Girls H.S. Softball: Penn 6, Crown Point 4

Wednesday, April 1, 2010 - 78-degrees at CROWN POINT, IN

WP - Lindsey Martin (2-0) CG, 6K, 3 walks
LP - Jackie Beilfuss (1-1) CG, 14Ks, 3 walks 4 earned runs

Penn (3-0)
Jenna Simon (SS) 3 singles, double, 2 stolen bases, 2 runs scored
Aubrie Lane (LF) 0-for-3
Holly Hoffman (C) 1-for-3, walk, run scored
Jayme Ellis (1B) 0-for-4
Megan Miller (2B) 3-for-4, double, stolen base
Sam Krcelich (CF) 2-for-4, double, RBI
Shannon Stephan (3B) 1-for-3, walk
Lindsey Martin (P) 0-for-3
Shelby Miller (RF) 0-for-3

CROWN POINT (1-1)
Victoria (Tori) Connelly (LF) 0-for-2, 2 walks, 2 stolen bases, 2 runs scored
Gabrielle (Gabby) Raspopovich (CF) 2-for-3, walk, stolen base
Raeanna (Lulu) Jenks (2B) 1-for-4, RBI
Taylor Perry (1B) 1-for-3, walk
Katrina Klingberg (C) 1-for-3
Jackie Beilfuss (P) 0-for-3
Lexie Rolff (3B) 0-for-3
Jessica Palm (SS) 1-for-3
Allison Amodeo (RF) 1-for-3

CROWN POINT (04-01-2010) When you play Penn, (enrollment: 3,220) you know you're going to get a test. That's why you schedule them. When you get beat by Penn, if you expect to go any distance in the Indiana state softball tournament out of Northwest Indiana, the clock starts ticking. Until you meet them again.

The only thing Crown Point knows for sure after a disappointing 6-4 loss to Penn late Thursday in the 2010 home opener is: They aren't quite a state class squad right now. Fortunately, the playoffs don't begin today.

"W made a lot of mistakes," admitted CP coach Brett Crutchfield, after Penn (3-0) scored two runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh to stop the Bulldogs on a sunny, windy day behind CPHS.

"We just didn't make very good decisions," added the Bulldogs coach. "You can't panic in tight situations and I think we did that today. If these kids want get to where they want to go, they have to play a little smarter under pressure."

Crown Point (1-1) took a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning but they lost a runner when Lulu Jenks was doubled off second base on Taylor Perry's line drive to Penn center fielder Sammy Krcelich.

Penn, coming off a 17-0 win over Bremen and a 4-3 win over Lake Central, scored two in the sixth when Megan Miller singled and Krcelich doubled off the glove of Tori Connelly in left field. CP shortstop Jessica Palm, receiving the relay from the outfield threw home when she had almost no chance to get Miller. That allowed Krcelich to go to third base where she scored easily on Shannon Stephan's one out spinning base hit behind first base, a hit that would not have scored the lead run from second.

In the seventh inning, Jenna Simon, a Notre Dame recruit, sliced a leadoff double to left field and, with one out, Penn's No. 3 hitter. sophomore catcher Holly Hoffman, lined a long double to left field to make the score 5-3.

"We had one out and first base open in a one run game," said Crutchfield later. "We know the No. 3 hitter is up there and we pitch to her anyway. She gets a big hit. We didn't have to pitch to her."

Penn wasn't perfect and senior pitcher Lindsay Martin did allow seven hits and three walks, but Penn expects to win every game and they act like it.

"We have very high expectations," said coach Beth Zachary. "Not just because of what we did last year (they were 26-6) or the people we have back (14 varsity players return), but because we have worked hard in the off-season.

"Lake Central and Crown Point aren't just two of the top teams in the county. They're two of the best in the state. I love playing Crown Point. We just began to play them last year and they're good competition. It doesn't do us any good to play teams that aren't any good."

Simon, who is a junior, reached base four times with four hits. She was a major pain to losing pitcher Jackie Beilfuss (1-1) and CP.

"There was not much we could do with her," said Crutchfield. "If we see her again (Penn and CP can't meet until the semistate), she's not going to see anything she can hit. We're probably just going to put her on base and take our chances. Although that's not too good an option either.

CP saw junior Gabby Raspopovich reach base four times while Connelly walked twice and stole two bases. Beilfuss struck out 14 batters and probably deserved a better fate than a 6-4 loss, but she did allow 11 hits.

"We didn't play well," concluded Crutchfield. "I'm just glad it happened on April 1st instead of June 1st."

DOG NOTES: Before the game, Crown Point catcher Katrina Klingberg signed her letter-of-intent to attend Bethel College and play for coach Anna Welsh. Bethel (23-2-1) is NAIA Division I and they are presently rated No. 5 nationally.

"I do consider it an accomplishment," Katrina said after signing in front of her coaches and her family. "I've worked really hard and I know a lot of other girls have worked just as hard so I'm very grateful to be playing. I've always wanted to play in college."

Coach Welsh said that quality catchers are hard to find and that she was pleased to find a player with a lot of big school experience.

"We're graduating our senior catcher," said Welsh, "and I know her summer ball coach really well. So when I watched that team, Katrina stood out. She can be a little quiet but she takes charge on the field."

"Last year she had 30 RBIs and she took advantage of her opportunities. It's good that she comes from a big school, too. There's a lot of competition to play and there's a lot of good competition against her."

With the announcement, all three of CP's seniors have signed letters of intent to play in college.

Klingberg and Jackie Beilfuss hit home runs and Taylor Perry pitched a three-hit shutout as CP opened the season with a 12-0 win over Hobart on March 29.

2010 Crown Point (1-1)
Coach Brett Crutchfield - 24-5 in 2009

3-29 (W) 13-0 at Hobart (0-2)
4-1 (L) 4-6 Penn (3-0)
4-6 (Tu) at MERRILLVILLE- 4:30 p.m.
4-8 (Th) LAKE CENTRAL - 4:30 p.m.
4-9 (F) at Munster - 4:30 p.m.
4-13 (Tu) PORTAGE - 4:30 p.m.
4-15 (Th) at VALPARAISO - 4:30 p.m.
4-19 (Mon) CHESTERTON - 4:30 p.m.
4-21 (W) at LaPORTE - 4:30 p.m.
4-23 (F) MICHIGAN CITY - 4:30 p.m.

CROWN POINT Invitational
4-24 (S) St. Joe's, Andrean, and Hanover Central (3 games) 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m.

4-27 (Tu) MERRILLVILLE - 4:30 p.m.
4-29 (Th) at LAKE CENTRAL - 4:30 p.m.
4-30 (F) Illiana Christian - 4:30 p.m.
5-3 (M) at PORTAGE - 4:30 p.m.
5-5 (W) VALPARAISO - 4;30 p.m.
5-6 (Th) CHESTERTON - 4:30 p.m.

Twin Lakes invitational
5-7 (F) 1st round game
5-8 (S) semifinals/finals

5-11 (Tu) LaPORTE - 4:30 p.m.
5-13 (Th) at MICHIGAN CITY - 4:30 p.m.
5-14 (F) Griffith - 4:30 p.m,.
5-17 (M) Boone Grove - 4:30 p.m.
5-21 (F) at Highland - 4:30 p.m.

4A Sectional 2
5-24 (M) quarterfinals (TBA)
5-26 (W) semifinals (TBA)
5-28 (F) championship (TBA)

Regional Championship
6-1 (Tu) one game

Semistate Championship
6-5 (S) semifinals
6-5 (S) championship

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
PENN (3-0)	1	0	0	1	0	2	2	6	11	1
CROWN POINT (1-1)	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	4	7	3

Penn defeats Lady Bulldog 6-4 in early season softball test