Crown Point's Ernest records first varsity pitching victory in 12-2, 5-inning win over 3A No.3 Griffith

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

4-17-2005

Saturday, 4-16-2005  -  sunny, 70 degrees in Crown Point

WP – Matt Ernest (1-0) CG, 6K, 2 walks
LP - Danny Lewis (2-2) 1K, 1 walk, 5 runs, 4 earned runs, (2 innings, 3 batters in 3^rd inning)

GRIFFITH (6-2)

Jarrod Macak (G) Single, walk

Joe Wagman (G) HBP, RBI

Danny Lewis (G) Single, RBI

CROWN POINT (5-1)

Nick Ullman (CP) 3 singles, 3 stolen bases, 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored

Matt Ernest (CP) 2 singles, 2 RBIs, walk, stolen base

Matt Jansen (CP) Triple, single, 3 RBIs

Adam Kennedy (CP) Double walk, RBI

Greg Eberhart (CP) Single, walk, 2 RBIs, stolen base

Dave Dickerson (CP) Double, RBI

Jon Sertich (CP) Triple, HBP, 2 runs scored

CROWN POINT (4-16-2005) - In high school baseball, once league play starts on weekdays, when you get a Saturday game, you use the opportunity to find out how ready your backup players are.

Crown Point's fourth starting pitcher, shortstop Matt Ernest, was more than geared for the challenge of facing the Class 3A No. 3 Panthers. Griffith rested sophomore star Matt Kuna, Ryan Bridges and regular catcher Trent Bierman and the Panthers found out that some of their substitutes were not quite up to the moment.

The Bulldogs (5-1) buried Griffith under a flurry of line drives and stolen bases, winning a five-inning nonconference game 12-2.

“We were pretty good,” said CP coach Steve Strayer. “We finally hit the ball. I didn't think we'd win by the 10-run rule.”

“We had some of our regulars out,” said Griffith veteran caoch Brian Jennings. “What bothers me is that we didn't compete today and I don't understand that. Some of these other guys had been wanting to play.”

Saturday nonconference baseball doesn't mean much because nobody fields their top team. But the long-running significance of this 70-degree day in the sun out behind the new CPHS was Ernest, the 6-foot-2 sophomore, who made his first varsity pitching start. After two mediocre innings, Ernest, who has mid-80s velocity and a hard breaking ball, kicked things into high gear on the mound, striking out five of the last 11 Panthers he faced.

One of CP's talent-laden group of three-sport athletes, Ernest, who gained 1,000 yards as a pass receiver last fall, probably won't be breaking into CP's three-man starting rotation of seniors Adam Quinn, Jimmy Wilson and junior Matt Jansen this year, barring injury. But there seems no question that he can be a No.1 starter in future seasons.

“You know what I was really proud of,” said Strayer. “And last year, he wouldn't have done this. He got into a little lull and gave up those two runs there in the second inning, But he was able to pull it back together.”

“The question always is, when things are going badly, how are we going to respond. Last year, he would have freaked out. But now, he adjusted. We're learning.”

With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the third, CP broke the game open. Junior Nick Ullman singled and stole second before Ernest walked. Jansen then sliced a pitch from senior Griffith right-hander Danny Lewis (2-2) into left field for a two-run single. Junior right-hander Matt Nelleman came on in relief and he retired Dave Dickerson and Adam Quinn.

But Nelleman hit Jon Sertich with a 3-2 pitch and walked Chris Sarhoff on a 3-2 pitch to fill the bases. Nelleman then walked Adam Kennedy and Greg Eberhart to force in two runs. When Ullman then bounced a two-run single to right it was 8-2 and the game was effectively over.

Ullman, a left-handed hitting CP native who attended Andrean his freshman year, had three hits and three stolen bases. The speedy second baseman scored three runs and sparked the Bulldogs' biggest run output of the year. He has fit in perfectly, replacing graduated 2004 senior Jake Pierce as a quick, table-setting southpaw swinging leadoff batter. “I've played with a lot of these guys when I was younger,” Ullman said. “We know each other pretty well. We get along. I just try to get on base. That's all. Just try to get the team off to a good start.”

Strayer says, “He's played good defense and he's given us just what we've needed leading off.”

Griffith didn't have as good a week, splitting four games but losing 16-6 to Kankakee Valley and 12-2 to CP.

“Crown Point is very fundamentally sound,” said Jennings. “They hit the ball well in situations. They looked for the first pitch fastball early in the count. With two strikes they shortened up (on the bat). They are fundamentally sound. From what I'd seen of them, they may not have the offensive firepower to match up with some of the big Duneland schools, but today might be a springboard towards that.”

“I don't care what our record is,” Jennings continued. “We not a good team right now. Granted, we didn't have our everyday people in there, but when we got on the bus to go to Munster last night (an 11-6 win), every kid in this lineup knew they'd play today.”

“I don't think some of our guys understand what competition is all about. We have talent. We can be a good team. Our problem is not between the lines right now; it's between our ears.”

BULLDOG NOTES: Through six games, Crown Point had gone to the bullpen only twice and had not used more than two pitchers in any game. That's a mixed blessing. Five years ago, CP had 20 complete games and lost in the sectional because they didn't have relief pitching when they needed it.

Crown Point sophomore Tommy Parks made his varsity debut at third base, although coach Steve Strayer used a designated hitter for him.

Strayer is very high on Parks, who like Ernest, Tim Mummery and Joey Patrick, are alums of CP's state finalist 2002 Little League squad. “Tommy is a varsity player who we can't play here because we just don't have a position for him right now,” Strayer says. “We've got three players like that. Mummery and Patrick are the same way. I was going to get them in today, but I didn't think we'd 10-run them today.”

In the Terre Haute North Invitational on May 21, Crown Point will face Evansville North at approximately 12 noon after Terre Haute North plays 4A No. 10 Lawrence Central in the 10 a.m. semifinal. The consolation game is set for 5 p.m. while the title game will start at 7 p.m. Evansville North was 5-1 after six games.

Crown Point's April 13 game with Hebron was postponed when CP's April 12 game with Valparaiso was rained out. DAC rules require that a DAC postponement be made up the next playable weekday. So Valpo bumped Hebron on the CP schedule.

Coach Steve Strayer says that, with both teams involved in league play, that game has not yet been rescheduled. The Bulldogs, under Strayer, have added games in the final week of the season to prepare for the state tournament. Right now, the Bulldogs have 27 games scheduled.

CP fans are asked to buy tickets to the CP-Portage game at the Steelyard at Crown Point high school where they cost $3. Tickets at the door cost $5. CPHS also gets a share of tickets purchased at the school.

ON DECK...

Portage vs. CROWN POINT

at The Steelyard - Friday, May 22 - 5 p.m.

GARY (4-22-2005) The boys all look forward to playing in the 6,700-seat home of Gary's South Shore Railcats Class A Northern League professional baseball team.

CP is 2-0 there and they need to leave downtown Gary late Friday night with a 3-0 record in RailCat games if they are going to contend for the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) title this season.

The Bulldogs will be coming off a week with DAC foes Lake Central and Michigan City. No matter what happens in those two contests, this is a must-win game before the Bulldogs tackle arch-rival Merrillville on April 26 and superpower LaPorte (10-1) on April 28.

It looks like Adam Quinn (1-1) will get the start in the big house against Rob Krooswyk (0-2), a right-hander who struck out nine in a 2-1 loss to Merrillville on April 14. Krooswyk also struck out nine in five innings of a 3-2 loss to Munster on April 8. He is unknown to CP and could be a problem.

The Indians' offense is led by speedy outfielder Milt Rivera (.398 last year) who will want to test the throwing arm of CP catcher Adam Kennedy. Crown Point's defense has been strong, with just two errors in the first six games. The weight on this night will be on outfielders Greg Eberhart (LF), Dave Dickerson (RF) and Jon Sertich (CF), who will have to patrol the deep outfield at the Steelyard, a park that is frankly built for pitching and defense teams like CP.

3A No. 1 ANDREAN at CROWN POINT

Saturday, May 23 - 11 a.m.

CROWN POINT (4-23-2005) This game should again develop into a significant rivalry as CP plays the Catholic school that serves the CP area.

Andrean went to the state finals last year before they lost 3-2 to New Palestine. The 59ers return ranked No.1 in Class 3A and they have added two significant transfers in catcher Greg Yersich (St. Rita of Chicago) and first baseman Joe Mack (Roncalli of Indianapolis).

The 59ers, who were 10-0 after last weekend, feature shortstop and football quarterback Tommy Finn, who batted .440 last season.

Starters Steve Augsburger and Brad King plus submarine relief pitcher Anthony Cera lead the pitching staff but you won't see Augsburger and King on this day.

With both teams slated for three weekday league games this week, some backup pitching will hit the mound. For CP, however, that could mean Matt Ernest, who struck out six in a 12-2 win over 3A No. 3 Griffith last Saturday (4-16-2005).

Andrean dropped the big one on Lowell Friday (4-15-2005), wining 18-0 in five innings. The 59ers have defeated tradition-rich Penn 5-2, and multiple time Illinois state champ Providence Catholic 7-6.

With the possible exception of LaPorte, Andrean has the best top half of the lineup in NW Indiana and they will not be shut out. Yersich and Finn both have pro potential and Mack, a junior, is an old school left-handed high average first baseman.

This is the second game in a CP stretch of four games in five days, but CP has five starting pitchers so they'll be okay. Andrean hosts undefeated Kankakee Valley the day before (4-22-2005) they travel to CP and they host LAC rival Hobart Monday, April 25. So the 59ers can't burn pitchers here. You may see a JV hurler for Andrean which could lead to a high scoring contest.

   2005  CROWN POINT (5-1, 2-0)
Coach Steve Strayer (3rd Year) 

Varsity Assistant: Rick Florkiewicz

23-10 in 2003, 17-11 in 2004  
DUNELAND ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (DAC) GAMES IN CAPS 

3-23 (W) Lowell at Crown Point - 4:30 p.m. (scrimmage) 

4-7 (Th) Crown Point at Highland - W, 7-2 

4-9 (S) Crown Point at Kankakee Valley - L, 2-6 

4-13 (Tu) VALPARAISO at CP - W, 5-0 

4-14 (Th) CHESTERTON at CP - W, 2-0 

4-16 (S) Griffith at CP - W, 12-2 

4-18 (M) CP at LAKE CENTRAL 4:30 p.m. 

4-20 (W) CP at MICHIGAN CITY - 4:30 p.m. 

4-22 (F) PORTAGE vs. CROWN POINT at the Steelyard - Gary - 5 p.m. 

4-23 (S) Andrean at CP - 11 a.m. 

4-25 (M) Crown Point at Rensselaer - 5 p.m. 

4-26 (Tu) MERRILLVILLE at CP - 4:30 p.m. 

4-28 (Th) LaPORTE at CP - 4:30 p.m. 

4-30 (S) Crown Point at Gavit - 10 a.m. 

5-2 (M) CP at VALPARAISO - 4:30 p.m. 

5-4 (W) CP at CHESTERTON 4:30 p.m. 

5-6 (F) LAKE CENTRAL at CP - 7 p.m. 

5-10 (Tu) MICHIGAN CITY at CP - 4:30 p.m. 

5-12 (Th) PORTAGE at CP - 4:30 p.m. 

5-13 (F) Jefferson at CP - 7 p.m. 

5-17 (Tu) CP at MERRILLVILLE - 4:30 p.m. 

5-19 (Th) CP at LaPORTE - 4:30 p.m. 

Terre Haute North Invitational 

5-21 (S) semifinals - TBA 

5-21 (S) finals - TBA 

5-24 (Tu) Lowell at CP - 4:30 p.m. 

5-26 (Th) Clark at CP - 4:30 p.m. 

5-27 (F) CP at Elkhart Memorial - 7 p.m. 

CHESTERTON (4A) SECTIONAL 

5-31 (Tu) quarterfinals - TBA 

6-3 (F) semifinals - TBA 

6-4 (S) championship - TBA

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Revised: April 18, 2005.