2006 - Week-4, Top-10

High School Baseball Teams in

Northwest Indiana

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

4-23-2006

CROWN POINT (4-22-2006) - Here's an oddity... In the second state poll of the year, Crown Point was rated fourth and Lake Central was started second. In the third week of the year, Crown Point beat Lake Central 7-6. In the third poll of the year Lake Central was ranked No. 1 and CP was rated No. 3. That tells you all you need about polls and what they reflect.

The truth is, with no undefeated teams remaining in NW Indiana and no one dominating, pre-season talk about how 2006 is a little down from 2005 is proving accurate.

Some folks are questioning Griffith, but they came out strong in the confrontation with Crown Point and recorded a solid 3-0 victory. Lake Central has just the one-run loss, but they did not look going into their matchup with CP. I'd say that the Big-2 has become a Big-3 and, while I don't believe Griffith and LC meet, CP and LC could hook up twice more.

This week's theme is left-handed pitching. Will Frets of Griffith stopped CP and then Chooch Sizemore, another lefty, three-hit them. Lefty Johnny Lambert of Chesterton lost to LaPorte, but he struck out 14 and they also have 6-foot-5 Zack Novak throwing from the south side. CP is leaning to the left with all-area lefty Matt Jansen and hard-throwing sophomore Blake Mascarello. Lake Central is lefty intensive with Ranko Ivetic and promising lefty Scott Handley.

Left-handed people are just better in baseball. Let's face it. Moms and dads, if you want your kid to be successful, tie his right hand behind his back and make him learn to be left-handed while he's little and can't do anything about it. If he doesn't call the Child Services Agency on you, he'll thank you for it when he's pitching in college.

Merrillville lefty Adam Farag was 4-0 last week, KV's Matt Dobin is pitching from the port side this year and Valparaiso's Sizemore was one of the top-10 in the region even though his record last year doesn't indicate that.

It would seem that there is more quality left-handed pitching now than there was two or three years ago and that's making it tougher on teams with left-handed middle of the order hitters. It seems that all high school players have trouble with decent left-handed pitching because they see so little of it. If I had one out to get and any of my pitchers to get it, I'd bring in my best left-hander no matter who was batting.

The top teams are all beating each other, but that's the way it should be. If the top two baseball teams meet 10 times, each should win five. This is not girls softball where you can roll the same pitcher out there every day. If you go by talent and experience and don't go simple-minded and just 'knee-jerk' on the daily wins and losses, there's become a solid top three and then everybody else.

Baseball is a long run game and we haven't really started the season yet. And there are more contenders for this week's top-10 than there are candidates for mayor of New Orleans. Just like down there, be careful what you ask for. You might get the job and then you have to get the job done.

Griffith catcher Trent Bierman during the Panthers' 3-0 shutout of Crown Point, Sat, 4-15-2006.

GRIFFITH - The Panthers rose form the depths of a two-out last inning loss to Munster to beat Crown Point 3-0 and Highland 5-3 with lefty Will Frets picking up the win in both games. If the Panthers have found a third pitcher to go with Matt Kuna and Matt Nelleman, they have this team more fully-loaded that either Herbie or Lindsey Lohan (excuse the B-movie pop culture references) and it just comes down to performing well at the right time.

When the Panthers smoked out Andrean 9-2 Wednesday (4-19-2006), it seemed clear there would be a new No. 1 team. Griffith has beaten Merrillville (11-2), CP and Andrean. Ryan Bridges and Trent Bierman in the 3-4 slots are trouble-makers and they are working on the leadoff position. I like the way Griffith has won two extra inning games on the road already. It's hard to luck out in extra inning road games. You've got to be pretty good.

On paper, while LC and Andrean are close, this is the only team that equals Crown Point in talent and the Panthers, 1/3 of the way through the regular season, have clearly gotten off to a better start. Truthfully, Griffith is a couple of pitches away from being 10-0 and that's not a surprise. The problem for them will rise as they rise in the polls and they become targets for the other teams. They don't have that many seniors. But the key phrase in this paragraph is "1/3 of the way through the regular season."

Griffith beat Bishop Noll 4-3 Friday (4-21-2006) but lost 6-1 to lefty John Lambert and Chesterton Saturday (4-22-2006). That's no shock. Lambert is a Division I caliber pitcher who surprisingly was used in a Saturday morning non conference game. Griffith won the games they needed to win last week. Discount Saturday results. Folks who think they aren't much good are the same folks who thought the Bulls matched up well with Miami.

Crown Point pitcher Chris Saroff on mound at Griffith, 4-15-2006.

CROWN POINT - Crown Point has hit a big batting slump, losing 3-0 to Griffith and 2-1 to improving Valparaiso before taking a 9-4 loss at LaPorte Wednesday and a 4-2 loss at Merrillville Friday. The Bulldogs had to rally to beat Chesterton. Six days does not turn around an entire season, but CP does not appear to be as strong offensively as they hoped they'd be. It's not so much the lack of scoring, but the lack of taking pitches and working the count. After going 5-0, CP scored 12 runs total in the next five games.

CP may want to split cleanup hitter Matt Jansen and No. 3 Nick Ullman in the batting order because the DAC is loaded with left-handed pitchers and the Bulldogs lost to three consecutive lefties. The Bulldogs will rise again behind a very strong pitching staff, but CP will certainly be juggling the batting order looking for runs.

CP has a very tough weekend with Merrillville (11-2) Friday and Jefferson plus Harrison down in Tippecanoe County Saturday, but the Bulldogs swept both road games to get back on track. CP beat Jefferson 4-2 in nine innings and stopped Harrison 12-2. The weekend wins are not surprising because CP has five starting pitchers and their depth can outlast most teams in nonconference play. Still, CP lost some games they wanted to win last week and took some games that probably had less meaning to them.

Still, the White Sox lost four in a row in April and six in a row in September last year. You have to look beyond a couple of wins and losses. Losing four games in a row ends your football season. Losing four games in baseball is just a bump in the road.

LaPORTE - There are indications that LaPorte is much stronger than first thought. LaPorte bombed Crown Point 9-4 for their fifth win in a row, spanked Lake Central 13-0 for their sixth straight and freeze-dried Plymouth 14-1 Saturday to make to seven straight. That's three pretty good schools they just barbecued. The DAC title means more to LaPorte than it does to any other team and the CP and LC games were key in league play after LaPorte lost 8-6 on a last second rally by Merrillville. Even with a somewhat revamped roster (they graduated eight seniors from the 30-5 team) this present win streak makes it likely that the Slicers will win 20 games for the 40th year in a row, a record that is unparalleled in all of high school sports.

The Slicers have benefited from the breakthrough of Matt Elliott (4-0) who defeated CP 9-4. Elliott is an off-speed pitcher and he needs good defense, but that's a LaPorte strength led by all-state second baseman Nick Overmeyer and and seniors Matt Antos (1B) and Jimmy Gillilund (3B). Antos (6-2) coasted in the stunning slaughter of LC and he lifted a three-run homer.

One of the staples of LaPorte and their pool-table perfect home infield is a very strong infield defense and that apparently is back. After 15 games, the Slicers were averaging less than an error a game. LaPorte will be highly rated once again this week, but it's different for them. After eight state titles, the pressure is on LaPorte when they are NOT ranked in the Top-5.

ST. JOHN - Lake Central does not lose varsity baseball games 13-0 to anyone, anytime ever. I know LaPorte is the New York Yankees of Indiana high school baseball. But Friday's final score was LaPorte 13, LC 0 in five innings and I'm glad I wasn't there. That's ugly. That's take me home, 2 o'clock in the morning ugly. LC also took a 6-1 whipping from Harrison (5-7) Saturday. They play the teams an elite 4A team should play.

Mark Johnson (12-26, .462) had nine RBIs after 10 games. Ranko Ivetic (12-27, .444) had 11 RBIs after 10 games. Ivetic (3-0) and Brad Gerlach (3-0) have anchored a question mark pitching staff. Senior catcher Brett Clark (10-16, .385) has 13 RBIs and he's the middle of the order hitter that everybody needs. But LC lost to CP and didn't look good doing it, so it was hard to jack them to the top of this poll even though the IHSBCA has slated them No. 1 state-wide. Merrillville's 6-4 win over LC wasn't that big an upset. The Indians are in the same boat as Crown Point, although a 13-0 loss in five innings is cause for alarm.

LC is such a deep team at a lot of positions they can handle a heavy schedule. Once again. Don't confuse the sports. Two losses in 24 hours is not a slump in baseball. It's the natural order of things.

MERRILLVILLE - Andrean has been a little shaky pitching wise and that caught up with them Monday (4-17-2006) in a 9-2 loss to Griffith. But the 59ers did not pitch one of their top starters against Griffith in that game. And why should they? The only Griffith-Andrean game that matters is the one they'll play in June at the Plymouth Regional. Who's really on top in the LAC Black Division?? Munster beat Griffith, Andrean beat Munster and Griffith beat Andrean.

Big Kellen Mackin (2-0) held Munster (7-3) to just three hits in the 59ers' 9-4 victory Wednesday (4-19-2006) and Mike Arvin lifted a Niner home run. Mackin appears to be the 59ers top pitcher right now. He also pitched a complete-game win over Highland (7-4). The 59ers stomped Kokomo 11-1 Saturday. Remember, this is a talented team, but they're a group with a half dozen first-time varsity starters. It may take them 20 games to get started.

Andrean must complete a suspended game with Kanakakee Valley Friday. The Kougars led by one run after five innings, but that game will probably be completed when Andrean plays KV again on May 8.

Merrillville's senior Bo McClendon (No. 2) is congratulated after scoring by fellow senior Adrian Gober (No. 3) earlier this season at the US. Steelyard.

MERRILLVILLE - Merrillville lost to Highland, but they came back to beat LC 6-4 Wednesday as Darryl Evans broke out of a season-long slump with four hits. The Pirates got another strong pitching performance from Caleb Douglas (4-0) who survived eight LC hits because he didn't walk anybody. The Pirates then survived Crown Point 4-2 Friday, even though they were held to four hits and made three errors. Adam Farag improved to 5-0 for a team that has almost equaled its entire 2005 win total before mid-season.

Evans' four hits is a bright, shining light because he was under .300 for awhile this month and he's too good for that. Bo McClendon had 17 stolen bases (No. 1 in NW Indiana) after 12 games. Merrillville is 5-0 in the DAC but that means nothing in a 14-game league season. I have seen nothing to change my original impression that this is a 15 to 20 win team that will finish in the top half of the DAC.

The Pirates now become a target for the second half of the season and I don't know how long the Merrillville pitching can hold up. Merrillville has won a couple of 8-6 games in the last two weeks. But the Pirates scored 96 runs in the first 13 games (7.3 average) and, if they can keep that up (and they have the players to do it) then the winning is just beginning.

VALPARAISO - Valpo ran a little short of pitching and lost 8-6 to Chesterton Wednesday. Vikings pitchers gave up 13 hits. Despite some nice wins, including Monday's 2-1 over Crown Point (4-17-2006), Valparaiso has given up 54 runs in 11 games, too many for a winning team. When you beat New Prairie 12-11 and Portage 10-6, there is an indication of pitching problems and the Vikings surely know that. But they've got a solid pitcher-catcher combo and a strong No. 1 pitcher in Chooch Sizemore, who three-hit Portage 8-2 Friday.

Valpo is a good example of how talent-laden the DAC is this year. It appears there will be five 20-win teams in the DAC, even though the league has seven 2,000-kid schools. Valpo could win 20 and end up in the second division of the league. The good news here is that Valpo has only just begun... Maybe 20 more games to go. Trivia question: How many DAC teams have a left-hander as their No. 1 pitcher? Answer: (6) Merrillville, Chesterton, LaPorte, Lake Central, Crown Point and Valparaiso.

CHESTERTON - The Trojans jumped up and beat Valparaiso 8-6 Wednesday (4-19-2006) but that shouldn't have been a surprise. Not only is that a rivalry game, but the Trojans had played a tougher schedule in the early going and frankly, have better pitching. This is team that will be overlooked all season if no one bothers to look at the pitching and the schedule. In the 5-1 loss to LaPorte Monday, Chesterton left-hander Matt Lambert struck out 14. Lambert came back to beat Griffith 6-1 Saturday. Steve Peterson four-hit Andrean in a complete-game, 4-2 loss and he coasted in a 14-4 win over Portage Friday. Sean Green struck out nine and walked none in a 5-2 loss to Crown Point.

The Trojans haven't scored much, but that might just be an early batting slump. They tallied 20 against Portage and Griffith. Even though it's short-season baseball, this team will win eventually because of a deep starting pitching staff. And no one wants to draw Chesterton at the sectional because that's Johnny Lambert and he's a trouble-maker.

MUNSTER - Munster stomped on pitching-challenged KV 13-2 Wednesday (4-19-2006) after a 9-4 loss to Andrean Monday. Munster has received good pitching. Jake Ernd beat Valpo 4-2, Chris Winterhaler shut out Hobart 7-0, and senior Tim Lukoshus held KV's offense to just five hits. Eleven hits in four innings against the Kougars was encouraging from a Mustang point of view. It's easy to ask for consistency, but that's not something you get in short-season baseball. But this team is like Chesterton. They seem to throw a capable pitcher out to the hill every time. The Mustangs got a bit lucky to rally by Lowell 6-4 in extra innings Friday, coming back from a 4-0 deficit. But give them credit. Winning extra inning games on the road is hard against anybody. Hopefully they can reschedule that rained out game with Boone Grove.

PORTER TOWNSHIP - Boone Grove apparently had their game in Munster rained out so they haven't played much. Ryan Cupp (3-0) pitched a two-hitter Thursday in a 5-1 win over North Judson. It's hard not to give Boone credit for beating a 4A team 12-1 but Class 2A Boone over Class 4A Michigan City by 11 runs is not much of a surprise. This is a team that won 24 times last year and has a lot of that squad back. They have a freshman in center field and a transfer pitcher from Chicago, but this is as talented a team as Boone has had. Boone beating Rensselaer 19-6, Wheeler 10-0 and KV 21-5 indicates they have the type of offense that can be strong for 30 games. And one look at them lets you know they have quality arms. It will be a matter of whether they can get the ball over the plate when the time comes.

HAMMOND - Despite all the good numbers, you can't give a 3A team too much credit for beating 1A Lake Station 20-1, Calumet 11-1 and Hammond 15-4. I believe that Clark has played three winning teams all year and has lost to two (Munster and Andrean) of them. Clark was only credited with three errors in a 7-6 loss to Portage but they made at least six. For some reason, adults who watch high school games don't want to give kids errors. Mistakes that would be an error in a major league game are called hits at the prep level.
Mike and Al Carpen combined for six hits against Lake Station and Trent Howard struck out seven in a 5-2 win over Morton (8-5) Tuesday (4-18-2006) but Clark needs a better defense. They made three errors in an 11-1 win over Calumet. They have the talent, but the lack of quality opposition hurts them. Right now the Pioneers can only beat 1A teams, 2A teams or teams they can outscore in slugfests.

HAMMOND - The Warriors have come to life offensively with wins over Andrean 14-7 and Lowell 14-4 but the loss to Highland 17-6 Monday (4-17-2006) and an earlier Noll loss to Michigan City 18-14 indicates what's going on here. There are far too many runs being scored here. I thought Noll's pitching and defense would be better than it is. But Noll traditionally starts slow. They appear to have two good pitchers in Danny Faulkner and Jimmy Flores and Noll scored 73 runs in nine games. The 4-3 loss to Griffith Friday was a 'good loss.'

You have to go with the original thought about Noll. Always keep in mind, Noll plays that 'state finals' schedule where you meet nothing but larger schools. Bishop Noll, a 2A school, has yet to play another 2A team and that's a good thing. Since class sports began and Noll dropped to 2A, one of the oddest relationships has been between Boone Grove and Bishop Noll in several sports. Two totally different schools in two totally different neighborhoods and two teams that, not only never play each other during the regular season... they play largely different schedules. Once again, forget the records. Noll and Boone seem to be on a collision course. You can guess how they match up, but you don't really know.

DeMOTTE - The Kougars have been seen wearing honorary Derrek Lee jerseys. Kankakee Valley is trying to overcome some injuries to pitcher Sean Nannenga (7-0 in 2005) and shortstop Troy Jackson, who will play the entire season with a leg injury. The Kougars have taken some spankings... 10-0 to Crown Point, 21-5 to Boone and 13-2 to Munster, but that's lack of pitching depth. The Kougars have two 8-7 wins. But Nannenga, who I believe, was finally able to make his season debut on April 17, should quiet the scoreboard.

The strength here is a solid offensive team led by No. 3 hitter Matt Dobin (.445), and a sectional with just one main foe, 3A power Andrean. The Kougars goal, as it always is, will be to reduce the entire season to one June game with Andrean and take their chances. Again, KV may have a game in limbo. They led Andrean after five innings Friday when the game was stopped due to darkness. Hey, maybe the Cubs can play all suspended games until Lee gets back.