Northwest Indiana Top-10

Week 9 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 (5-28-2003) picks for the USA-365.com Week #9 High School Girls Softball Top-10 teams for Northwest Indiana:

1. LAKE CENTRAL (27-2-1)

Lake Central ran their winning streak to 16 in a row with a 2-0 state tournament win over Munster. With the upset of Highland, the Indians are guaranteed of going to the Penn Regional. Brooke Baker (19-6) shut out Munster for the second time this year. LC also dominated Illinois power Homewood-Flossmoor 5-1 in the final week of the season. Baker's win over Munster was her 19th complete game and her 11 strikeouts game her 234 on the season.

2. ANDREAN (26-1-1)

Andrean dominated Boone Grove and Calumet to start the state playoffs this week. They face a showdown with unranked Hanover Central (22-6) Thursday at 4:40 p.m.. Katie Sheaks (20-1, 0.19) reached the 20-win mark for the second consecutive season and her 11 strikeouts in the 14-0 no-hitter against Calumet gave her 304 strikeouts on the season. The 59ers carry an eight-game win streak into the sectional title game.

3. Chesterton (22-4-1)

Chesterton beat Kankakee Valley 12-3 to begin the state playoffs but the Trojans made four more errors. For all the positive talk about the Trojans defense, the error totals are unsettling. This team made five errors on May 19 in a 3-1 loss to Hobart and kicked up five boots in the earlier 2-1 win over Hanover Central. Pitcher Laura Langendorfger (17-4) is not a strikeout specialist and, without top caliber defense, Chesterton, even with a school record 22 wins, cannot stay alive much longer.

4. Valparaiso (18-9-1)

Valparaiso was lucky to beat Portage 3-2 to start the state tournament Monday. Portage made five errors to give the game away. But pitcher Ashlee Blankenbaker struck out 10 and she's capable of tossing a no-hitter against anybody. Valpo would like to finally settle that 21-inning scoreless tie they played with Chesterton. That tie is on the record since all the statistics counted. So, this would be the 4th meeting of the two schools this year. If, the VHS girls get past Crown Point and Hobart doesn't stop Chesterton.

5. Portage (19-9)

Portage had an embarrassing end to their season, blowing a 2-0 lead with five errors in the final two innings and losing to Valpo 3-2. Cristin Zaragoza should get some all-area votes after an 18-9 season and 25 complete games. This is the first time in 10 years that Portage has not reached the sectional championship game.

6. Highland (22-9)

The embarrassment Portage feels is small compared to Highland. There is no real explanation for the Trojans 4-3, 13-inning loss to Hammond (14-15) and any guesses are just that. Highland pitcher Stephanie Zimny (20-7) allowed only five hits in 13 innings, had a 3-0 lead and still lost. Four Trojan errors could not have helped but how did Highland get only 7 hits in 13 innings of Hammond freshman Amanda Jones (5-6)? Along with Morton over Valpo in 2001 and Lake Station over Whiting in 2002, one of the biggest upsets in northwest Indiana softball history.

7. Hobart (19-10)

Hobart had lost seven games by shutout and they appeared on their way to an eighth blanking in the sectional quarterfinals Tuesday (May 27) when the Brickies scored three runs in the fifth inning. With no dominant pitcher and little speed, this isn't a state finals' team but a win over Chesterton would give them 20 victories, which sounds good at the springs sports awards banquet.

8. Hanover Central (21-6)

HC opened the state tournament with a 6-0 win over Wheeler after winning 11 of their last 12 regular season games. HC reached the 20 win mark for the fourth time in five years. Sophomore pitcher Amanda Wendlinger (19-5) had 254 strikeouts in 145 innings after shutting out the Bearcats for the third time this season. The Lady Cats are playing their best ball but HC really hasn't played as tough a schedule as they did last year. They didn't get to play McCutcheon, Jefferson or Lewis Cass at the rained-out Twin Lakes tournament and they didn't touch Brooke Baker (although, in truth, who has?). They'll have to be errorless in the field to have any hope for another upset over No. 1 Andrean (HC won the title 2-0 last year) in the Thursday's (5-30-3) Andrean Sectional championship game.

9. Munster (22-7)

Munster gave Lake Central a battle before they lost 2-0 in the sectional quarterfinals Monday. It was the second shutout loss to LC this year. The Lady Ponies were a victim of their schedule. They were 20-2 and vastly overrated on May 15 before losing five of their last seven. The losses, to Harrison, Pendleton Heights, Portage, Highland and LC weren't really upsets. Those were just better teams than Munster had been facing. Munster needs a balanced schedule and they've got to play tougher nonconference teams. Fortunately, I think their coaching staff knows that and will get it done for 2004.

10. Crown Point (14-15)

The moment of truth is here for Crown Point. Back-to-back victories over Valparaiso and Chesterton could make this one of CP's greatest seasons. A loss to Valpo and it ends below .500. Senior pitcher Lacy Holevis (8-12) trailed 4-0 but held a 7-4 lead to the finish against Lowell in the playoff opener and she added three hits. That was CP''s first playoff win in six years. Erin Hostinsky's RBI double started a six-run rally for CP. If playing an elite schedule is to pay off, it will this week.

Others to watch

*** Griffith (15-12)

Griffith has not had a good year by their standards. The school is a two-time state finalist in softball. But wins over Morton (16-12) and Noll (17-12) will put them in the regional where they could be difficult to handle.

*** Bishop Noll (18-11)

Noll could reach 20 wins if they can beat Griffith and Morton this week, teams they've defeated earlier this year. Beth McNulty (11-5) pitched four complete game victories the last week of the regular season including a 2-0 shutout over Whiting. The Warriors carry a 7-game winning streak into the state tournament. But they've played a 'Lake and Porter County schedule' never getting out of the region and never seeing any state powers other than Andrean and LC. Noll will try to prove that you don't need to play tough teams during the regular season to have postseason success.

OUT OF TOWN NOTES: Benton Central may have lost 5-1 to Andrean but they went to 24-4 on the season with a double-header sweep of Fountain Central Monday. Mishawaka strikeout king Claire DeVreese (16-5) struck out 14 in a 4-0 no-hit win over Elkhart Central on Monday.

Mishawaka (24-6) faces Penn (23-6), a team that scored a 5-02 win over powerful Concord (21-6) in the sectional quarterfinals Monday. Elkhart Memorial (26-4) is also in that sectional in Elkhart.

Culver Academy freshman Jackie Lawrence (20-1) pitched a three-hitter against Mishawaka Marian (15-16) Monday in a 3-0 victory. Culver (20-1) faces the only team that beat them, St. Joseph's (19-10) in the New Prairie Sectional Thursday.

At this time, there is no cable TV of state softball scheduled. There is talk of attempting to air the state finals (on radio) if more than one region team qualifies for the final Saturday.