2006 - Week-5, Top-10

High School Baseball Teams in

Northwest Indiana

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

5-5-2006

GRIFFITH (5-5-2006) - Weather, ACT tests and proms slowed play at the end of the month and teams didn't play as much last week as they had earlier. It's another example of why the baseball season should extend until the end of June, making the end of April, early May senior 'crazy time' part of the early season. It's disappointing for the sport to have rainstorms, track meets, cheap tuxedos (with all apologies to the companies that rent these cheap tuxedos) create scenarios where games are played at 10:00 a.m. in the morning and witnessed by two dozen "friends of the program." The one thing basketball and football have over baseball at the high school level is that the schedules are solid. A game will be played when it is scheduled to be played.

Plus, the natural athletic time of Friday evening is not used, for reasons which have never been clear. Schools with lights could and should play Friday night at 6:30 or 7 p.m., as they do throughout the school year when the most spectators could attend. But they simply don't.

I would even broach the concept for Friday double-headers... a league game at 4:30 p.m. and a non conference game at 7:30 p.m. Then, use Saturday for practice or a day off. Andrean coach Dave Pishkur, due to rainouts, experimented with playing two games in the same night at two nearby sites and it worked fairly well, allowing for some good matchups. There could also be a game-of-the week... a "Friday Night Main Event" at some place like Block Stadium in East Chicago.

With two of the three Northwest Indiana leagues (the LAC and the DAC) both now using a double round-robin schedule and 14 league games, something creative needs to be done to pump life into a sport that gets no love from 4:30 p.m. Monday starting times.

Again, a team of dominance has yet to step forward. Not just in NW Indiana but state wide. In the South Bend-Elkhart area Penn (11-3) and Elkhart Memorial (13-4) mimic NW Indiana schools in that nobody's having a great season. Even Merrillville's success so far must be couched in the light of the details. The Pirates got one hit and beat Valpo, four hits in a win over Crown Point.

It's just very hard to see them as a dominant team. Remember what sport this is. You can be hot for 15 games and it does not mean you are a good team. It just means that baseball, a very percentage and odds-based game, is being "very, very" good to you.

There's a lull now before the league championship tournaments which begin on May 15 for the LAC and May 20 for the PCC.

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

GRIFFITH - The Panthers lost a meaningless non conference game 13-12 Saturday (4-29-2006) to North Judson. But Griffith won the games they had to win. Remember the rule about Saturday non conference games. It's a time to experiment and play the young boys.

Griffith's last two losses are Saturday afternoon play-dates. It's not that Saturday games don't matter, it's just that the priority level is different for different teams.

The Panthers posted back-to-back shutouts, 9-0 over Hobart and 4-0 over KV, with Matt Nelleman (2-1) and Ty Louviere (3-0) pitching complete games.

On Saturday, Colby Kus pitched a three-hit shutout in the second game of the double-header against North Judson and then Matt Nelleman (with final inning help from Matt Kuna) shut out Munster 4-0 last Tuesday.

Aside from the question of who are Ty Louviere and Colby Kus (?)... there is still some shakiness in the defense here. Even on Saturday you shouldn't make four errors, as the Panthers did against North Judson.

But let the record show, the Panthers won four of five games last week and stopped a Munster team that beat them in April.

Wednesday night, the Panthers stomped Highland 10-4 as Ryan Bridges was 3-3. They appear to be on the rise.

ST. JOHN - Lake Central survived their four game losing streak and they won a big game 6-0 Tuesday night over Crown Point with Brad Gerlach (4-1) pitching a complete game. LC won 10-0 over Chesterton, 5-4 over Munster and 6-0 over CP. This takes you back to the start of the year when LC was considered a very deep team with a lot of offense. The Indians started the season 6-0, lost five of eight and now have won their last three. That's not unusual. It's baseball.

Ranko Ivetic (4-0) shut out Chesterton on three hits. LC pitching has four shutouts. The difference between LC and everybody else in the DAC is No. 3 hitter Brett Clark (18-42, .429, 4 HRs, 17 RBIs). Nobody has a '3' hitter like him. Johnny Cabrera (18-43, .419, 7 steals) is quietly posting very good numbers.

LC has played 17 games and they have scored four or more runs in 15 of them. It's hard to lose too many that way. Here's another team that beat a foe in May that defeated them in April. That's the essence of high school baseball.

MERRILLVILLE - Andrean rallied from a 2-0 fifth inning deficit to pull away from Lowell 9-2 Monday (5-1-2006) and they are developing. Big 6-foot-3 right-handers Chris DeGuilio (4-1) and Kellen Mackin (3-1) are the new sheriffs of the 59er pitching staff and the odd couple 3-4 batting order combo of senior Joe Mack and freshman Adam Norton is sparking a 9-runs-per-game attack.

This is not a conventional team with 270-pound designated hitter Eddie Reardon contrasting with speedy boys Chris Arvin and Chris Skinner. I'm not sure about the pitching depth, but Norton is batting .600 and that is totally outrageous. The scary thing about him is that he's a little wimpy physically. Adam is not very big at all. When Norton gains weight and strength, I'll have to pay dearly for calling him wimpy-looking.

Andrean bombed Munster 13-2 Wednesday night, keeping them close to Griffith in the LAC. The thing is, except for Norton, all these boys were at Andrean last year, too. Most of them just weren't playing on the varsity. It is a compliment to the program that the Niners are scoring the runs they are in what is truthfully a rebuilding season.

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

CROWN POINT - Crown Point fell out of the Duneland Athletic Conference (DAC) race with a 4-2 loss to Michigan City and a 6-0 loss Tuesday (5-2-2006) to Lake Central. In games where CP has scored four runs or more, they are 12-1. In games where CP has scored three runs or less, CP is 0-5. Re-read that stat and it isn't as obvious as it seems. The Bulldogs have been shutout twice, added to losses 2-1, 4-2 and now 6-0. Where's the offense? They've got a month to find it.

Matt Jansen pitched a two-hitter in a 2-1 win over Chesterton Wednesday night (5-3-2006). CP's strength is pitching and that has shown up. But the only supposed weakness they had in the pre-season (run production) is exactly what's holding them back. Remember the regional and semistate last year when they scored two runs against Munster and one against LaPorte? This is that team.

What can they do? I like the move of Nick Ullman back to the leadoff spot where he doesn't need to worry about driving in runs and slotting Chris Saroff third. They might want to play with the No. 2 hitter because the runs simply are not being scored and the No. 2 batter is always a key to that in a conventional lineup. There are also injury problems here. Right-hander Tommy Wise (3-1) has not pitched in 10 days and his status for the rest of the season is in doubt.

One thing to remember though... CP was 12-5 last season and they won sectional and regional titles. Plus, they're not getting beat 16-2 and 9-0 against low-rent competition like the Chicago Cubs. It's way too early to panic here and they still have equal to, and more experienced players than LaPorte and Andrean. But if they can't create more runs, they will be the Cubs.

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 - Might be time to stop asking questions of the Pirates and start asking them of the teams in the league and their sectional. There is a serious question that everyone else in 4A must address. I don't believe that Merrillville is quite as good as the 16-2 record would indicate. Obviously, I don't think they're better than Crown Point, Andrean or Lake Central.

But when you get one hit, commit five errors and beat a rival like Valparaiso 1-0, you have something going which cannot be detailed or dismissed. When you beat LaPorte twice in extra innings, you are on a roll that is making you feel good enough to play better than you are. It's kinda like a purple 'Bird Flu.' What are you going to do when it comes to your town?

Again, I don't know how they're doing it and they probably don't either. Caleb Douglas is 5-0 and he didn't pitch seven innings on the varsity last year. Adam Farag is 7-0 and he beat Valpo 1-0 in that game where the Pirates had only one hit and committed five errors. I have yet to hear anyone say that Merrillville has the best team in NW Indiana and, remember, that's what this poll is about.

The latest big DAC win was 3-2 in eight innings over LaPorte. It's hard to find the last time (if ever) that Merrillville beat LaPorte twice in the same season. In games decided by two runs, Merrillville is 3-0. In one run games, they are 4-1. In extra innings, they are 2-1. Truthfully, core hitter Darryl Evans has not hit like he did the past two seasons and the Pirates' offense is mediocre at best. The Pirates squeaked out a 3-2 win over Lowell Tuesday. They went through a six game span where the most they had was eight hits, but they were 6-0 in that span. The Pirates edged Portage 4-2 Wednesday night, coming from behind to win again.

The strength is a senior-laden defense that makes plays and they are obviously on a hot streak. But high school baseball is an offensive game and what happens when Merrillville faces really good offensive teams? If they're honest, they will admit they've been a little lucky. I need to see more.

LaPORTE - Merrillville has defeated LaPorte twice in extra inning games and I'm still not sure they are the better team. The Slicers have hit more consistently than any 4A teams so far and that's why they should be here. Once they left that elite Joe Heath Classic down in Lafayette they have been consistent.

Matt Elliott (5-1) is not a hard thrower, but he has given LaPorte consistent second line pitching they didn't know they had this year. But just like the pitching of Merrillville has held up better than it appeared it would, the same can be said for LaPorte. I'm not sure this team will show as much offense in May as they did in June because there's still several first year varsity players here. Valpo stopped LaPorte 3-1 Wednesday (5-3-2006) night.

Understand that an extra inning game is a tie game and it is probably a poor indicator of which squad is actually the better team. I'm not sure you've seen the last of LaPorte vs. Merrillville this season. But low-scoring DAC losses, while competitive, are not a good sign when Penn, Elkhart Memorial or some DAC squad will be on the other side of the field at regional time.

VALPARAISO - Valpo lost that incredible 1-0 game to Merrillville and they were swept Saturday 6-3 and 8-5 by Kokomo (9-2). But the Vikings came back to top Portage 6-3 Monday (5/1/2006) as Keith Carlson was 3-of-4 with a home run. Valpo is 3-1 in one-run games but 0-3 in two-run games.

Chooch Sizemore (23-43, .535) got the save Monday and the win 3-1 over LaPorte Wednesday (5-3-2006). Sizemore (5-2, 1.16 ERA) is probably the mid-season MVP of the DAC right now. Nobody's doing as much in the top and the bottom halves of innings. Quietly, Valpo has passed their win total of 2005 at mid-season. Even with the schedule, this should still be a 20-win season. But there's not much pitching after Sizemore and Clint Krysa and there needs to be or the season will end at the sectional.

HAMMOND - The Warriors are improving. They beat Hobart 4-3, KV 9-4 and Andrean 3-2. A 12-2 loss to Munster slowed them, but Monday's 2-1 win over Hobart brought the Warriors to the .500 mark after 14 games. Noll then beat Gavit 10-3 and Lowell 8-1. We've been waiting for them to charge and here they are. This is only an affirmation of where I thought they'd be at the start of the year.

Noll's Jimmy Flores struck out 12 against Hobart while Danny Faulkner struck out 13 against Andrean. Everybody in Class 2A has to worry about this team. They have the raw talent and this team is only two years removed from a 2A state title. Bishop Noll swept two games from Andrean for the first time ever. Noll was 0-2 against Munster, but they were also 2-0 against Hobart (7-11). They are still on that collision course with Boone Grove in June.

MUNSTER - Munster lost 15-5 to Boone, 3-0 to Griffith and 5-4 to Lake Central, hitting the inevitable slump that all baseball teams hit if they play strong schedules. Munster is going through the same thing that Crown Point and Lake Central have been through and they'll come out of it. Jake Ernd (4-0) edged Hobart 5-4 with the help of a homer by Billy Stuart.

Here's another team where you look at who they play and how they play. Munster doesn't have great pitching, but they never do and they post those 20-win seasons.

The 3-0 loss to Griffith Tuesday (5-2-2006) was the first time all year Munster has been shut out and the Mustangs got hammered 13-2 by Andrean Wednesday. The Mustangs can't lose too many in a row because of the consistency of their attack, but they may not have the pitching to survive sectional play without a bye.

PORTER TOWNSHIP - Boone Grove bombed Munster 15-5, but then lost 4-2 to arch-rival Hebron. Approaching mid-season, the Wolves have done all they can do in the first half of the year. Boone's other loss was to Merrillville (15-2). The Wolves are 4-1 against Class 4A schools and, for now, they win the battle with Clark on strength of schedule alone.

I was shocked by a 10-run win over Munster, but the Wolves did beat 4A Michigan City 12-1 and they fired up the grill on KV by a 21-5 score. Boone has not allowed more than six runs in any game this year. For high school, that's very good. Boone heads to the tiny South Central ballpark (291 down the right field line) for the four-team South Central Classic this Saturday (5-6-2006).

CHESTERTON - The Trojans lit a fire all over Michigan City Monday in an 11-2 rout with Steve Peterson pitching a no-hitter for six innings. But they have not been scoring as many runs as they'd hoped. They drop out of the Top-10 because they may be doing as well as they can against a league and sectional with nothing but pitching-rich 4A teams.

The Trojans haven't played as many games as most other teams, but I still think the pitching with Peterson and John Lambert is hard to contend with. I don't put nearly as much stock in wins and losses. It's who you play and how you play. Lambert struck out 10 in the 2-1 loss to Crown Point Wednesday (5-3-2006) night and the Trojans were competitive. Chesterton lost 10-0 to LC after a 6-1 Saturday win over highly-regarded Griffith. We need more evidence here. The results contradict each other.

HAMMOND - Clark is coasting. They beat Gavit (5-14) and Hammond (2-8) and both were 10-run wins. The Pioneers actually beat Hammond 20-0 and coasted by Morton 9-2. Mike Carpen (25-43, .581) and Jon Carpen (19-9, .487) are posting those bright, shiny numbers down there by Wolf Lake.

Clark has scored 10 runs or more 12 times in 18 games. That's easy money. But the Pioneers are 1-2 against 4A schools and the schedule is just so weak. The team is worthy of top-10 consideration because you don't KNOW they can't beat Crown Point and Chesterton... but you need a reason to rank them and beating the other Hammond schools isn't a reason. You can't say you're better than the DAC if you only play them once or twice... and playing 14 LAC Blue games isn't like playing 14 DAC games. It's never about who you beat, it's about who you play.

DeMOTTE - The Kougars hit a slump, losing 9-4 to Noll, 21-5 to Boone Grove and 4-0 to Griffith. Wednesday night, the loss was 4-2 to Hobart (7-11). It's all about the arms.

Despite outfielders Matt Dobin (21-40, .525) and Cory Bilfoss (17-36, .372), the Kougars' attack has been inconsistent. Sean Nannenga allowed just seven hits to Griffith, but he did it on a day when the Kougars were blanked. You keep looking for KV to bust up over the .500 mark but the 14-game LAC round robin is holding them back. It's an excuse, but midweek road games are harder for KV than other schools because of the drive from Jasper County.

There's a lot of offense here, but it's under pressure because the pitching isn't consistently good. The thing to keep in mind here is... KV has split with Andrean and that's the only team they have to beat at the sectional.