Hits are scarce for Bulldogs in 6-3 DAC loss to Valparaiso

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

5-6-2006

Friday, 5-5-2006 - 59 degrees & cloudy at Crown Point

WP - Clint Krysa (3-4)   2K, 1 walk (6.7 inn.) 93 pitches
Chooch Sizemore  (SAVE) 1K (0.3 inn.)
LP - Chris Saroff (1-3)  5K, 3 walks (5 inn.) 81 pitches

Valparaiso (12-7, 7-3)
Jamie Smith (SS) 2 singles, 2 runs scored
Jerry Vasile (DH) Single, Sac Fly, RBI
Jimmy Myers (3B) Double, HBP,  2 RBIs
Chooch Sizemore (RF) Single, walk, RBI

CROWN POINT (12-7, 4-6)
Tim Mummery (RF) 2 singles, RBI
Chris Saroff (P-SS) Single, 2 RBIs

Wednesday, May 3, 2006 - 73 degrees and sunny in Crown Point

WP - Matt Jansen (3-2) CG, 6Ks, 4 walks (111 pitches)
LP - John Lambert (1-4) CG, 10 Ks, 4 walks, (100 pitches)

Chesterton (6-9, 4-5)
Matt Janes (1B) Sac Fly, single, RBI
Travis Anderson (3B) walk, run scored
Ty Cowby (2B) 2 walks

CROWN POINT (12-6, 4-5)
Nick Ullman (2B) Double, RBI, run scored
Matt Ernest (SS) Double, run scored
Tommy Parks (RF) Single, RBI

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 - 71 degrees in St. John

WP - Brad Gerlach (4-1)  CG,  5Ks,  3 walks
LP - Blake Mascarello (1-1)  2K, 1 walk (2.7 inn.)

LAKE CENTRAL (12-5, 4-4)
Ranko Ivetic (1B)  Double, 2 singles, 2 RBIs
Mark Johnston (OF) Double, single, RBI

CROWN POINT (12-6, 4-5)
Adam Kennedy (C) Double

CROWN POINT, IN (5-5-2006) - Crown Point will look back on one day in May in the 2006 season and point to it as the moment they broke out of their lengthy batting slump.  It probably won't be Friday.

Valparaiso veteran right-hander Clint Krysa kept throwing breaking balls and Crown Point kept grounding out to senior shortstop Jamie Smith in the setting Friday evening sun as the Vikings beat CP for the second time this season, 6-3.

Krysa pitched 6 2/3 innings and got Bulldogs to ground out to Smith nine times as the Vikings went 3-0 in Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) games for the week.

"Our shortstop had a career year," said Valpo coach Todd Coffin. "He probably accounted for 11 outs.  In one game?  That's a lot."

Crown Point got three runs and five hits in the last three innings but that was after they trailed 6-0.  For the Bulldogs, one of the pre-season DAC favorites, the loss dropped them to 4-6 in league games and 12-7 overall. The Bulldogs have scored only 33 runs in 10 DAC games and that won't pay the bills.

CP coach Steve Strayer cited the ground outs as an indication that his side just wasn't attacking the pitcher correctly, even with the late tallies.

"I don't see it yet," he said of an offensive breakthrough. "Until we can get the whole team to do what some of the guys did and go to right field.  I don't think we've changed anything.  Our decision-making is not very good.  I don't know if it is trying too hard.  I can't believe it's not trying hard enough."

There was no turning point in Friday's game.  Valpo, which defeated Crown Point 2-1 in Valparaiso last month, led 2-0 before the Bulldogs got to bat.  After CP starting pitcher Chris Saroff struck out the first two hitters, Chooch Sizemore walked on 10 pitches. Smith popped a 2-0 pitch for a hit-and-run single to left and VHS third baseman Jimmy Myers lined a two-run double to right-center field.

Saroff had to throw 34 pitches in the first inning and it may have caught up to him in the fifth.  Keith Carlson, Tim Handlon, Sizemore and Smith got four consecutive hits to start the inning.  Sizemore's RBI single made it 3-0 against Saroff, while Smith's first pitch RBI single made it 4-0 against Ernest, who came on in relief.

Jerry Vasile and Nate Windsor added sacrifice flyballs to give the Vikings a six-run lead.

Against Krysa, a three-year varsity starting pitcher, Crown Point grounded out to short seven times in the first 4 2/3 innings before back-to-back singles by Matt Ernest, Nick Ullman and Tim Mummery scored the first CP run in the fifth inning.  Chris Saroff's two-run single off Krysa with two out in the seventh inning made it 6-3.  But Sizemore, Valpo's ace left-handed pitcher came on in relief and struck out Tommy Parks to end the game.

Coffin reported that Sizemore relieved Krysa and got the last two outs in a 6-3 win over Portage just four days before the Crown Point game.  The Valpo head coach went to the mound to talk to Krysa after CP's two runners reached base in the seventh and the message was simple.

"I asked him, 'Do I have to go get the left-hander again?'" he said.  "I hope it's not going to be a regular thing.  That takes a little life out of me."

Crown Point didn't play well.  After pinch hitter Andrew Peretin walked to lead off the seventh inning, Peretin mis-read Ernest's short fly ball into right field and was going back to first base when the ball dropped in for a hit.  Sizemore, then in right field, threw to second to force the CP runner out.  Next batter Nick Ullman was safe on an error but Mummery grounded out to short.  Saroff then lined what should have been a double to right center but the CP junior missed first base and had to go back and settle for a single.

"I know the kids are frustrated," said Strayer, who has watched his team go 6-7 since a 6-0 start.  "Coaching staff is frustrated.  We've just got a lot of frustration right now.  It's a game and we're trying to figure it out.  Maybe someday we'll figure it out and it will be fun again.  It's not a lot of fun right now."

DOG NOTES:  Crown Point defeated Chesterton 2-1 Wednesday night, but they struck out 10 times against Trojan left-hander Johnny Lambert (1-4).  Back-to-back doubles by Matt Ernest and Nick Ullman broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning and senior Matt Jansen (3-2) pitched a complete game.

Chesterton is no better offensively than Crown Point is and coach Jack Campbell says that's why Lambert is 1-4.

"He's struck out 14, 10 and nine and he's lost all three games," said Campbell.  "He had 10 in only six innings."

"How many did Jansen strike out?  Just six.  Well he was the best defensive player on their team.  He caught a line shot in the first inning.  We kept hitting it back to him."

Strayer agreed. "That was the most impressive part of his night.  With the exception of one (throwing) error, he did a heckuva job."

"For the most part, our pitching and defense has been pretty consistent.  Against LC (a 6-0 loss), we thought we were were bombed.  They have some nice hitters.  We think our guys can be like that, but I don't know what it is.  Our guys are carrying something to the plate with them.  Gerlach is a good pitcher, but we should have gotten a lot more than two hits.  I didn't understand it.  Tonight (against Lambert) I understood it."

Bad news for the Bulldogs, as right-handed pitcher Tommy Wise (3-1), who was injured in the game against Portage on April 26, is apparently out for the season with a severe arm injury.  Schools are not allowed to discuss the details of students' injuries, but the senior, who got the complete game win in the 7-3 win over the Indians, reportedly felt pain in the seventh inning.  Results of an examination this week have ruled him out for the season.

The Bulldogs' strength is starting pitching and left-hander Blake Mascarello (1-1) will move into CP's rotation along with Jansen, Saroff and Ernest, as a "swing man" starting or coming out of the bullpen.  Center fielder Jon Sertich is also a pitcher, but Strayer hesitates to use him on the mound.  

"He's so valuable to us in center field," said the coach. "I don't want to take him out of there."

USA-365 Internet Radio has announced the spring baseball and softball schedule, which can be found by clicking here.  Our next Internet Radio broadcast will be Thursday, May 11 when Crown Point hosts Merrillville in boys baseball.  Our pre-game show starts at 4:15 p.m., with the first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m., CDT.