs edge Mustangs 3-2 in first big test of 2012 season

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

4-07-2012

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
MUNSTER (4-3)	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	4	0
CROWN POINT (5-0)	0	0	0	3	0	0	-	3	5	0

Thursday, 4-5-2012 - 49 degrees, sunny & windy at CROWN POINT, IN

WP - Zach Plesac (2-0) 11 Ks, 1 walk (5 inn.)
SAVE: David Kepshire (1/3 inn.) 1K, 0 walk
LP - Scott Crilly (1-1) CG, 4K, 2 walks

MUNSTER (4-3)
Craig Dedelow (2B) 1-for-4
Colin Mudroncik (C) 0-for-2, walk
Chris Slivka (LF) 0-for-2, walk
Scott Jerge (DH) 0-for-43
Mike Mueller (3B) 1-for-3
Scott Crilly (P) 0-for-2, walk
Alex Del Rio (RF) 2-for-3, RBI
Tyler Cole (1B) 0-for-3
Christian Catania (CF) 0-for-2, walk, RBI

CROWN POINT (5-0)
Jake Lindeman (2B-1B) 0-for-3
Kevin Brunski (CF) 1-for-3
Zach Plesac (P-3B) 0-for-3
Jake Jatis (DH) 2-for-3
Joe Hopman (LF) 1-for-2, walk
Brett Bayer (SS) 0-for-1, sac bunt, walk
Bobby Morgan (CP) 1-for-3, triple, 2 RBIs
Jake Carey (1B) 0-for-1, HBP, RBI
Alex Nickla (3B) 0-for-2

CROWN POINT, IN (04-05-2012) And I thought this spring was going to be different. I really thought it was going to be unique. Back in March, there were nine 80-degree days. Almost too hot. But just as sure as the Cubs lost on opening day, Thursday's Crown Point-Munster game saw temperatures in the mid-40s and 20 mile-an-hour winds. Traditional Northwest Indiana April weather.

I also thought this spring would be different because I thought Crown Point wouldn't start off with a long winning streak. The Bulldogs (5-0) didn't (and won't) have left-hander Ronnie Plesac who was projected to be their top pitcher this season. They also are breaking in a new catcher in junior Bobby Morgan, plus several other new varsity members. Right-hander Zach Plesac isn't the only CP pitcher taking a regular spot in the rotation for the first time.

But in the first two weeks of the season, nothing has changed here either. The Bulldogs' 3-2 win over Munster (followed by a 4-2 victory over Griffith Friday) gave them them six wins without a loss in games where they've outscored the opposition 52-14.

"I thought we played very well," said CP coach Steve Strayer after topping Munster. "I thought we played fundamentally well. The pitcher from Munster (Scott Crilly) kept us off-balance. They made some big plays. They threw our runner out at the plate."

"It's always good to beat Munster," said Strayer. "Bob (Shinkan) always does a good job with them. You aren't going to walk in and just blow out Munster."

"I was impressed with Zach. He's got some things where he's got to get a little more consistent. But if he does, he's going to have some big wins this year."

Plesac doesn't get the win if relief pitcher David Kepshire doesn't strike out Alex Del Rio on a low 0-2 pitch with the bases full in the seventh. You don't want to throw an 0-2 over the middle of the plate, but you have to have a lot of faith in your catcher to throw a low breaking ball with the bases loaded and a one-run lead.

"Bobby's been doing a great job," Strayer said of catcher Bobby Morgan. "I think the pitchers really like that if they throw a ball low that Bobby will get down and block it. He works hard and he'll continue to do well, because he's that kind of kid."

Even though Plesac (2-0) struck out 11 in five innings, CP didn't dominate Munster. It was a scoreless tie until the fourth inning when Jake Jatis and Joe Hopman reached base on infield hits and Brett Bayer bunted them up a base. Morgan then sliced a long drive across the wind towards right field that carried well over the head of Munster's Alex De Rio. Two runs scored easily and Morgan slid into third base with a triple. The junior scored on Jacob Carey's ground out to second base and the Bulldogs led 3-0.

That lead held until the seventh inning when Chris Slivka walked and Scott Jerge struck out against Markus Kessler, CP's second pitcher. Mike Mueller reached base on an infield hit and Munster's pitcher Scott Crilly walked on a 3-2 pitch. Del Rio lined a single to right to score Munster's first run, but Kessler struck out Munster's Tyler Cole.

As most everybody in the very small 'crowd' was itching to get out of the cold winds, Kessler walked Christian Catania on four pitches to force in Munster's second run. CP junior David Kepshire came in to strike out Craig Dedelow on four pitches to end the game, which had a lot of positives for both sides.

"I like the way my pitcher looked," said Munster's longtime coach Bob Shinkan. "Against quality Duneland teams, I've had two lefties (Crilly and Anthony Gomez) throw two good games. They just didn't get any support. I've got to give credit to Plesac. He kept us off balance and that's something I've got to talk to the team about. We were letting good pitches go and swinging at 'their' pitches. That's just good pitching on their part."

Zach Plesac is a regular starting pitcher for the Bulldogs for the first time this year. His brother Ronnie started a half dozen games CP in 2011 but suddenly Zach and senior Jake Lindeman are leaders of the pitching staff.

"I felt good," Plesac said,. "I had the wind at my back. Had a good warm up. The wind was a huge factor. You just try to keep your hands warm. I know it's hard to hit up there. The bat stings your hands a little more."

Both coaches had a philosophy about playing in winter-like, anti-baseball weather conditions.

"I ignore it," said Shinkan. "I try not to tell them (anything) because once they start thinking abut it, their mind's on something else. So, I don't even bring it up."

"It'll make you tougher," Strayer said. "So today we just got a little tougher."

DOG NOTES: This is the sixth consecutive season that Crown Point has won its first four games of the baseball season. Munster was the first team to defeat Crown Point last season.
CP (6-0), Portage (5-0) and Lake Central (7-0) were all undefeated after last week and they were all 4-0 in the "Northwest Indiana Challenge," which matched the Duneland Conference against three teams from the Northwest Crossroads Conference (Highland, Munster and Griffith plus defending 2A regional champ Hanover Central.

The NWI Challenge was a week where everybody used wooden bats like major leaguers instead of the usual metal high school and college bat. Several bats didn't survive the week.

"I broke two bats personally," said Zach Plesac. "We didn't have to buy them. The school got them for us."

Zach's brother Ronnie (5-1. 0.75 ERA with CP in 2011) is with CP, but he can't pitch after major reconstructive "Tommy John" arm surgery in November. Though he's in the dugout every game, Ronnie Plesac can't even play first base because he isn't allowed to throw the ball yet.

"He's doing well," reports Zach. "Rehabbing every day. Getting back into shape. It's tough. He's always been (playing baseball) with me. He's still with me. When I warm up, he's there. He's sitting with us in the dugout. But we always thought we'd be pitching together when we got to high school. Oh, yeah. We talked about that since we were little. He'll be back. He'll be oky. That's how it supposed to work. He should be back better than ever."

CP rolled over Lowell 10-0 in the third game of the year with Johnny Lynk pitching. The Devils are short four players due to an in-school suspension and they lost their first four games before topping Merrillville 7-1 Friday.

Coach Steve Strayer said he pulled starting pitcher Zach Plesac off the mound against Munster because he'd reached his pitch limit.

"We're taking care of their arms," he said, "and we've got conference next week. Plus we wanted to see what Markus (Kessler) could do and we wanted to see what David (Kepshire) can do."

Plesac's first start lasted only three innings as CP won 10-0 at Elkhart Memorial on March 31.

2012 CROWN POINT (6-0)
Coach Steve Strayer (10th season)
21-12 (2011), 27-5 (2010), 30-3 (2009), 29-6-2 (2008), 29-3 (2007)
all games begin at 4:30 p.m. except when indicated, DAC games in CAPS

3/27 (W) 16-5 (5 inn.) at Warsaw
3/31 (W) 10-0 (5 inn.) Elkhart Memorial (0-5)
4/2 (W) 9-5 at Hanover Central (1-4)
4/3 (W) 10-0 (5 inn.) at Lowell (1-4)
4/5 (W) 3-2 Munster (4-4)
4/6 (W) 4-2 Griffith (3-2)

4/10 (Tues.) Chesterton (3-0)
4/12 (Thu) Lake Central (7-0)
4/14 (Sat) at (SB) Clay - 10:00 AM
4/14 (Sat) at Mishawaka - 3:00 PM
4/16 (M) at Portage (5-0)
4/18 (W) MERRILLVILLE (2-5)
4/20 (F) LaPORTE
4/21 (Sat) Bishop Noll 10:00 AM
4/24 (Tues) at MICHIGAN CITY 4:30 PM
4/26 (Th) VALPARAISO (3-1)

4/28 (Sat) Indianapolis Cathedral (4-1) 2 games - 12 Noon
4/30 (M) at CHESTERTON (3-0)
5/2 (W) LAKE CENTRAL (7-0)
5/3 (Thu) PORTAGE (5-0)

Plymouth Invitational
5/5 (Sat) semifinal (a.m.)
5/5 (Sat) 3rd place or title game (p.m.)

5/ 8 (Tues) at MERRILLVILLE
5/10 (Thurs) at LaPORTE

County Line Classic
5/11 (Fri.) Boone Grove (3-1-1) 7:00 PM

5/15 (Tues.) MICHIGAN CITY
5/17 (Thurs) at VALPARAISO

Benton Central Invitational
5-19 (Sat) semifinal (a.m.)
5-19 (Sat) 3rd place or final game (p.m.)

5/21 (Mon) Kankakee Valley - 7:00 PM

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