Impressive season comes to end for Bulldogs in 7-6 Sectional loss to Valparaiso

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

5-26-2012

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
VALPARAISO (19-10)	0	1	0	1	2	0	2	0	1	7	11	2
CROWN POINT (27-5)	1	0	0	0	1	0	4	0	0	6	6	6

Friday, 5-25-2012 - 72 degrees & clear, Merrillville Sectional Semifinal in MERRILLVILLE, IN

WP - Devin Bafia (7-2) 3K, 2 walks (3 inn.)
starter - Andrew Sykes (Valpo) 5K, 5 walks (4.3 inn.)
LP - Zach Plesac (8-2) 3K, 0 walks (2 inn.)
starter - Jake Lindeman (CP) 1K, 2 walks (4 inn.)

VALPARAISO (19-10)
Stephen Simms (SS) 2-for-5
Ethan Lehnen (CF) 1-for-4, run scored
John Olejniczak (DH) 1-for-5, double, RBI
Devin Bafia (1B) 1-for-4, 2 runs scored
Joe Gallinatti (C) 2-for-5, 2 runs scored, stolen base
Jeff Holmes (2B) 1-for-4
Greg Thome (LF) 3-for-5, RBI
Andrew Sykes (RF) 0-for-3, HBP
Renee Lozano (3B) 0-for-4

CROWN POINT (27-5)
Zach Plesac (SS) 1-for-4, double, 2 walks
Brett Bayer (2B) 0-for-1, 3 walks, HBP
Jake Lindeman (P) 2-for-5, RBI
Joe Hopman (CF) 0-for-3
Bobby Morgan (C) 1-for-3, RBI, HBP
Ronnie Plesac (1B) 0-for-4
Alex Nickla (2B) 0-for-5
Johnny Lynk (DH) 1-for-3, 2 walks
Adam Kutemeier (RF) 1-for-1, HBP

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Michigan City (13-13)	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	3	6	7
CROWN POINT (27-4)	1	0	0	0	4	2	-	7	7	1

Wednesday, 5-23-2012 - 82 degrees & clear, Merrillville Sectional Quarterfinal in MERRILLVILLE, IN

WP - Zach Plesac (8-1) CG, 12K, 1 walk (118 pitches)
LP - Andrew Ray (5-2) CG, 1K, 2 walk

MICHIGAN CITY (13-13)
Logan Kaletha (SS) 1-for-3, double, run scored
Lane Van Sickle (C) 0-for-3
Andrew Ray (P) 2-for-3, triple, double, RBI
Dan Lemon (1B) 1-for-3, RBI
Ryan Washington (3B)
Andrew Lemon (2B) 1-for-3
Scott Thomas (DH) 1-for-3
Joel Hirsch (CF) 0-for-2, HBP
Evan Doperelski (LF) 0-for-2, walk

CROWN POINT (27-4)
Zach Plesac (P) 1-for-4, run scored
Brett Bayer (SS) 1-for-3, HBP
Jake Lindeman (2B) 1-for-3, Sac Fly, RBI
Joe Hopman (CF) 2-for-3, HBP, 2 RBIs
Ronnie Plesac (1B) 0-for-4
Bobby Morgan (C) 1-for-2, HR, 2 RBIs, walk
Alex Nickla (3B) 1-for-2, sac bunt
Jake Jenks (DH) 0-for-2
Adam Kutemeier (LF) 0-for-2, walk

MERRILLVILLE (5-25-2012) Sometimes it looks like you are going to win the sectional. Your team is playing so well from the first pitch, it just appears that your side is going to come out on top. Last week at the Class 4A Merrillville Sectional, for fourth-ranked Crown Point, it was not one of those times.

The Bulldogs, who rolled up 26 wins during the regular season, trailed most of the quarterfinal game against Michigan City and almost all the way in the semifinal against Valparaiso. So it was a surprise, but not a shock when Valpo edged CP 7-6 in nine innings in Friday’s early evening semifinal. Valparaiso won the sectional Monday with an 18-8 slugfest win over Portage.

The Bulldogs, who had to punch across four runs in the fifth inning to rally past Michigan City, scored four runs in the seventh to tie Valpo 6-6 Friday. But in the top of the ninth, Valpo’s Joe Gallinatti singled with two out and moved to second on an error. Jeff Holmes hit a ground ball up the middle that was grabbed by shortstop Brett Bayer, but his throw sailed past first base, scoring the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the ninth with Valpo’s Devin Bafia, who had thrown 128 pitches two days earlier against Chesterton, back on the mound, CP had the tying and winning runs on base for Zach Plesac, the leadoff man. Valparaiso walked Plesac to fill the bases and face Bayer, a member of CP’s state championship soccer team and kicker on the regional championship football team. The CP senior looked like he’d won the game when he smacked a long drive to left center. But Valparaiso centerfielder Ethan Lehnen saved the game with a fine running catch and the Vikings, who lost twice to CP during the regular season, had moved on to the sectional championship game.

This was not a game CP deserved to win after leaving 15 runners on base and committing six errors.

SECTIONAL NOTES: The Bulldogs seemed to be trying too hard early on against Michigan City last Thursday. They hit four pop-ups in the first four innings and left six runners on base.

A first inning RBI double by Danny Lemon, a third-inning, run-scoring wild pitch and a fifth inning RBI triple by pitcher Andrew Ray gave the Wolves a 3-1 lead after 4-1/2 innings.

At this point the fairly large CP fan section began making extra noise and Ray, Michigan City’s top starter, seemed rattled. The MC right-hander hit Brett Bayer with a pitch and Jake Lindeman lined a run-scoring double to right center. Ray then hit Joe Hopman with a pitch before Ronnie Plesac tied the game with an RBI ground out.

Junior catcher Bobby Morgan then turned the game towards CP with a long two-run home run over the left center field fence. Hopman’s two run single made it 7-3 in the sixth, but MC seemed done after Morgan’s home run.

CROWN POINT (27-5) 2012 STATISTICS

BATTING (Final)
TEAM (.313), 265-848, 58 doubles, 9 triples, 82 of 97 steals, 14 HRs
Bobby Morgan (.431) 2876, 2 HRs, 20 RBIs
Joe Hopman (.379) 33-87, 16-18 stolen bases, 2 HRs, 27 RBIs
Jake Lindeman (.368) 23-95, 6 doubles, 3 triples, 11-11 stolen bases, 3 HRs, 28 RBIs
Adam Kutemeier (.364) 16-44, 11 RBIs
Kevin Brunski (.326) 14-43, 9-10 stolen bases
Brett Bayer (.321) 27-84, 8 doubles, 8-11 stolen bases, 17 RBIs
Zach Plesac (.298) 31-104, 12 doubles, 7-13 stolen bases, 4 HRs, 33 RBIs
Alex Nickla (.267) 23-86, 5 doubles, 10- of 12 stolen bases, one homer, 21 RBIs

PITCHING (Final)
TEAM (27-5) 215 innings, 233 Ks, 140 walks 7 saves (2.64 ERA)
Zach Plesac (8-2), 58 1/3 innings, 92 Ks, 29 walls, 2 saves (1.08 ERA)
Jakle Lindeman (8-1) 43 1/3 innings, 37Ks, 25 walks one save, (1.94 ERA)
David Kepshire (6-0) 49 2/3 inn., 48Ks, 22 walks, 4 saves (3.10 ERA)
Noah Burkholder (2-1) 22 2/3 innings, 25Ks, 25 walks (4.32 ERA)
Markus Kessler (1-0) 20 innings, 16 Ks, 26 walks (3.85 ERA)
Johnny Lynk (1-1) 10 innings, 8K, 6 walks (6.30 ERA)

46th Indiana State High School
Baseball Tournament

LaPorte 4A Regional
Saturday, June 2, 2012 - 10 a.m.
Valparaiso (21-10) vs. Penn (21-10)
Lake Central (28-1) vs. Elkhart Central (22-5)

Class 4A Sectional 1
QUARTERFINALS at Munster
LOWELL 11, East Chicago 1 (5 inn.)
LAKE CENTRAL 7, Munster 0
Morton 7, Gary West Side 0 (forfeit)

SEMIFINALS
Highland 4, Morton 2
LAKE CENTRAL 9, LOWELL 2

CHAMPIONSHIP
LAKE CENTRAL 7, Highland 0 (title)

Class 4A Sectional 2
QUARTERFINALS at MERRILLVILLE
Valparaiso 9, Chesterton 3
CROWN POINT 7, Michigan City 3
LaPorte 11, Hobart 0
Portage 14, MERRILLVILLE 3

SEMIFINALS
Valparaiso 7, CROWN POINT 6 (9 inn.)
Portage 11, LaPorte 2

CHAMPIONSHIP
Valparaiso 18, Portage 8 (6 inn.)

2012 CROWN POINT (27-5)
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 (25-6)
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 (13-12)
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 (25-6)

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 (13-13)
5/17 (W) 6-1 at VALPARAISO (21-11)

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 (17-14)

MERRRILLVILLE (4A) Sectional
5-23 (W) 7-3 Michigan City (13-13)
5-25 (L) 6-7 (9 inn.) Valparaiso (21-11)