Northwest Indiana Top-10

Week 8 High School Rankings

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

Before the season began we predicted Lake County could send three teams to the state finals. Here are our (5-21-2003) picks for the USA-365.com Week #8 High School Girls Softball Top-10 teams for Northwest Indiana:

1. LAKE CENTRAL (23-2-1)

Lake Central ran their winning streak to 13 in a row with wins over Hanover Central and Boone Grove this week. Brooke Baker (14-2-1, 2 saves) struck out 13 in a row against Hanover. Only TF South and Castle have scored more than 2 runs on Lake Central all season. Katie Mitchell had two hits off Hanover's Amanda Wendlinger (17-4). LC beat Portage and Chesterton last week to reach the 20-win level for the 16th year in a row. LC has faced the leaders of all three northwest Indiana leagues and is 2-0-1. They'll play Homewood-Flossmoor (20-5) this week.

2. ANDREAN (22-1-1)

Andrean shut out Lowell in a well-played game Tuesday and they'll face 20-game winner Benton Central this week. Wins over KV 3-0, Highland 3-2 and Lowell 2-0 have been playoff-caliber but the the 59ers have not hit well lately. Katie Sheaks struck out 13 against Lowell and 12 against KV. The 59ers have two easy home field wins lined up in the first two rounds of their own 2A sectional.

3. Portage (17-6)

Portage struck together four shutout victories in a row as Cristin Zaragoza ran her scoreless inning streak to 30. Almost as important was that Portage did not commit an error in four games. The Indians have largely the same team that won the sectional last year and they appear to be rounding into shape. Portage vs. Valparaiso in the sectional quarterfinals could go either way.

4. Chesterton (18-4-1)

The Trojans had one of those games where their defense fell apart, making five errors in a 3-1 loss to Hobart Monday. Chesterton had won only once in four games before Wednesday's game with Valparaiso. This senior-loaded team appears shaky going into the state tournament but they open with weak KV so what's the problem?.

5. Valparaiso (16-8-1)

Valparaiso gave up five runs in the sixth inning in a surprise loss 5-3 at Crown Point but it was an errorless game that you probably just write off. Valparaiso has just two losses in May and they appear ready for the state tournament. Pitcher Ashlee Blankenbaker is approaching 200 strikeouts.

6. Highland (21-8)

The biggest thing here could be the schedule. Highland will play 31 games, the most the rules allow. That is of great benefit to them. They went 1-2 in a tournament last Saturday at Concord Saturday. The Trojans blanked Munster 2-0 Monday as Stephanie Zimny (19-6) set up to be the region's first 20-game winner. The Trojans are hard to figure. Losing 3-1 to Lowell and 7-0 to Chesterton but beating Concord (20-5) and Munster (21-5). All four are good foes. The offense is a little soft but they get the winner of Munster-LC and that's the way they want it.

7. Hobart (15-9)

Here's another roller-coaster team losing 2-0 to Crown Point and 10-6 to Pendleton Heights but overall winning 6-of-8 including a 3-1 victory at first place Chesterton Monday. The Brickies are not a fast team that can manufacture runs but the pitchers Taryn Jamioson and Kara Pope, give them a chance at the tough Merrillville Sectional.

8. Munster (21-5)

Munster hit a wall with two losses in the Munster Invitational and a 2-0 loss at Highland Tuesday. They should not panic as the foes, Harrison (18-8), 3A No. 6 Pendleton Heights (16-7) and Highland (21-8) are all quality teams. The Mustangs played a soft schedule much of the year and they need to toughen up fast before they face LC in the state tournament opener. Stephanie Andjelich (11-4) is not getting hit hard but the Ponies defense was shaky against Harrison.

9. Hanover Central (19-6)

HC nailed down their third consecutive Porter County Conference (PCC) crown with twin 2-0 wins over Wheeler. The Lady Cats took both the regular season and tournament titles and have won 32 consecutive games against PCC foes. Hanover lost 3-0 to Lake Central Monday, with defensive miscues leading to all three runs. Amanda Wendlinger (17-6) struck out seven against Wheeler Tuesday (May 20) to give her 236 on the season. Bess Copak is still batting over .400 but HC has got to make more contact. They struck out 17 times against LC's Brooke Baker.

10. Griffith (15-12)

The Panthers lost 3-2 to Lake Central after an 11-8 win over Crown Point. An 11-8 game in softball isn't good for either side. Griffith has had severe defensive problems at times but that can be worked out. The Panthers have a very winnable sectional. They should be in Twin Lakes for the regional on May 31.

Others to watch

*** Lowell (12-11)

Lowell has won 10-of-13 but they couldn't score on Andrean's Katie Sheaks (15-1-1) in a 2-0 loss Tuesday. Red Devil 1-2 hitters Carrie Shelhart and Liz Martin are always on base. Martin was 3-for-3 against Andrean. Cristin Just (6-4) does not get hit hard. Lowell should have high hopes in the playoff opener Monday against Crown Point.

*** Crown Point (13-13)

Big wins lately over Valparaiso and Hobart but the 11-8 loss to Griffith was shaky with five errors. They are confident they can beat Lowell in the state playoff opener next week and they have reason to believe they can compete against Portage or Valparaiso as well. Here's another team that must hit because they don't have the speed to create runs against good teams. They have a lot of confidence in the pitcher-catcher combination of Lacy Holevis (7-11) and Erin Hostinsky.

*** Bishop Noll (17-11)

Noll has won six in a row since the Highland Invitational including a 2-0 win over Whiting Tuesday. Noll has to feel they can beat Griffith based on a 6-3 win on May 8. Here's another team that will play 30 games. Soph Kristin Chico threw a no-hitter against KV but Beth McNulty (10-5) has a lot of experience and she has to carry the Warriors.

OUT OF TOWN NOTES: Lowell plays (Fort Wayne) Snider, Penn (20-5) and Pendleton Heights at the Penn Invitational this Saturday. Concord's Christy Nagy stole her 53rd base Monday for Concord, setting a state record. The Minutemen (20-4) bat Nagy in the leadoff spot where she is hitting .520.

Culver Academy's Jackie Lawrence (16-1) went eight innings to beat Mishawaka Marian 5-4 Monday. Culver was the second-ranked Class 2A team in the state last week behind Andrean.

The Beecher, Ill team that defeated Hanover Central 4-1 last month improved to 22-4 with a 2-1 win Monday over Lisle, Ill. South Central (17-6) made five errors and still beat county rival LaPorte 5-2. Harrison beat 20-game winner Clinton Prairie 2-1 to win the Munster Invitational.