Crown Point (1) beats Cedar Lake 13-3, but CP (2) drops 14-4 to Munster in District II quarterfinals (age 10 and under)

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

(7-14-2005)

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E
CROWN POINT (4-0)	2	1	0	6	1	3	13	11	2
CEDAR LAKE (2-2)	0	3	0	0	0	0	3	2	5

Little League Minors (age 10) - Friday, 7-15-2005 - District II quarterfinals, 70 degrees & humid at Crown Point

WP – David Kepshire (1-0) 1K 3 walks, 3 innings, 0 runs

LP – Andy Welwerts (1-1) 1K, 2 walks (1.3 innings)

CROWN POINT (4-0)

Zach Plesac (SS-P) 2 singles, double ,RBI, 4 runs scored, 2 stolen bases

Anthony Geisen (Catcher) Single, walk, 3 RBIs

Ron Plesac (1B) 2 doubles, walk, Sac. Fly, 3 RBIs

John Lynk (CF) Single, 2 RBI, 3 walks

CEDAR LAKE (2-2)

Anthony Vandas (P-SS) 2 singles, 2 walks

Blake Hammons (SS) 2 walks

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E
MUNSTER (2) (4-1)	5	3	2	1	0	3	14	11	1
CROWN POINT (2) (2-2)	1	2	1	0	0	0	4	5	4

Little League Minors (age 10) - Friday, 7-15-2005 - District II quarterfinals, 70 degrees & humid at Crown Point

WP – Michael Poulus (2-0) 3K, 3 walks (5 inn.)

LP – Kramer Keilman (1-1) 0K, 5 walks (2 inn.)

CROWN POINT (2-2)

Ben Baumeister (Catcher) Single, RBI

Kramer Keilman (P) Single, walk

Marcus Kessler (1B) 2 walks

Munster (4-1)

Danny Kotler (2B) 3 singles, walks

Grant Sepiel (CF) 2 singles, 2 walks

Mike Mueller (1B) Single, HBP, 2 RBIs

Michael Poulus (P) Double, single, 2 RBIs

Kevin O'Brien (RF) 2 singles

DISTRICT II MINORS (age 10) at Crown Point Little League

(single-elimination)

Quarterfinals - July 15

DYER 5, Griffith 0; Munster (1) 20, Robertsdale 10

CROWN POINT (1) 13, CEDAR LAKE 3; Munster (2) 14, CP (2) 4

Semifinals - July 16 - 6 p.m.

DYER (5-0) vs. Munster (1) (5-0)

Munster (II) (4-1) vs. CROWN POINT (1) (4-0)

Championship game – July 17 – 7 p.m.

Saturday's winner

CROWN POINT (7-15-2005) The single-elimination District Finals format brings a lot of seasons to an end in a very short time.

That's how it was Friday night in Crown Point in the District II Little League minors' (age 10) quarterfinals as Munster scored five times in the first inning and beat Crown Point's No. 2 squad 14-4 after the Crown Point No. 1 team broke an early 3-3 tie and turned back Cedar Lake 13-3.

“I was telling them that we can't start that slowly against really good teams,” said manager Ron Plesac. “I'm really nervous, This is my first time as manager and I haven't been sleeping too well. I'm just hoping we can get through the next game.”

Part of the pressure is the last name. Ron Plesac's sons are twin star players Zach and Ronnie Plesac and, of course, they're all related to former major leaguer Dan Plesac. It's hard to hide when Danny Plesac is still on cable TV every week as an analyst on Cub games. So when that name is on the lineup card in Crown Point, you are suddenly the favorite.

“In our league,” manager Plesac explains, “everybody wants to beat us. They all say, 'Oh, it's so unfair' that we have both of them. But on the all-stars, everybody (on the Crown Point side) is OK with us.”

CP expected to defeat Cedar Lake but the smaller league's star scored three times in the second inning and were tied 3-3 in the fourth when CP scored six unearned runs to break the game open. John Lynk's two-run single made it 5-3 and Ronnie Plesac's RBI single upped the count to 6-3 on a humid 70-degree night.

Ron Plesac, a big left-handed hitter who swings for the fences, had three hits, a walk and a sacrifice flyball. Zach Plesac, a smaller, quicker, right-handed hitting lead off man, reached base five times on two errors and three hits.

Zach came on in the sixth inning and struck out the side after giving up a leadoff single.

“I didn't really want to use Zach pitching tonight but he only went one inning and we can use them both tomorrow (against Munster). They are twins even though one is left-handed and the other is right-handed. Ronnie is more power and Zach is more finesse.”

Munster scored early and often against CP's No. 2 squad but it was their infield defense that decided this game.

“They made a lot of plays,” said CP manager Jerry Tromp. “And they hit the ball well. We didn't have the pitching to stop them.”

Munster's Marty DelRio was pleased that two Munster 10-year-old teams reached the District semifinals.

“That is good for our league,” Del Rio said. “We'll see if we're ready for the Plesacs. Our defense has been strong throughout the tournament.”

Munster's big hit was a two-run bloop single by Mike Mueller in a five-run first inning. Good baserunner scored two runs on a fielder's choice ground ball in the second inning and Munster stole eight bases behind right-hander Michael Poulus, who allowed five CP hits in five innings.

DISTRICT II NOTES: Definite dates for the sectional (District II vs. District I) playoff series have not yet been announced, but they could be Thursday July 21, Friday July 22 and Saturday July 23.

There has been no rain to disrupt the 10-and-under playoffs so far. Cedar Lake defeated Highland twice to reach the District Finals. Griffith went undefeated in pool play, but they lost 5-0 Thursday night to Dyer in the single-elimination District finals.

All three Plesac boys could be together to play in the 2006 age-12 Crown Point all-stars as Joey (now age 11) will be joined by Zach and Ron, who are both now 10, but could choose to play on the 12-year-old squad if they are selected.