Bulldogs survive lighting delay, hold off Wolves 9-8 in County Line Classic
	A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith 5-13-2012

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
BOONE GROVE (11-8-1)	2	4	0	1	0	0	1	8	7	2
CROWN POINT (20-4)	3	1	0	2	1	1	1	9	9	2

Friday, 5-11-2012 - 71 degrees & sunny, Nonconference game in CROWN POINT, IN

WP - Zach Plesac (7-1) 2K, 0 walks (1 inn.)
LP - Dean Hill (4-2) 0K 3 walks (1.3 inn.)

BOONE GROVE (11-8-1)
Jared Thill (2B) 1-for-4, RBI
Jake Wright (SS) 1-for-3, double, walk, 2 RBIs
Dean Hill (3B-P) 0-for-3, stolen base
Cody Poynter (CF) 1-for-2, Sac Fly, walk, RBI,
Jason Sawa (C) 0-for-2, sac bunt, walk
Tommy Burton (RF) 1-for-3, walk, 2 RBIs
Caleb Narron (DH) 1-for-3, walk, RBI
Zach Wein (1B) 1-for-2, 2 walks
Jon Hogg (LF) 0-for-2, sac bunt

CROWN POINT (20-4)
Zach Plesac (SS-P) 2-for-4, walk
Brett Bayer (2B) 1-for-1, 2 walks, HBP, RBI
Jake Lindeman (DH) 2-for-3, walk, RBI
Joe Hopman (RF-CF) 2-for-3, 2 doubles, walk, 3 RBIs
Alex Nickla (3B) 1-for-4, RBI
Jake Jenks (LF) 1-for-3, walk, RBI
Bobby Morgan (C) 1-for-4
Jake Carey (1B) 0-for-1, walk
Aaron Orosz (CF-1B) 0-for-1, sac bunt, HBP, walk

Thursday, 5-10-2012 - 71 degrees, Duneland Athletic Conference game in LaPORTE, IN

WP - Jake Lindeman (5-2) CG, 6K, 1 walk
LP - Wally Dickman (2-4) 6K, 5 walks (5 inn.)

CROWN POINT (19-4)
Zach Plesac (SS) 3-for-4, HR, 2 doubles, 4 RBIs
Brett Bayer (2B) 0-for-3
Jake Lindeman (P) 1-for-3
Joe Hopman (RF) 2-for-3, RBI
Adam Kutemeier (LF) 0-for-2
Alex Nickla (3B) 2-for-4, double, 4 RBIs
Bobby Morgan (C) 0-for-3
Chris Dietrich (CF) 0-for-0, walk
Aaron Orosz (1B) 0-for-1, 2 walks, 2 runs scored

LaPORTE (7-16)
Evan Miller (2B) 1-for-3, run scored
Francis Silfa (SS) 1-for-3, RBI
Ian Price (1B) 1-for-3
Nick Latham (C) 0-for-3
Jake Benefiel (LF) 1-for-3
Ben Saliwanchik (RF) 1-for-2
David Eldridge (3B) 0-for-2
Michael Eldridge (CF) 0-for-1
Blake Arnett (DH) 0-for-2

CROWN POINT (5-11-2012) I didn't expect each side to use three pitchers in a nonconference game. I also didn't expect Friday's Boone Grove-Crown Point 'County Line Classic" to last three hours.

But a nonconference game that truly didn't matter was not played that way as CP won its sixth straight game, 9-8 over Boone Grove on a summer-like night out behind Crown Point high school. Zach Plesac's first-pitch RBI single down the left field line scored Jake Carey with the winning run in a game that had a little bit of everything - good and bad.

"It turned out to be good for us," said coach Steve Strayer, who saw his team play a roller-coaster three-hour game. "A bit of a tournament atmosphere. We got something out of it. There were clutch situations."

Boone Grove coach Rollie Thill didn't enjoy the game much, certainly not the final few winnings.

"I don't know If I have much to say," he admitted in the dugout after the game-winning hit. "It's frustrating. We just can't finish the ball game."

Boone probably should have won this game. The Wolves led 2-0, 6-3 and 7-4 after 3-1/2 innings. But Wolves pitchers walked 10 Crown Point batters, allowing CP to score at least one run in every inning but the third.

Crown Point, which won its 20th game for the eighth year in a row, tied this game 7-7 when senior Brett Bayer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth. In the sixth. Joe Hopman walked, stole second, continued to third base on a throw that got past shortstop Jake Wright and scored when center fielder Cody Poynter threw the ball past third base into the CP dugout.

"You've got to knock that one down," Thill said of the original throw. "I don't understand how we can't finish the game. We were satisfied that we'd battled them to an 8-8 tie. We were satisfied with that."

Boone tied the game in the seventh when Jake Lindeman could not grab Poynter's lead off pop-up, resulting in a two-base error. A sacrifice and a ground ball by Caleb Narron evened the score against CP right-hander Zach Plesac. But in the bottom of the seventh, Ronnie Plesac walked, Aaron Orosz bunted pinch runner Jake Carey to second and Zach Plesac drove the first pitch down the left field line for the game-winning hit.

"I was pleased with Ronnie's at bat," said Strayer. "He's gotten a little better so we got him back in there. He gives us a lefty bat to use. We're still trying to figure out what we have and who we have."

Strayer was pleased with the 20-win landmark, as he should be. When you cant play more than 30 by Indiana High School, Athletic Association (IHSAA) rules and you can't always reschedule rainouts due to the brief window in which the season must be played. 20 wins in consecutive seasons is a standout achievement.

"Since 2004," he said. "I'm happy with the guys, This is the must injuries we've ever dealt with. But this shows we have some depth and we have a lot of players here who can play."

DOG NOTES: There was still no final determination last Friday on Kevin Brunski's knee injury (suffered on May 2 against Lake Central) as to whether he would be able to return to action. but the senior center fielder is not expected to be able to go back into the outfield.

Catcher Bobby Morgan, hurt in a collision with junior first baseman Johnny Lynk (in practice on May 1), was back in the lineup while Lynk's return is uncertain.
Junior Ronnie Plesac, who has the 'Tommy John' reconstructive arm surgery last November, has been cleared to bat (he pinch hit Friday against Boone) and can be a pinch hitter or designated hitter for the rest of the spring. Sophomore Jake Jatis has been ruled out for the year.

The lights at Crown Point's baseball field didn't respond to the flip of the switch even though lights at the adjoining football field were shining brightly (at a middle school track meet) and lights of the scoreboard were on. By the end of the second inning, the field was so dark that play could not be continued. Word was that the computer system that controls the lights at the nine-year-old high school indicated the lights were "on" even though they were not.

No one at CP knew how to get the baseball lights to actually turn on. but assistant athletic director Mike Malaski apparently knew who to call. Minutes after an unnamed 'special consultant' was called, the problem was solved and the lights slowly came on, allowing the game to be completed.

Crown Point's 20th victory was a landmark. This is the eighth consecutive 20-win season for CP and the 14th in the last 27 years. Crown Point had three consecutive 20-win seasons in 1991 (25-5-1), 1992 (21-10-1) and 1993 (22-5) under coach Ed Sherry a generation ago. The Bulldogs school record for victories in one season is 30 in 2009. Crown Point's last losing season was an 8-18 record in 1997.

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