Crown Point's Holevis shuts down Hobart 2-0

A special USA-365.com report by Mark Smith

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
CROWN POINT (12-12, 6-5)	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	5	2
Hobart (12-8, 7-4)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0

5-15-2003 in Hobart - cloudy, 53 degrees
WP - Lacy Holevis (7-12) CG No. 18 5K, 1 walk
LP - Sarah Bohaine (3-2) 3K, 0 walks (6 innings)

HOBART (Double, walk)
Brandy Varga (Hobart) Double

CROWN POINT (4 singles, double)
Lacy Holevis (CP) Single
Erin Hostinsky (CP) Single
Jen McMullin (CP) Double, single, 2 RBIs
Amy Zondor (CP) Single, run scored

HOBART (5-15-2003) - After 23 games, Crown Point had lost six times by one run, including three games by the score of 1-0. In game 24, the trend changed.

The Bulldogs created one run early and another late and shut out Hobart 2-0 Thursday, to pull back to the .500 mark with 10 days left in the season. The victory may be more significant than it first appeared. In April, the Brickies beat Crown Point 5-3 and this game represented a significant turnaround. And in a week where CP lost 2-1 to Munster (19-2) and 1-0 to Portage (12-8), here was one time that CP won a playoff -style, low scoring game.

"This was a good win," said second baseman Kendra Rather. "Everybody is asking us 'How many 1-0 games are you going to lose.'"

The Bulldogs made sure they wouldn't get shut out early on when senior Erin Hostinsky singled against Hobart sophomore Sarah Bodhaine (3-2). With two out, first baseman Jen McMullin doubled to the left center field fence, driving in CP's first run and breaking a nine-inning scoreless streak.

Hobart challenged the lead with one out in the fourth inning when big catcher Brandy Varga pulled a one out double into the left field corner. But Holevis, on the way to her 17th complete game, got Kim Yoder to pop up to McMullin at first base and got Aubrey Powell to ground out to third baseman Amy Zondor.

In the sixth inning, CP doubled the lead after a bunt single from Zondor. Hostinsky hit a line drive that would have been a hit in left center had not Hobart center fielder Jessica Swetkey made a diving catch. But Zondor went back to first base and tagged up after the catch, advancing to second base.

After Holevis hit a line drive to Brickie right fielder Mandi Adkins, McMullin cracked a line drive single to right, scoring the second run.

Holevis was at her best. The two-year No. 1 starting pitcher overcame two CP errors to post the Bulldogs first shut out of the year and brighten up a cold May day.

"We just didn't hit," said Hobart coach Ed McLeod, who has watched his girls get shut out seven times despite a successful season. "We didn't make any errors. This happens to us. She (Holevis) is a good pitcher. We've got a lot of seniors. I think they've gotten a little complacent."

There's no hiding that Crown Point has lost a lot of close games but they may be gaining confidence from recent road victories over Hobart (12-8) and Hanover Central (15-5). The Bulldogs also seem confident about the draw of Lowell (11-11) as a quarterfinal opponent in the upcoming Merrillville Class 3A sectional.

"I think we're okay against Lowell," said Rather, who's RBI single gave CP their second one-run win of the year, 4-3 last week at LaPorte. "We've beaten them twice. I think we can do it again. I don't remember the last time Crown Point won a sectional game but I think we can do it."

McMullin, the transfer from Hanover Central, has moved into the clean-up spot and helped produce runs behind Holevis, CP's top hitter, who bats third. McMullin was injured for two seasons at HC and played only JV ball as a junior.

"She told me that," CP coach Chris Pepa. "She's never played varsity before. That's really something. She's done a very good job for us."

Everybody did a pretty good job for Crown Point Thursday.

DOG NOTES: Crown Point swept a double-header from Lowell 6-4 and 2-1 on April 19. Lacy Holevis and Erin Hostinsky pitched complete game victories. Amy Zondor was 3-for-4 in the first game and Jen McMullin was 2-for-4 in the second game.

Lowell began the season 2-8 and stood at 11-11 at the end of last week. In a four-game span though, Lowell beat Highland (19-5) and Whiting (12-8) and lost to Wheeler (11-7) and Merrillville (7-16).

"I don't mind drawing a team that's beaten us twice," said Lowell coach Pete Iussig, after the loss to Wheeler last week. "I just don't know which team is going to show up."

Holevis was hitting .400 (24 of 60) after 21 games. McMullin was hitting .385 (20 of 52). Senior Wendy Kurcz was hitting .327 (17 of 52) with seven doubles and 12 RBIs and she was also confident about CP's playoff chances.

"I don't mind drawing Lowell," Wendy said. "I hope they pitch Cristin Just against us. I know her and I want to bat against her."

Crown Point's final home game will be Friday, May 23 against Highland and that will be a tough night for a team with 10 seniors.

"Senior night is going to be really emotional," agreed Kendra Rather. "Plus, for me, it's Highland. And my college roommate is Tara Traczyk (a two-year Highland starter). We played together last summer. their family goes to my dad's office. My dad's a dentist. My sister and her sister play on the same team during the summer."

Hobart was 11-15 and they are 12-8 this season but one statistic is alarming. They've been shut out seven times.

"When we score, we win," said McLeod. "I don't know what it is. Maybe we don't get in the batting cage as much as we should. Maybe that's my fault. But it has been a good year."

Crown Point Girls Softball (12-12)

Head Coach Chris Pepa - 2002: 12-16 - DAC Games in CAPS
4-7: at Morton (Canceled - snow)
4-9: Griffith (postponed)
4-9: 11-1 (5) Hebron (9-8)

Chieftain Invitational (Dowagiac, Mich.)

4-12 2-3 (8 innings) at (Div. III) No. 6 Dowagiac, Michigan (24-1)
4-12: 5-1 Walled Lake, Michigan (14-13)
4-12: 1-5 (Div. III) No. 1 Kalamazoo (Mich) Christian (16-2)

4-14: 0-1 Lake Central (21-2-1)
4-15: 9-3 at MERRILLVILLE (7-16)
4-17: 5-6 at LaPORTE (8-9)
4-19: 6-4 Lowell (11-11)
4-19: 2-1 Lowell (11-11)
4-21:   12-2 (5 inn.) MICHIGAN CITY (2-17)
4-23: 0-8 (9 inn.) PORTAGE (12-8)
4-25:   3-5 HOBART (13-7)
4-26 : 8-4 Logansport
4-26: 3-6 Logansport
4-29:   0-1 at VALPARAISO (16-7)
5-1: (Rain) at CHESTERTON (17-2)
5-2: 1-8 Andrean (20-1-1)
5-3: 4-2 at Hanover Central (14-5)
5-5: 9-6 MERRILLVILLE (7-16)
5-6: 0-5 at CHESTERTON (17-2)
5-7: 4-3 LaPORTE (9-10)
5-9: 6-1 at MICHIGAN CITY (1-16)
5-12: 1-2 at Munster (19-2)
5-13: 0-1 at PORTAGE (12-8)
5-15: 2-0 at HOBART (13-8)

5-20 (Tu) VALPARAISO (16-7) 4:30 p.m.
5-22 (Th) CHESTERTON (17-2) 4:30 p.m.
5-23 (F) Highland (19-5) 4:30 p.m.

MERRILLVILLE (4A) SECTIONAL
5-26 (M) Lowell (11-11) 5 p.m.
5-27 (Tu) quarterfinals - 5 p.m.
5-30 (Th) semifinals - 5 p.m.
5-31 (F) championship (TBA)

MERRILLVILLE (4A) REGIONAL
6-7 (S) semifinals - 10 a.m.
6-7 (S) championship - 7 p.m.

2003 STATE SOFTBALL FINALS
6-13 (F) 4A semifinals - 6:30 p.m.
6-13 (S) 4A championship - 5 p.m.