2012 - Week-3, Top-10

High School Baseball Teams in

Northwest Indiana

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith

4-19-2012

ST. JOHN (04-19-2012) The dry weather held, almost guaranteeing that there will be no rush of games the final week. Many teams have no make up games as we pass the 1/3 point of the season.

The USA Today national high school poll has undefeated Lake Central (10-0) at No. 22 nationally, largely based on two Division I pitchers in Jimmy McNamara and Taylor Lehnert. National ratings for baseball are even less valid than they are for all other sports because all teams are different depending on who the starting pitcher is. If you match up No. 1 pitchers, a lot of teams are equal to LC. But when you get deeper than that, the Indians have an edge.

You need pitchers during the season that you don't use in the playoffs. No matter how wonderful your pitching staff is, the boys know that the top two guys are the only ones who are going to start in the post-season. So the rankings are based on factors that are not necessarily relevant to sectional and regional success.

In other word, as has been said many times, many ways: The rankings mean nothing.

Except for these rankings right here, of course.

1. (4A) LAKE CENTRAL (10-0)
26-5 (2011), 20-6 (2010), 27-5 (2009), 22-9-2 (2008)

ST. JOHN: Lake Central topped rival Crown Point 12-5 to hold the lead in the Duneland Athletic Conference. Taylor Lehnert gave up 11 hits, but stranded 11 CP runners. No. 3 pitcher Nick Kellams struck out 10 in a five-inning, 12-0 win over Merrillville Monday (4-16-2012). The good weather is helping LC because it keeps their pitching in line. LC has not been faced with five or six games in a week yet. There's not a lot of roadblocks for LC right now.

MERRILLVILLE: The Niners have lost to Penn and (Lansing, Ill,) Illiana Christian but they rolled over Kankakee Valley 11-2 Monday as Zach Goldasich was backed by a 12-hit attack.
The Niners also topped Griffith as Zac Ryan struck out 12. Andrean plays Marian Catholic in Chicago Heights Saturday (4-21-2012) and they face 3A No. 5 Norwell (9-2) at the Brebuef Invitational on April 28.

PORTAGE: The Indians had a 10 game winning streak broken in a 10-1 home loss to Crown Point. I would still say that the Indians are a little better than CP for the time being, but the gap isn't much. The difference cold be big hitting Gabe Acevedo, who had a home run and four RBIs in last Saturday's 15-1 win over Clark. He was 2-for-3 Thursday (4-12-2012) in a 9-3 win over Merrillville. Portage takes on Munster (4-23-2012) and Valparaiso (4-24-2012) in a back-to-back test.

4. (4A) Crown Point (9-2)
21-12 (2011), 27-5 (2010), 30-3 (2009), 29-6-2 (2008), 29-3 (2007)

CROWN POINT: Crown Point lost 12-5 to Lake Central and 11-4 to Clay, but they came back with wins 10-0 over Mishawaka 10-1 at Portage. Zach Plesac (4-0) got a lot of support in picking up his fourth win. David Kepshire (2-0) was the beneficiary of the 10 runs against Mishawaka. CP will see Penn, or 4A No. 10 Carroll (7-2) on May 5, but before that they host Cathedral (8-1) on April 28. CP might be a little short of pitching so the good weather and no postponements help them, too.

CHESTERTON: After losing 11-6 to Andrean, Chesterton got better in a 1-0 win over LaPorte Monday (4-16-2012) as Jake Post pitched a four-hitter. Chesterton won with one base hit and their offense, despite scoring 63 runs in the first three games against very soft teams, continues to be a problem. This is a team that was no hit in a 4-2 loss to Crown Point in April 10. They travel to Lake Central (10-0) on April 24 and Crown Point (9-2) on April 30.

VALPARAISO: The Vikings rolled over Michigan City 12-3 Monday as CJ Gear had three more base hits. The Vikings smoked out New Prairie 12-7 Saturday (4-14-2012) as Greg Thome and Stephen Simms each drove in three runs. Valpo has been strong offensively. The strength of the DAC is showing early in the season as four teams are 7-2 or better. And it's an odd year because one of the top DAC squads isn't perennial power LaPorte (6-6).

HAMMOND: The Mustangs rolled over Hobart 11-1 behind Anthony Gomez and topped Lowell 7-5 Monday (4-16-2012) as Scott Crilly (3-2) gave up just five hits in six innings. I have a long standing belief that quality left-handed pitchers make you better than quality right handed pitchers (all things being equal) at the high school level. With Crilly and Gomez, expect the Mustangs to rise above the .500 mark.

HOBART: The Brickies cooled down after a 9-0 start, losing 11-1 to Munster before toping Gavit 10-0 Monday (4-16-2012). Drey Devereaux had three hits and three RBIs. There is a feeling that Hobart has not been truly challenged as of yet. It's coming. Especially at sectional time. The Brickies get prime time when they take on Lowell Friday (4-20-2012) at 7 p.m. in the US Steelyard in Gary. The Brickies also host Andrean (7-2) on Thursday, April 26.

9. (4A) LaPorte (6-6)
20-10-1 (2011), 27-4 (2010), 21-10 (2009), 21-9 (2008), 22-9 (2007)

LaPORTE: A double-header sweep over Goshen put LaPorte back above .500, but they lost 1-0 to Chesterton, a game where junior Slicer right-hander Tommy Snyder (1-3) allowed just one hit. Snyder also lost 6-5 at Portage, but he's proven to be a reliable starter along with Ben Saliwanchik (1-3) and Wally Dickman (2-0), all new regular pitchers this season. Dickman pitched a four-hit shutout against Goshen. This team began 0-3 (including a 10-2 loss to Penn) and has rallied to the .500 mark, but odds are against them winning 20 (for the 44th year in a row) as LaPorte has two games each left with Plymouth, Lake Central and Crown Point.

HAMMOND: Here's another team that started slow. But Noll has beaten Lowell 6-5, Morton 15-5 and Whiting 6-0 to charge over the .500 mark. Danny Pobereyko struck out nine in the win over Whiting. Julian Gurerro struck out eight against Lowell. The pitching is looking a little stronger here. Hanover eliminated Noll last season and went to the 2A finals. Hanover isn't in 2A anymore. Where does that leave Noll this season?