USA-365.com Stories from 2004 High School Baseball & Softball Season

USA-365 Photo Gallery: Andrean's 3-2 state finals loss to New Palestine and Bishop Noll's state championship win over Wapahani INDIANAPOLIS (7-4-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Final Poll, Week 13 recaps state finals, profiles 4A powerhouse Brownsburg, likely #1 preseason team for 2005 CROWN POINT (6-22-2004) by Mark Smith

USA-365 Photo Gallery: Hanover Central's 1-0 Class 2A State Championship over Clarksville CARMEL (6-20-2004) Photos by Mark Smith

Andrean falls one run short in 3-2 loss at 3A State Championship game to New Palestine INDIANAPOLIS (6-20-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 12 previews state finals, profiles Noll 2A state finals opponent Wapahani CROWN POINT (6-15-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: USA-365's 2004 Final Top-10 (Week-12) poll makes LC #1, Andrean #2, Portage #3  CROWN POINT (6-15-2004) by Mark Smith

Wendlinger pitches to minimum 21 batters in 'perfect' 1-0 shutout of Clarksville to lead Lady Wildcats to 2A state championship title CARMEL (6-13-2004) by Mark Smith

Wendlinger shuts out Indianapolis Scecina in 1-0 state semifinal, Lady Wildcats advance to 2A state championship game INDIANAPOLIS (6-11-2004) by Mark Smith

Hanover Central girls ready for "crazy finals finish" in USA-365's State Softball Championships Semifinals Preview (6-11-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 11 moves Bishop Noll up to #6, gets nod for 2A state finals CROWN POINT (6-10-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Week-11 poll says it's 'Judgement Day' for 1A state-tourney bound Whiting  CROWN POINT (6-9-2004) by Mark Smith

Wildcats advance to 2A Sectional finals with 13-8 win over Wheeler before shutout loss to Bishop Noll, 10-0 PORTER TOWNSHIP (6-6-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Wildcats' bats come alive, advance to state finals for 2nd straight year after marathon 12-inning, 8-7 regional tourney win over 7th ranked Rochester LAKEVILLE (6-6-2004) by Mark Smith

20th Indiana State Softball Playoffs Regionals Preview likes Whiting, Andrean, LC and HC to all advance to state finals (6-3-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: Andrean, LC and Portage are 1-2-3, Lowell moves up to #5 in USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Week-10 poll CROWN POINT (6-2-2004) by Mark Smith

Chesterton eliminates Crown Point from Sectional Baseball tournament, 9-3 CROWN POINT (6-1-2004) by Mark Smith

39th Indiana State H.S. Baseball Playoffs USA-365 Preview likes Valparaiso and Lake Central to emerge from Sectionals to meet in Highland 4A Regional (5-31-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Devils end season in 6-2 sectional championship loss to Lake Central, anticipate big winning seasons in 2005 & 2006 ST. JOHN (5-30-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Wildcats shut out Bishop Noll 4-0 to capture Wheeler Sectional Championship, to face LaVille in Regional Semifinal June 5th UNION TOWNSHIP (5-29-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 9 finds Andrean, LaPorte and Lake Central in  1-2-3 positions; Merrillville moves up to #6 CROWN POINT (5-29-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: Griifith exits, Merrillville returns and Portage moves up in USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Week-9 poll CROWN POINT (5-28-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Bulldogs stumble in upset bid, lose 7-4 to Highland on eve of playoffs HIGHLAND (5-25-2004) by Mark Smith

20th Indiana State Softball Playoffs Preview likes Washington Twp, Mishawaka, LC and Chesterton to emerge from Sectionals (5-23-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Devils split games with 4A "Centrals," losing 5-0 to LC and beating Benton 8-3 LOWELL (5-21-2004) by Mark Smith

Pitching dual turns into 7th-inning scoring fest as Lake Central comes from behind for thrilling 5-4 win over Crown Point ST. JOHN (5-20-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 8 finds Andrean, LaPorte and Lake Central in  1-2-3 positions; Hobart exits poll as Clark moves in to #10 CROWN POINT (5-20-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: Hobart exits, Griffith returns and South Central moves up in USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Week-8 poll CROWN POINT (5-19-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Wildcats shut out South Central 2-0 to capture 4th straight PCC Tournament Championship LaCROSSE (5-18-2004) by Mark Smith

Two-time defending PCC Baseball Tourney champion Boone may be unseated by Washington Township in May 22-26 event PORTER TOWNSHIP (5-17-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Wildcats shut out Boone, LaCrosse to advance to PCC Tournament Finals to face South Central LaCROSSE (5-17-2004) by Mark Smith

Analysis of Crown Point baseball stats reveal good pitching, lack of power hitting (5-17-2004) by Mark Smith

Part of the pleasure of covering baseball is to go to the ballpark. There are so many different ones at high schools in northwest Indiana. Here's the first list of the top baseball fields in one person's travels. (5-15-2004) by Mark Smith

Three-time defending champ Lady Wildcats to be tested, but should prevail at PCC Softball Tourney LaCROSSE (5-14/15-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 7 finds Andrean, LaPorte and Lake Central in  1-2-3 positions; Valpo exits poll as Hobart moves in to #10 CROWN POINT (5-12-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: Griffith exits, Hobart moves up and South Central climbs into USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Week-7 poll CROWN POINT (5-12-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Wildcats win two games at Twin Lakes Invitational before heartbreaker in the 7th inning to McCutcheon, 4-3 MONTICELLO (5-11-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady 59ers win three games at Twin Lakes Invitational before dropping semifinal to Eastern, 2-0 MONTICELLO (5-10-2004) by Mark Smith

A 'Wise' move to pitcher results in 1-0 shutout over DAC-leading LaPorte in 1st night game at new Crown Point High School CROWN POINT (5-8-2004) by Mark Smith

Six region girls softball teams enter 17-team Twin Lakes Invitational with more than prestige on the line LAFAYETTE (5-7-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 6 finds LaPorte, Andrean and Lake Central in familiar 1-2-3 positions; Bishop Noll moves up to #8, Munster up to #4 CROWN POINT (5-5-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Wildcats shut out South Central 1-0 for 7th straight win CEDAR LAKE (5-4-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: Merrillville drops out, Hobart climbs back into USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Week-6 poll CROWN POINT (5-4-2004) by Mark Smith

7-run 4th- inning propels Bulldogs to 7-3, come from behind win over Portage (5-4-2004) by Mark Smith

Hanover Central evens baseball record at 6-6 with back-to-back, come-from-behind wins over Hammond, West Side (5-1-2004) by Mark Smith

Lowell comes from behind for 7-6 win over Kankakee Valley in windy non-conference match-up LOWELL (4-29-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: Andrean, Lake Central and Chesterton stay atop USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Week-5 poll CROWN POINT (4-28-2004) by Mark Smith

Lake Central scores 5 runs in final two innings to break scoreless tie, beat Bulldogs 5-1 in windy DAC match-up CROWN POINT (4-28-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 4 finds LaPorte, Andrean and Lake Central in familiar 1-2-3 positions; Portage moves up to #10, Valpo drops out of top-10 CROWN POINT (4-28-2004) by Mark Smith

Hard-throwing Pembek's 13 Ks leads Wildcats to 9-3 upset of Boone Grove in Porter County Conference baseball CEDAR LAKE (4-27-2004) by Mark Smith

Coach Strayer pushes CP expectations after 12-2 win over Michigan City at USS Steelyard GARY (4-23-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Wildcats drop games, 5-1 to Beecher and 4-1 to Lowell BEECHER, IL (4-22-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: Andrean, Lake Central and Chesterton stay atop USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Week-4 poll CROWN POINT (4-21-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 4 finds LaPorte, Andrean and Lake Central in familiar 1-2-3 positions; Chesterton moves up to #4, BNI drops out of top-10 CROWN POINT (4-21-2004) by Mark Smith

LaPorte's Weeks records 11 Ks enroute to 2-hit, 1-0 shutout over Crown Point LaPORTE (4-20-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady 59ers win third straight Chieftain Invitational, up record to 10-1 DOWAGIAC, MICHIGAN (4-19-2004) by Mark Smith

RailCats Revisited: How does the US SteelYard and the Class A independent team stack up going into their second year? How can it be improved? A frank analysis and some ideas (some wild) for RailCats' management and the region to ponder GARY (4-18-2004) by Mark Smith

Portage rallied for three unearned runs in 3-2 win over Crown Point in DAC opener CROWN POINT (4-13-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana HS Girls Softball: Andrean, Lake Central and Chesterton lead USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Week-3 poll CROWN POINT (4-14-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 3 finds LaPorte, Andrean and Lake Central in familiar 1-2-3 positions; CP moves up to #4, BNI drops to #7 CROWN POINT (4-13-2004) by Mark Smith

2A Boone Grove comes from behind to beat 4A Lowell, 5-4 at Railcats' US Steelyard GARY (4-11-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Bulldogs score early but fall late in losses to Griffith and Merrillville CROWN POINT (4-9-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's HS Baseball Top-10 Poll, Week 2 finds LaPorte, Andrean and Lake Central in familiar 1-2-3 positions CROWN POINT (4-8-2004) by Mark Smith

Merrillville makes debut, Valparaiso exits USA-365's NW Indiana Girls softball top-10 poll CROWN POINT (4-7-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Bulldogs 'as good as it gets' in 5-0 season-opening shutout of Morton at new home softball fields CROWN POINT (4-6-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Red Devils come from behind to beat Valparaiso 7-5 in home opener LOWELL (4-3-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Wildcats' Wendlinger impressive first outing coming off surgery has McMillen encouraged for good season despite 6-5 loss to Chesterton CHESTERTON (4-2-2004) by Mark Smith

Red Devils battle wind, cold in 5-3, 5-inning season-opening decision over Wheeler LOWELL (4-2-2004) by Mark Smith

Overall, the NW Indiana High School girls softball field is not as strong, but Andrean, Lake Central and Chesterton lead USA-365's 2004 Top-10 Pre-season poll CROWN POINT (4-1-2004) by Mark Smith

NW Indiana's Pre-season Top-10 baseball poll finds LaPorte, Andrean and Lake Central in familiar 1-2-3 positions in area that could produce three state tournament finalists CROWN POINT (4-1-2004) by Mark Smith

Lady Red Devils drop 2004 fastpitch softball season-opener 4-3 to Chesterton in 13-innings CHESTERTON (3-27-2004) by Mark Smith

Girls Softball 2004: Everyone wants to play the defending sectional and regional champion Hanover Central Lady Wildcats. But are they ready for 2004? CEDAR LAKE (3-25-2004) By Mark Smith

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Revised: April 08, 2005 .