Crown Point beats LaPorte for 3rd time in season, but falls to Lake Central 4-1 in South Bend 4A Regional finals

6-14-2003 - 4A South Bend Regional championship   -  75 degrees, clear
  at Frank Eck Stadium, University of Notre Dame
WP -  Adam Summers (6-1) CG, 4Ks, 3 walks
LP  -  Chad Pruzin (6-3) 6K, 2 walks (5.7 innings)

CROWN POINT (6 singles)
Eric Gulbrandsen (CP) 2 singles, RBI
David Clayton (CP) 2 singles
Brian Sparks (CP) Single,walk

LAKE CENTRAL (Triple, 3 doubles, 5 singles, 2 stolen bases)
Brent Gerlach (LC) 2 doubles, single, RBI
Jose Mendez (LC) Triple
Andrew Alilovich (LC) Single, walk, 2 steals
Geoff Walker (LC) Double, RBI
Ian Figuly (LC) 2 singles, RBI

6-14-2003 - 4A South Bend Regional semifinals   -  85 degrees, sunny
  at Covaleski Stadium, South Bend, Ind.
WP -  Brett Summers (7-1) CG, 4Ks, 3 walks
LP  -  Billy Grace (6-2)  CG, 2k, 2 walks

Lake Central  (2 singles, HBP)
Miek Couwenhoven (LC) Sac. Fly, RBI

Penn (1 single, stolen base)
Brian Rzepka (Penn) single
Bryan Harrell (Penn) 2 walks, stolen base

6-14-2003 - South Bend Regional semifinals  -  85 degrees, sunny
at Covaleski Stadium, South Bend, Ind.
WP -  Chad Pruzin (6-2) 2K, 0 walks (2 innings)
Adam Vetter (CP) 9Ks, 1 walk (10 innings)
LP - Jeff DeMass (4-1) 1K, 0 walks (1.3 innings)
Andy Weeks (L) 9Ks, 1 walk (10 innings)

CROWN POINT (6 singles, double)
Eric Gulbrandsen (CP) Single, stolen base
Kevin Vandas (CP) 2 singles, RBI
Chad Pierce (CP) Double, walk, run scored

LaPORTE (2 doubles, 3 singles)
Nick Overmeyer (L) Double
Brent Herwehe (L) Double
Joel Matheney (L) 2 singles

SOUTH BEND (6-14-2003) -  Sometimes there are clues about who is going to win an athletic competition. You can see indicators, both real and circumstantial, that let you know what's going down.  At the South Bend Regional Saturday, we should have known it would come out this way.

Six years ago, Lake Central seniors, including pitcher Adam Summers, played for the Dyer Little League all stars, who advanced through local, state and midwest competition to Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the 1997 Little League World Series.

"I was thinking about that when I was out there tonight," Summers said later.

Six years later, they're at it again. Summers pitched a six-hitter and Jose Mendez ignited a four-run sixth inning rally to send Lake Central to the 2003 state high school finals with a 4-1 victory over neighbor and rival Crown Point.

It shouldn't be a surprise. The Indians (22-5-1), with 14 seniors on the roster at the end of a state class independent schedule, had plenty of pitching and just enough defense and key hits to outlast 20-game winners Penn and CP in the same day.

But in the artificial light of Notre Dame's Frank Eck Stadium and a 70-degree summer Saturday night, other signs, in retrospect, were clear as to the winner LC would be.

In the championship game, Crown Point led 1-0 in the sixth inning with two runners on base and nobody out. Senior Kevin Vandas (.367) hit a foul pop up into foul territory. No big deal. CP still had two shots at driving in insurance runs.

But first baseman Mike Couwenhoven dropped the ball for what should have been (although it was not officially called) an error. Vandas then grounded Summers' next pitch hard to shortstop Jose Mendez for a double play. That was a big deal. CP did not score and LC mounted an 11th hour rally.
Mendez sliced a long triple to right center against CP starter Chad Pruzin (6-3). Junior left-handed hitter Brent Gerlach chopped a slicing one-hop chop midway between the mound and third base.

Pruzin caught the ball on the first hop and, mindful of Mendez behind him, fired high over the head of Vandas, the Bulldog first baseman, allowing the tying run to score. Pruzin, who threw 98 pitches in the title game after using up 23 pitches in two innings of CP's 1-0, 12-inning semifinal win over LaPorte earlier in the day, rallied to get the next two outs. But a wild pitch on a 3-1 count to Josh Doolin, scored Gerlach for a 2-1 Lake Central lead. LC's Ian Figuly, making just his second varsity start as a designated hitter, bounced an RBI single to left field to put the Indians ahead 3-1. CP coach Steve Strayer then pulled Pruzin before Geoff Walker had an RBI double against reliever Mike Schultz.

"They (LC) hung in there and made a couple of big plays," said Strayer. "But we had a great year.  We made a lot of improvement from the start of the season until now and they did it with class."
Strayer didn't say that the 12-inning semifinal handcuffed CP for the finals.

"I don't know. You say that but Chad came through in the Valpo game (a 3-2 sectional title win one week earlier) and tonight, Lake Central just got some big hits. If we took advantage of our opportunities, it would have been different."

CP took a 1-0 lead on Eric Gulbrandsen's two-out RBI single in the third inning after leadoff hits from Brian Sparks and Matt Cowan. But a key moment came in the top of the first inning when a walk to Sparks and Chad Pierce preceded an error by the LC shortstop Mendez.

Adam Summers then struck out Vandas and catcher Craig Horvat on a 2-2 pitch with the bases full.  Pruzin was very strong in the early going allowing a double to Gerlach in the first and a slicing high hop two base hit over third base in the fourth inning.

In the fifth, David Clayton singled and Sparks was safe when the LC first baseman Mike Couwenhoven threw the ball past first base to put runners at second and third. Crown Point then tried a squeeze bunt, but Matt Cowan missed a Summers' curve ball and Clayton was tagged out by LC catcher Ryan Goodman, killing the rally.

LC had only five hits going into the sixth inning, but the double play started by Mendez in the sixth and Mendez' leadoff triple in the bottom of the sixth seemed to spark the boys from St. John, Dyer and Schererville.

Every sign wasn't positive for LC. Ace shortstop Jose Mendez, who had committed only two errors all season, made two more in the first three innings Saturday night. But it was Mendez who tripled over the head of CP right fielder Adam Vetter to start the sixth inning rally.

"He's our leader," said Iwema. "I told him, this is his team. He knew he had to do something and he did."

Strayer agreed. "They stepped it up and made the big plays that got them a championship. It's not easy losing to whoever it is. It's a funny game."

Crown Point had won the semifinals after senior Adam Vetter (10-1) and LaPorte left-hander Andy weeks (9-2) matched 10 scoreless innings in the hot sun in front of almost 1,000 (990 total) fans.
Pierce and Vandas won the game in the 12th against sophomore left-hander Jeff DeMass. Pierce doubled to the wall in left and Vandas hit a hard line drive over the head of shortstop Joel Matheney.

"I thought I could hit him," Vandas said later. "He wasn't throwing that hard. With the pitching we've got, I knew we'd eventually win."

LaPorte used Weeks for 10 innings but they didn't really have a solid No. 2 pitcher. When Pruzin came on in the 11th inning, the Bulldogs became very confident.

"I've pitched against them before," Pruzin said. "I knew what they had. I think it helps having played them so much. I look at Penn and I don't know any of them."

We've got a lot of big holes to full next year, said Strayer. "We're proud of what kind of season we had but we've got work to do for next year."

"I thought we'd struggle because of our fundamentals but I knew we had a lot of talent. They worked with me as well as anybody could. It was a long, hard season. Everybody's tired but they'll look back and say that we're headed in the right direction in our program and the seniors got that done. Obviously we'll have to rebuild next year, replacing seven starters."

Chad Pierce (.400), one of many who played their final game for CP, said the team did well but fell short of the goal he thought they could achieve.

"I thought we'd go to state," he said. "I thought we were good enough to get there. Everybody else did, too.  We had tons of talent on this team. That's just how the game goes."

Summers threw 26 pitches against CP in the first inning and it looked like he had little chance to finish the game.

"Normally my pitch count was down but I just started off poorly," said Adam Summers. "I didn't have much on my fastball. Only about 80 miles an hour. Basically I just threw off speed. I couldn't blow it by them like I usually can."

In the semifinals against Penn, coach Todd Iwema warmed up Adam Summers with Brett still pitching. In the title game, Iwema warmed up Brett Summers with Adam on the mound.

"As long as we win," he said. "I don't care who gets to pitch."

Crown Point's 22 wins was the most since 2000 and they split up now with many seniors going to play for American Legion Post 20 or the Hammond Chiefs. Crown Point's summer team for underclassmen started their season this week.

In the future, they may remember that they got to play at South Bend's professional park and at the University of Notre Dame, more than they recall the results.

"This is great," Pruzin said after winning the opener. "It's nice out. Warm. This is a good day."

Good for some. Great for others.

DOG NOTES:   Lake Central ended up beating Crown Point two out of three games this season. Ironically in the 1997 District II Little League finals, Dyer, with five of LC's players beat Crown Point, with more than one present CPHS player, two out of three in the double-elimination finals. In the deciding game in 1997, Dyer and Adam Summers beat CP and Chad Pruzin 2-1 after CP had led 1-0.

"I remember," Adam said Saturday. "We scored the tying run when (Sam) Downs threw the ball over the first baseman's head. I thought the same thing when that (Pruzin threw the ball over Kevin Vandas' head to let in the tying run) happened tonight.

The 1997 Dyer Little League all-stars, with 11 players who are now playing for Lake Central or Andrean, won 16 playoff games and went to the Little League World Series.

Crown Point had won four consecutive one-run playoff games before Lake Central's four run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Lake Central advances to the state finals for the first time since 2000, when they lost 7-0 to LaPorte in the semifinals.  Crown Point has never reached the state baseball finals.
Posted records do not list the tie games but that is inconsistent because game statistics from Crown Point's 1-1 tie with LaPorte and Lake Central's 9-9 tie with Warsaw are official and do count in overall totals.

Lake Central made four errors (probably five) after making just 16 during the regular season.
Notre Dame's Frank Eck Stadium a very clean, new-looking facility. It is actually a superior baseball stadium to downtown South Bend's Stanley Covaleski Stadium, although both are excellent.  Frank Eck is not a former priest or player. He is simply a graduate who donated millions of dollars to Notre Dame.

Accolades should go to Bob Nagle, a long time South Bend broadcaster who can be heard on Indiana state tournament broadcasts and South Bend Channel 40's high school game of the week. Nagle, who is connected with ND and also does some Notre Dame interview programming in the South Bend area, did a superb job of PA announcing Saturday night, weaving in the names of coaches, athletic directors, administrators and almost everyone connected with the athletic departments in both schools.  Clay High School rented Eck Stadium for $600 for the night because Covaleski, site of the afternoon semifinals, was booked for Saturday night. Covaleski is owned by the city of South Bend and reportedly was loaned to the high schools for the day, free of charge.

LC' s 6-foot-7 sophomore Brett Summers (7-1) carried a no-hit game into seventh inning of his 1-0 complete-game win over Penn, before Brian Rzepka broke it up.  Summers said that his complete-game 5-3 win over Penn on April 19, helped him Saturday.

"You get used to the batters," he said later. "You study the charts and you know exactly what they did against you last time.  But they also know you and your stuff. It's just who's more prepared."

In the semifinals, Crown Point's 1-0, 12-inning victory over LaPorte was their third victory over the Slicers (21-10-1) this year. That may be the first time anyone has beaten LaPorte three times in the same season. A fourth game ended in a 1-1 tie that was called after 10 innings due to darkness.  LaPorte scored only three runs in 38 innings off CP pitching but the tables will turn in 2004 as the Slicers return all 21 players (on the playoff roster) next season.  LaPorte had eight juniors so 13 players return the next two seasons.

Crown Point returns only outfielders Jake Pierce and Matt Cowan, although Doug Ricard (3B) Matt Long (SS) Nick Bodinet (C) and Mike Schultz (1B) did get a little playing time this season.  CP's pitching will be led by Mike Schultz but the Bulldogs could continue to be pitching-rich as 6-foot-3 freshman left hander Matt Jansen, who played a game at quarterback last fall, is seen to have significant potential.

Adam Summers said that there was some talk between old rivals before the game.

"They were saying that we were scared of them," he smiled. "I don't know about that."

LC coach Iwema said that having played teams you met in the state tournament is beneficial.

"It gives the kids confidence," he said. "When we went to the state finals in 2000, we played Harrison at the end of the year and that helped when we faced them in the regional. It gives you confidence coming in that you can play with them. Our guys knew what to expect. This game (against Penn) was basically a replay of the earlier game with a few less hits."

"What can you say about our sophomore?," Iwema said of Brett Summers. "He holds a great hitting team to just one hit. You can't ask for anything more. We had a chance to score more but we didn't take advantage. I'm just happy to get out with a win."

Summers, who is still growing, is being recruited by Division I basketball and baseball schools. In basketball, he is a rarity, a 6-7 shooting guard.

Lake Central had thoughts of being the first school to win baseball and softball state
titles in the same season after both the LC boys and LC girls had won Saturday morning games. But the LC girls team lost 2-0 to Center Grove in the state championship game.

Crown Point (20-9-1, 11-2 DAC)
Head Coach Steve Strayer -  2002: 13-12-1  -     DAC Games in CAPS

4-7:  (Snow) Hammond (2-20)
4-8:  (Cold) at Gavit (9-14)
4-10:  19-1 (5 innings) at Highland (24-7)
4-11:  8-0 Morton (4-9)
4-15: 13-2 (6 innings) MERRILLVILLE (7-20)
4-16:  8-1 Hebron (9-18)
4-17:  10-1 LaPORTE  (21-10-1)
4-19:  3-2 Griffith (17-12)
4-21:  5-7 at MICHIGAN CITY (17-12) 
4-23:  16-3 at PORTAGE (14-15)
4-25:   11-0 (6 innings) at HOBART (12-17)

Munster Invitational
4-26:  2-4 at Munster (20-10) semifinal
4-26:   13-0 (5 innings) Merrillville (7-20)   3rd place

4-29:   2-1 VALPARAISO (26-5)
5-1:    2-1 CHESTERTON (8-20)
5-2:    2-4 at Lake Central (23-5-1)
5-5:    18-2 (5 innings) at MERRILLVILLE (7-20)
5-7:  1-1 (10 innings) at LaPORTE (21-10-1)
5-9: 11-1 (5 innings)  MICHIGAN CITY (17-12)
5-12: 6-1 (8 innings) at LaPORTE (21-10-1)
5-13:  4-3  PORTAGE (14-15)
5-15:  4-13  HOBART (12-17)
5-17:  5-4 Munster (20-9)
5-20: 3-6 at VALPARAISO (26-5)
5-21: 4-3 Lake Central (23-5-1)
5-22: 9-7 at CHESTERTON (8-20)
5-23: 2-4 at (West Lafayette) Harrison (20-8)
5-23: 6-15 at (West Lafayette) Harrison (20-8)
5-27:  11-1 Lowell (24-6)
5-29:  0-4 Clark (18-7)
5-31:   13-4 at Washington Township (15-14)

MERRILLVILLE (4A) SECTIONAL
6-2:  8-7  Chesterton (9-20)
6-6:  4-3 (8 inn.)  at Merrillville (7-20)
6-7:  3-2 Valparaiso (26-5) Title

South Bend Clay (4A) REGIONAL (at Covaleski Stadium - South Bend)
6-14:  1-0 (12 innngs) LaPorte (21-10-1)
6-14:  1-4 Lake Central (23-5-1)

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Revised: June 08, 2004.