1.) 4A CROWN POINT (24-2)
22-9 (2006), 21-12 (2005), 17-11 (2004), 22-10 (2003)

CROWN POINT - The Bulldogs added a game Thursday on the road at Rochester (14-12) to fill out the schedule.  The Bulldogs end the year at Elkhart Memorial Friday night.  The Bulldogs coasted past Lowell 13-0, the 20th time this year the Bulldogs have held the opposition to two runs or less.  They just embarrassed Northridge and Heritage Christian (18-8) Saturday and they simply have not been tested a lot.  When you are beating Top-10 teams like Carroll and Penn 9-2 and 11-1, you are over the top.  But all that changes now.

Crown Point's rise to the No. 1 spot in the polls this week coincides with their biggest personnel loss of the year.  Senior pitcher and shortstop Matt Ernest (26-65, .400, 14 RBIs, 9 stolen bases) has been suspended from the team for, at least the final week of the season and the sectional tournament.  The school can't tell the whole story, but the word is that Ernest committed a violation (the most common one for teenage boys) of the school's athletic code.  I do not have any inside information, but I believe the suspension is 20% of the season, which is 28 games long.  That's six games.  CP had three final week regular season games so that leaves the three sectional contests, if CP can keep winning.  The Bulldogs won't have any problem finding candidates to replace Ernest (4-0, 0.53 ERA).  I would suspect that Blake Mascarello (3-1) will pitch the semifinal game if Chris Saroff (7-0) wins Monday's quarterfinal against Valparaiso.  Mike Kozlowski (4-0) or Eric Clayton (4-0) are other possibilities and senior Jon Sertich (1-0), is a wild card choice.  Pitching is CPs' core strength.  But the Bulldogs will have some trouble finding a third shortstop with Ernest's range (Saroff is the backup shortstop) and they will not be able to find a No. 2 hitter in the batting order who can step up and bat .400.  Now, we get to see if Crown Point is really as good a team as many of us have thought.

2.) 4A Chesterton (19-5)
15-13 (2006),12-12 (2005), 19-9 (2004), 8-20 (2003)

CHESTERTON -  The Trojans are a clear-cut No. 2 with top starter Sean Green (9-1), NW Indiana's top power pitcher, who has not allowed more than three runs in any game this year.  Green pitched a four hit shutout against LaPorte (19-8) last week as the Trojans finished second behind CP in the DAC.  Green allowed just three base hits in an 8-4 win over Munster (21-6) Tuesday (5-22-2007).  Steve Peterson (4-0) has been an effective No. 2 pitcher and this team also has one of NW Indiana's top catchers in Jeff Gaston who hit a homer against LaPorte and was 2-for-3 last Friday in a 4-3 win over Michigan City.  John Miller (3-0) got the win Friday when the Trojans beat Merrillville 9-6.  Chesterton split their squad that day so they could get started in the Carmel Invitational down in Marion County.  With a full squad Saturday, the Trojans beat Franklin Central 13-9 and Northview 14-0.

Few teams have played this schedule and this is a very experienced squad that has been impressive.  The fact that they would split their squad to get in extra play means they're very serious about the state tournament.  The Trojans have more consistent offense than Boone and Andrean and more pitching than Munster.  Anyone who ranks those teams ahead of the Trojans simply hasn't seen them.  Chesterton did not draw Crown Point immediately so they have to juggle the pitching to line up Green, the tall right-hander, to face the DAC champs.  But this team needed a sectional bye and they got it.  They are vulnerable when their No. 1 pitcher is not on the mound, but they can now make sure Sean Green faces Crown Point.

3.) 2A Boone Grove (20-4-1)
26-4 (2006), 24-7 (2005), 17-12 (2004), 21-7 (2003)

PORTER TOWNSHIP -  Boone has ridden the roller coaster in the last 15 days, losing to South Central, defeating 4A No. 1 Crown Point and them losing to 2A No. 4 Northfield.  They beat 3A No. 7 West Lafayette, were upset 10-8 by Hanover Central (11-12) but then outscored Wheeler 17-12.  Wins over Lowell, Portage, Munster, Griffith and Crown Point speak for themselves, even if those were non-conference games which did not all feature top pitchers.  Boone did lose to South Central and Hanover Central and that raises questions.  Boone also scheduled two games for one day at the Boone Grove Sectional.  On May 28, the Wolves will play Wheeler (16-10) at 9:30 a.m. and Bishop Noll (10-16) at 2:30 p.m.  They have to win them both or they are eliminated.  This is the kind of format you create when you are very sure of winning.  Munster schedules the semifinals and finals in tennis on the same day because they expect to dominate and they want to set themselves up for future playoff games.  But Boone just beat Wheeler 17-12 on Tuesday.  The Wolves will have to beat two tough foes inside an eight hour span.

It's a gamble that sets up the pitching staff for the rest of the tournament.  Junior righthander Kyle Ferber (8-1) could open the playoffs and pitch the title game if someone like David Diaz (5-0) can beat Noll.  I think the loss to Hanover will do Boone some good, facing a hurdle like they've set up.  Boone hasn't won anything yet this season.  They should be hungry to take on all comers.

4.) 4A LaPORTE (19-8)
25-6 (2006), 30-5 (2005), 25-7 (2004), 22-10 (2003), 20-9 (2002), 28-2 (2001)

LaPORTE -  The Slicers swept two games with Goshen over the weekend to pull up next to the 20-win mark for the 41st year in a row.  Mike Walls and Ian Nielsen pitched complete games.  The Slicers rallied to beat Clark 6-5 Tuesday night in the schools' first night game and they host Lowell Friday at 7:00 p.m.  LaPorte finished at 9-5 in the DAC and that's pretty good for most schools.  It's a little disappointing here.  LaPorte hit four homers in a 5-3, 9-2 double-header sweep of Goshen to back the complete game pitching of Walls (4-3), Nielsen (6-2) and Neal Hackett (8-2), who pitched a complete-game win over Valparaiso last week.  Walls got the win in relief against Clark as the Slicers rallied from a 5-2 deficit.  The outfield is very young for the post-season with Dustin DeMuth, a freshman in left and Kyle Rosenbaum, a sophomore in center.  Hackett has to win twice at the sectional and Nielsen must pitch and hit well.

It's the moment of truth for Walls, who was injured and missed the entire 2006 season.  He has not pitched well all year until the last 10 days.  Walls is the third pitcher LaPorte needs to get to the semistate.  But this is not an experienced squad and they're not a lock to win the sectional.  Neilsen is probably the most dangerous hitter in the DAC, but this is just too young a team to go very far.  There is always extreme post-season pressure on LaPorte baseball, but it's been that way for decades and they tend to come through.

5.) 3A Griffith (19-9)
23-8 (2006), 19-15 (2005), 19-14 (2004), 17-12 (2003)

GRIFFITH -  The Panthers have had a season that teaches you about baseball.  They were 4-7 at one time, but in baseball, 10 games in April truly means less than nothing.  Griffith ran their LAC-best winning streak to 14 games with a 1-0 win over Bishop Noll on Wednesday.  Matt Kuna (6-2) struck out 10 as the Panthers reached the semifinals of the final LAC tournament.  Munster edged the Panthers 8-7 in the title game.  Griffith's early losses to Boone Grove (20-4-1) and Crown Point (24-2) are 16 games ago now.  Here's a school that will benefit from the break up of the LAC because they'll be able to see what 3A teams like West Lafayette (24-4), South Bend St. Joseph's (20-8) and Plymouth have to offer.  I know gas is $78 a gallon and the Panthers did play three games in one day one Saturday in May.  But I wish everybody in the LAC would load up the bus on a couple of Saturdays for a baseball road trip.  They're missing part of what the sport is all about at this level.  Still, if everyone's healthy (and that's what you won't know), Griffith seems ready to go.  But the lesson here is, again, that baseball is unlike football and basketball.  To start 4-7 in basketball indicates you have major problems.  To start 4-7 in football indicates you are going to serve time with Paris Hilton.  To start 4-7 in baseball indicates absolutely nothing.  It's just a different sport.  Griffith got all smoked out 14-3 by Lake Central Tuesday (5-22-2007), but try to ignore final week games because the seniors are distracted and the pitching is being juggled.  Griffith got a great sectional draw.  A semifinal game against Calumet is all that stands between them and a match with Clark in the title game.  The pressure is on them after losing the last two sectionals, but as a ballplayer, you have to want that weight on you.

6.) 4A Munster (21-6)
23-11 (2006), 19-14 (2005), 23-6 (2004), 20-10 (2003)

MUNSTER -  The Mustangs beat Andrean 5-3 and Griffith 8-7 to win the Lake Athletic Conference (LAC) tournament.  Munster kept hitting and winning, compiling a 12-game win streak.  Brandon Miller was strong on the hill against Highland, but the rest of the pinching is a little shaky.  Munster played 18 games against LAC teams this year and, while they'll say that's tough competition, I wish they'd get out of Lake County more.  It's nice to be 3-0 against Highland, but I don't know how many times they have to beat the Trojans to prove they're the better team.

Munster got beat at home 8-4 by Chesterton (18-5) and they have not faced LaPorte (19-8) or Crown Point (25-2).  The wild horses have not fared well (they are 4-4) outside of the LAC.  With Noll, Hobart, Lowell and Highland all at or below .500, the LAC Black was down this year and the LAC Blue is down by design.  The Mustangs' second-line pitching is about as scary as a 'Regis and Kelly' marathon but so is their sectional opposition.  Late last week, Munster was the only team in their sectional with more than 13 wins so it may not matter that they didn't get a sectional quarterfinal bye.  Munster has consistently rallied late in past seasons to excel.  The Mustangs would have to play the regional on the road, but I would bet that they'll get that opportunity.

7.)  3A ANDREAN (18-9)
25-8 (2006), 33-2 (2005), 26-8 (2004), 27-7 (2003)

MERRILLVILLE -  Andrean lost twice in the Lake Athletic Conference (LAC) tournament and, while they played four games, they had to be disappointed with the 17-14 3rd place game loss to Kankakee Valley.  The Niners smoked out Merrillville 13-2 Tuesday night as Carl Chambers got the win.  The Niners clearly are still searching for pitching depth beyond Adam Norton, Chris DeGuilio and Chambers.  Andrean stroked out 43 hits in the four LAC tourney games and they added 13 more against the Pirates, but they ended the tourney with six losses in 10 games.  The Niners' traditional final week foe is Clay and they need to play well because the sectional is in doubt against KV.  Andrean has to be worried about a sectional match with the Kougars.  For the first time in many years, it looks like an even game.  An 18-9 record, even including the loss to Norwell (26-0), is good for most schools, but not for Andrean and the pressure is on them to win the sectional in the same way it is on LaPorte.  They are supposed to win the sectional EVERY YEAR, in their minds.

8.) 4A Valparaiso (13-11-1)
15-13 (2006), 8-21 (2005), 16-13 (2004), 25-5 (2003), 27-5 (2002)

VALPARAISO -  The Vikings started to make a late season move with a 6-5 win over Highland and a 13-5 win over Portage.  The Vikings are 1-5 against Chesterton, Crown Point and LaPorte, but they swept Warsaw (14-9), beat Marquette (24-1) and played a seven-inning tie with Elkhart Memorial (12-14).  Valpo did get stomped 11-1 by St. Joseph's (18-4), but that was early and early April results don't apply now.  If lefty and No. 3 hitter Charles (Chooch) Sizemore is healthy, Valpo is a quarterfinal bye away from contending for the sectional title.  They didn't get it.  Teams that have played .500 ball all season long against a wide-ranging schedule easily could just be mediocre.  But, especially when the team has veteran players or a new coach (as they do here), those same teams could simply have not hit their stride yet.  Okay, I agree.  Odds are they'll be playing as many games in June as the Utah Jazz will.  Valparaiso did draw the short straw facing 4A No. 1 Crown Point (24-2) at Crown Point to begin the post-season Monday.  But they have an experienced, big game pitcher in Sizemore, so they can win here.  And kids love being the underdog.

9.) 4A LAKE CENTRAL (13-10)
19-10 (2006), 28-3 (2005), 24-7 (2004), 23-6-1 (2003)

ST. JOHN -  Lake Central turned back Portage 4-2 Wednesday to get back over the .500 mark.  Here's another teams that is 1-5 against LaPorte, Chesterton and Crown Point, but they won't see any of those teams in the 4A Munster sectional.  The Indians are still putting the team together, but they looked good crushing Highland 9-1 Monday (5-20-2007) using three backup pitchers.  The Indians appeared to be lining up pitching for the playoffs or they may have an injury here.  The tourney draw is what it should be.  LC plays arch-rival Munster at Munster, a team that defeated them 10-5 earlier, but that's a game LC should want.  The Indians looked good in a 14-3 win over Griffith Tuesday night (5-22-2007)  behind Matt Murphy (4-3), but again, final week results are misleading.  Ryan Boss hit two homers in the 90-degree 'comfort' Tuesday.  Let's be honest.  This team is younger than the first six picks in the NBA draft.  I don't see them winning a lot of games in a row in the post-season, but there's a couple of 'Greg Odens' here.  Munster is better and has played better, but LC has the young talent to beat anyone around here.

10.) 3A Kankakee Valley (19-9)
16-15 (2006), 22-9 (2005), 19-14 (2004), 14-17 (2003)

DeMOTTE  -  Kankakee Valley is making the big move up the street with three wins in four games at the LAC tournament.  The 17-14 win over Andrean in the LAC tourney third place game gave the Kougars a 2-1 edge over their sectional rivals.  The Kougars non-conference schedule has a couple of easy wins (like the 18-8 run-fest with South Newton Tuesday).  Let's tell the truth.  KV isn't playing Chesterton (18-5), LaPorte (19-8) and Crown Point (24-2) twice like LC and Valparaiso are.  No, that's NOT like playing Munster (21-5), Andrean (18-8) and Griffith (19-8) twice.  The DAC teams have more depth, which matters when you play teams more than once.  But it's the same schedule KV went 16-15 with last year.  KV was 7-7 in late April and they are now 19-9.  I have left-handed hitting star Matt Dobin with eight home runs after he missed KVs first nine game.  Sophomore prospect Kale Popp (4-0) pitched a no-hitter against 1A West Central, but his starts have been limited to teams like Rensselaer and North Newton so far.  Sean Nannenga is 2-5 and pitcher Micah Raebel is also the catcher.  The question here is when they face Andrean, who's going to pitch?

On the outside looking in ...

3A Clark (19-8)
25-6 (2006), 22-7 (2005), 24-5 (2004), 21-8 (2003), 20-5 (2002)

HAMMOND -  The Pioneers got edged 6-5 by LaPorte Tuesday, a 'good loss' to the DAC power on the road.  Clark split four games in the LAC tournament, beating Hammond and Bishop Noll, but losing to KV 11-1 and Highland 9-4.  Clark is a fired up offensive strike force, but the pitchers are questionable, other than Trent Howard who struck out 11 in the loss to LaPorte Tuesday night.  Clark pitchers allow more runs than the Cubs' bullpen.  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 East Chicago 12-2, Whiting 12-2, Hammond 16-3, Lake Station 13-2 and River Forest 17-0 this month.  It has to discourage their players to face so many out-manned squads.  But Clark does face some toughies like Mt. Carmel (29-5-1) and LaPorte (19-8).  That's a tougher schedule than Morton.  The question is: If they're averaging seven runs a game, why aren't the Pioneers in the top-10?  You've got to look at the pitching.

Most of the Pioneers' wins are soft, but that was the case last year, too, and Clark won 3A sectional and regional titles.  I think the Pioneers are at a disadvantage when the warm winds blow because the pitching depth isn't there.  But give them some good spring chill and bad conditions and they could still slip by Griffith.

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