1.) 4A CROWN POINT (18-1)
22-9 (2006), 21-12 (2005), 17-11 (2004), 22-10 (2003)

CROWN POINT - The Bulldogs traded one albatross for another last week.  Chesterton handed CP a first loss of the year, 3-2 at Chesterton last Friday (May 4), removing the burden of being undefeated after 15 wins.  But CP roared back onto the bus Saturday and crushed 4A No. 3 Carroll 8-2 and Penn 11-1.  CP's Joe Patrick had three base hits and scored twice against Carroll (14-2), getting 10 hits off one of the Cougars top three pitchers in Justin Frane.

One of the few questions abut CP was how would they respond after a loss.  I believe they passed that test.  The 3-2 loss to Chesterton and 6-foot-5 right-hander Sean Green (7-2) indicates that the Bulldogs can be defeated at the sectional level.  But both times Chesterton faced CP, the Trojans lined up Green, a sure pro draft choice next month, to pitch.  CP can send any of their top pitchers against Chesterton.  The Bulldogs had a letdown against Merrillville, even though they won 8-3 Monday.  Merrillville led 1-0 after 5-1/2 innings and CP flied out to center field seven times.  This is a big week for the Bulldogs with a DAC showdown at LaPorte Thursday at 4:45 p.m... and a 7:30 Friday battle with neighbor Boone Grove (12-1-1).  How would you like to be a senior on CP playing those two teams in your final month of high school as the No. 1 team in the state?  These are the good, old days for CP baseball.

2.) 4A Chesterton (11-4)
15-13 (2006),12-12 (2005), 19-9 (2004), 8-20 (2003)

CHESTERTON - This is probably NW Indiana's best team when Sean Green, who has a 90-mile-an-hour fastball, pitches.  Green (5-1), who had 54 strikeouts in his first 43 innings, has lost to Crown Point 2-1 and defeated them 3-2.  If at all possible, he'll face them a third time next month.  Basketball star Zack Novak stroked a two-run double to erase a 2-1 CP lead Friday.  Steve Patterson allowed just six hits in a 9-2 win over Merrillville last week and then struck out 11 in a 7-1 win over Portage Tuesday.  Chesterton apparently has lost a lot of games to the weather and they have questionable pitching depth, so they could take some losses as the games pile up.  Chesterton has the Carmel Invitational (3 games) to play on May 18-19.  They also will see Munster and 1A No. 1 Marquette (17-1).  Shallow pitching not withstanding, after 15 games, the Trojans had allowed just 52 runs.

3.) 2A Boone Grove (12-1-1)
26-4 (2006), 24-7 (2005), 17-12 (2004), 21-7 (2003)

PORTER TOWNSHIP -  Boone Grove's winning streak ran to 10 games with a 12-6 win over Munster Tuesday night.  Munster uses the Boone Grove game as a chance to play JV and substitute players, which is one reason that Boone has routed them the last two seasons.  But the other reason is:  Boone is 36-5-1 over the last two years.  I think this Boone team would beat this Munster 6-out-of-10 times if both teams played due to superior pitching but I can't prove it.

Boone isn't challenged in the Porter County Conference.  They poured it on Washington Township 10-0 Friday behind Kyle Ferber.  The Wolves lynched Kouts 10-5 Monday as Ferber (6-1) pitched five more innings and struck out eight.  Basketball star Bryce Palleson had three hits.  The tie game was 7-7 to 1A No. 1 Marquette.  Boone puts it all on the line this weekend when they take on big neighbor Crown Point (19-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.  One thing for sure.  The Bulldogs will not play JV players and they have will almost certainly start senior Matt Ernest (5-0) if he does not pitch Thursday against LaPorte (14-6).  If Boone beats Crown Point, nobody at CP is going to say it doesn't count.

Boone then plays in the Northwestern Classic Saturday, which means they'll meet 2A No. 2 Northwestern (15-2).  Right now, you can't seriously rate Munster or Griffith over Boone.  There are no other barometers other than strength of schedule and head-to-head.  Boone's schedule is almost as tough and they won decisively over the Mustangs and Panthers, although neither of the latter two put much weight on the games involved.  LaPorte is a much younger team than Boone.  I thought that Andrean was better than Boone, but the Niners have not proven it.  The truth about Boone comes out this weekend, but its getting harder for people to say they're not that good.

4.) 4A LaPORTE (14-6)
25-6 (2006), 30-5 (2005), 25-7 (2004), 22-10 (2003), 20-9 (2002), 28-2 (2001)

LaPORTE - The Slicers crushed Lake Central 9-3 to sweep that season series.  Junior lefty Neal Hackett (6-2) allowed seven hits and four walks, but he coasted after a five-run third inning.  The Slicers lost to Clay 7-6 when they left 12 runners on base Saturday.  LaPorte has scored 10 runs or more nine times in 20 games, but the pitching is short after Hackett (6-2) and Ian Nielsen (5-1).  Mike Walls (3-3) has struggled at times.  Nielsen, LaPorte's top right-hander and their clean up hitter, drove in six runs in a 15-6 win over South Bend Adams.  The Slicers are two games back of CP in the DAC and they must win Thursday or they cannot catch up to the Bulldogs.  If the weather stays warm, LaPorte is better off because they can pile on the runs.  The big news at LaPorte is off the field.  They have a landmark week coming up.  The May 22 game against Clark and the May 25 game against Lowell will be the first two night games in LaPorte history.  The new lights, reportedly, are almost ready to go.

5.) 4A Munster (16-5)
23-11 (2006), 19-14 (2005), 23-6 (2004), 20-10 (2003)

MUNSTER -  The Mustangs bombed Hobart 8-1 and Highland 8-1 to take first place in the LAC in front of the LAC tournament next week.  The Mustangs smoked out Hobart 8-1.  Brandon Miller (4-1) allowed seven hits and a walk in a complete game.  The ponies galloped past Lowell 14-8 Monday (5-7-2007) as Brett Keil was 3-for-5 with a home run.  I don't put too much stock in the Munster 12-6 loss to Boone Grove.  Munster was playing their second game of a double-header Tuesday night and they used backup players.  Still, you can't count it as a positive.  They did lose big.

The wild horses gave up 14 hits to Lowell Monday and 13 to Boone.  Their pitching is still suspect.  But Munster was supposed to be an offensive force and they have been.  This is the two-time defending 4A Sectional champ and they are favored to make it three times.  As the weather warms up, saddle up the ponies and ride 'em up the poll.  Again, this is the most predictable team in NW Indiana baseball.

6.)  3A ANDREAN (14-7)
25-8 (2006), 33-2 (2005), 26-8 (2004), 27-7 (2003)

MERRILLVILLE - This team has gone south faster than the Chicago Bulls.  Andrean's 10-7 loss to Kankakee Valley Monday was a game the Niners should have won, leading 3-0 after three innings.  The 59ers definitely went down to funky town this month with four consecutive losses.  Offense was the problem in most of the games and it's hard to understand how that happens with the bats and speed they have.  But baseball is a long term sport (I say that many times) and, in the long run, Andrean will hit the ball.  With two weeks left and a couple of sub-.500 teams certainly on deck in the LAC tournament, the opportunity is there for the 59ers to rebound.  Keep in mind here, two losses here are to 3A No. 1 Norwell (20-0) and Anderson (15-4), the type of teams NW Indiana schools don't play as a rule.  Two more losses here are to Griffith (15-7), which has won 11 games in a row.  I still don't think Griffith is better than Andrean, and two weeks ago, there wouldn't have been a discussion on that question.  It's just that the losing spree Griffith was on early is similar to what Andrean is going through now.

7.) 3A Griffith (14-7)
23-8 (2006), 19-15 (2005), 19-14 (2004), 17-12 (2003)

GRIFFITH -  The Panthers continued to roll, winning 4-2 over Lowell Wednesday, the 11th win in a row for Griffith.  Will Frets pitched complete game.  Monday saw the Panthers reject Bishop Noll 14-4 with a homer and two RBIs from Ryan Bridges, who also homered against Lowell.  Matt Kuna (5-2) got the win against Lowell and the Panthers will set him up to start the first game of the LAC tournament.  This team never should have left anyone's top-10.  A lot of folks who think they do, don't really understand baseball.  If you are a good baseball team, losing 7-of-10 (if you have not lost any players) does NOT make you a bad team.  This team has a strong center fielder, a power-hitting clean up man and a true state caliber No. 1 starter.  They don't have the pitching Andrean does, but they are clearly better than Valpo and Lake Central.  The Panthers need the playoffs to start tomorrow.

8.) 4A Valparaiso (9-9-1)
15-13 (2006), 8-21 (2005), 16-13 (2004), 25-5 (2003), 27-5 (2002)

VALPARAISO -  The Vikings were upset 3-2 at Michigan City Tuesday after a 6-5 win over Lake Central.  There's no doubt this team is in a mediocre group with Highland, Merrillville and LC.  Chooch Sizemore (4-3) took the loss at MC when The Wolves scored two runs in the final inning.  Sizemore won the LC game in relief last Friday with a three-run sixth inning rally.
I don't know about Valpo, to be honest.  Here's a team with that tough No. 1 pitcher in Sizemore, who beat LaPorte 11-1.  The schedule they have played has been tough, including all the DAC schools, Marquette (20-1) and Munster (16-5).  You can't put Clark or Morton ahead of them because of the lame schedules those two Hammond schools play.  But 9-9-1 is mediocre.   9-9-1 is the text book definition of mediocre.

9.) 4A LAKE CENTRAL (8-8)
19-10 (2006), 28-3 (2005), 24-7 (2004), 23-6-1 (2003)

ST. JOHN - Lake Central hit a losing streak much like Andrean.  LC has lost to Valpo, Munster and LaPorte in succession after an 8-5 start.  These last three teams are very similar, but they've played the schedules to be here.  LC has taken on the entire DAC slate plus Munster and Lafayette Harrison.  Playing weak sisters and then claiming your good won't fly here or in the post-season.  LC takes on all comers and sometimes they get whipped like a government mule.  But you never know when a young team kicks in.  Teams are never as bad a they look in losing streaks.  But you can't put KV or Highland ahead of this team.  I'll say it again.  LC is more talented than anyone in their sectional.  They just have no experience.

 

10.) 3A Kankakee Valley (12-8)
16-15 (2006), 22-9 (2005), 0-0 (2004), 0-0 (2003), 0-0 (2002)

DeMOTTE  -  Kankakee Valley has been on the rise and a 10-7 win over Andrean puts them heading for higher ground.  Andrean is the team KV must beat and KV's four-run sixth inning overcame a 7-6 lead.  Saturday, Matt Dobin was 6-for-7 in a 10-0, 8-2 double-header sweep over North Newton.  KV also shelled Hobart 10-9 and Lowell 17-4 last week.  Dobin had two doubles against Hobart and a home run against Lowell.  This team lost only 4-1 to Munster (16-5), 5-0 to Boone (12-1-1) and 3-2 to Crown Point (18-3).  Sean Nannenga (1-5) has pitched well this month and Alex Byers pitched a one-hitter against North Newton.  I know Marquette is 20-1 but their schedule is just not good.  KV has some weak nonconference games, but look at the top of this poll and tell me who KV has not played.

On the outside looking in ...

3A Clark (13-5)
25-6 (2006), 22-7 (2005), 24-5 (2004), 21-8 (2003), 20-5 (2002)

HAMMOND - The Pioneers roasted Calumet 10-0 in a typical LAC walkover Monday.  You can't talk about how Boone plays a soft schedule and not talk about the lesser lights that Clark plays.  The PCC is as tough or tougher than the LAC Blue Division.  Clark turned back Morton 4-3 and then waltzed past Lake Station 13-2.  It has to discourage their players to face so many out-manned squads.  But Clark does face some toughies like Mt. Carmel (22-4) and LaPorte (14-6).  You can't tell much about this team yet.

4A Merrillville (10-10)
23-8 (2006), 12-15 (2005), 16-11 (2004), 7-20 (2003)

MERRILLVILLE  -  The Pirates jacked up Lowell 17-4 Saturday and came within four outs of beating Crown Point (18-1) Monday before losing 8-3 in nine innings.  Other than Caleb Douglas, who held CP to just two runs in eight innings, the Pirate pitching is not strong.  But Merrillville is speedy.  They can bunt and run.  There's not a true cleanup hitter here and the Pirates will always struggle to score.  But they did beat Boone and almost got CP.

Return to Top

Copyright © 2007 USA-365.com and Meyer Multimedia Services, a division of Meyer Broadcasting Corp.  All rights reserved.
Revised: May 15, 2007.