Class 4A Baseball Tournament Preview: 5-30-2003

	Class 4A Baseball Preview: 37th IHSAA State Baseball Tournament
	A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

Sectional 1 at Munster (6 teams)
- all times are TBA - (schools do not announce these times)

6-2-2003 (M) Gary West Side (0-6) vs. Lowell (21-6)
6-3-2003 (Tu) Lew Wallace (4-8) vs. East Chicago Central (3-12)

6-6-2003 (F) Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
6-6-2003 (F) Lake Central (17-6-1) vs. Munster (19-8)

6-6-2003 (S) Championship: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3

MUNSTER (5-30-2003): Obviously, though LC and Munster got the byes, Lowell got the best draw here. West Side and Lew Wallace aren't even the best team in Gary. East Chicago has improved and should beat Wallace but Lowell has too much offense for any of the 'city' schools.

Lowell has beaten Munster 12-11 but lost to LC 5-3. The Red Devils would rather play LC, which doesn't have the offense of Munster. But the Mustangs may not have the pitching to hold LC. Munster lost 6-4 at LC earlier this year.

Munster beat Lowell 8-0 in the sectional finals last year along the way to the state title but, for the 1,000th time, this is not the same Munster team. Unless you can win on reputation and memories, there will be a new champ.

Lowell's slump in the last week is worrisome and they'll see weak pitching up to the final game. I like LAKE CENTRAL to win this title.

Sectional 2 at MERRILLVILLE (6 teams)

6-2-2003 (M) Hobart vs. Merrillville
6-2-2003 (M) Chesterton (8-17) vs. Crown Point (18-8-1)

6-6-2003 (F) Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
6-6-2003 (F) Portage (13-14) vs. Valparaiso (23-4)

Game 5 (S) Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3

MERRILLVILLE - Valparaiso has beaten Portage 5-1 and 9-0. So, barring a major upset, the Vikings will be playing in the June 7 championship game. Crown Point hasn't been beyond the sectional level in 10 years so their confidence can only be so high. The Bulldogs have only beaten Chesterton 2-1 and 9-7 and the Trojans have seen both of CP top pitchers Chad Pruzin (4-1) and Adam Vetter (8-1).

The wild card is Hobart (12-15), a team that has charged in recent weeks, winning 6 of 9 . The Brickies beat Crown Point 13-4 on May 15 but that may have been a fluke. Hobart has split with Merrillville winning 14-9 and losing 8-0 to Pirate star Jason Plys (6-3). But if Merrillville gets by Hobart, the Pirates have to reverse a serious trend. They have lost three times to Crown Point already this season and none of the games have been close.

So, it figures that CP will reach the finals. CP and Adam Vetter beat Valpo 2-1 in April but the Bulldogs and Chad Pruzin lost 6-3 in May. CP sabotaged Pruzin's pitching with five errors in that game. Football star Jeff Samardzija (6-2) pitched both games for the Vikings, who have been one of two dominant teams.

It would be a nice story if CP won the sectional but the Bulldogs were 15-3-1 at one point and have slid since then. Valparaiso has been the top region team over the last two years and the VIKINGS are the favorite here.

Sectional 3 LaPorte (6 teams)

Game 1 – South Bend Clay (11-14) vs. LaPorte (19-8-1)
Game 2 – South Bend Adams (7-17) vs. Michigan City (15-10)

Game 3 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4 – South Bend Riley (14-12) vs. South Bend Washington (5-21)

6-7-3 (S) Championship: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3

LaPORTE - Can Clay give LaPorte a game? Maybe. The Colonials lost just 6-5 at LaPorte on May 10 but they were 10-7 before that game and have hit on hard times. If the Slicers open with left-hander Andy Weeks (8-2), it's hard to see a Clay win in LaPorte.

Can Michigan City give LaPorte a game? Maybe. MC relies on Joel Zawacki (7-2), their leadoff man and lead pitcher. who has pitched in more than 50 % of their games.

Weeks pitched a complete game 4-3 win over MC on May 2 but the Wolves have beaten Valparaiso and LaPorte hasn't. MC bombed Adams 11-3 in early April.

But if Zawacki and Weeks start the state tournament, will their coaches bring them back three days later in a semifinal? Both coaches could hold them for relief, figuring the final game won't be as tough.

Riley will crush Washington (Washington lost 10-0 to St., Joe last week St. Joe is 6-14) but can Riley win at LaPorte. This game is hard to figure because many of Riley's wins have come in South Bend, which is not a strong area this year. LaPorte is very young and, to win three games is a lot to ask. But The Slicers will be on their home field and they have played an elite schedule.

If the question continues to be. Can so-and-so win at LaPorte?, that probably makes LaPORTE the favorite.

Sectional 4 at Elkhart Memorial (6 teams)

Game 1 – Goshen (10-7) vs. Mishawaka (16-8)
Game 2 – Elkhart Memorial (18-8) vs. Penn (22-5)

Game 3 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 4 – Elkhart Central (10-11) vs. Concord (13-11)

Game 5 (S) Championship: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3

ELKHART - A tough draw for Penn, which will have to play Memorial on the Chargers' home field. John Seabaugh (7-2) and Billy Grace (5-1) and Mike Schwitz (6-1) have impressive records for Penn; although Grace, a Division I prospect, hasn't pitched lately. Penn swept two games form Memorial 7-6 and 9-0 on May 3, but this is single-elimination and pitching depth won't matter in the opener.

There is probably an intimidation factor here. Penn, the largest school in the northern half of the state, has crushed Central 9-2 and swept a double-header from Concord 24-3 and 20-1.

The won-lost numbers make things look equal here but there's not good evidence that PENN, which has lost only Lake Central, St. Joseph's (Michigan), Plymouth and Valparaiso, won't roll through this sectional.

Class 4A Baseball Preview: 37th IHSAA State Baseball Tournament

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith