Crown Point and Portage Advance
May 29, 2011
Crown Point 3 Chesterton 0 F/8
Merrillville, IN ? Game one on Saturday saw one of the best pitching duels of the year with sophomore Ron Plesac of Crown Point pitted against Junior Jake Post of Chesterton. The lefty Plesac would pick up the win throwing all eight innings, allowing just three hits, and striking out 10. Post would take the tough loss going 7.1 innings allowing six hits, three runs while striking out 11. Plesac?s fastball sat consistently in the 81-83 mph range and Post was 87-88 mph, both dominating the opposing hitters.
Each team had their shots throughout the first seven innings to take the lead, but the pitcher ended any potential rally.
Chesterton?s opportunities came in the 2nd and 3rd innings. In the second Senior Austin Cooley doubled on ball to right center, that the wind made difficult to track. Cooley would advance to third with two outs, but was left stranded. In the third Post doubled to start the inning, but would get picked off by the catcher to end any potential rally.
Crown Point also had their chances early on. In the second they had a runner on third with no outs, but Post was able to get out of the jam with a pop out and a couple of strikeouts leaving the runner stranded. In the 7th Junior Joe Hopman lead off the inning with a walk and stole second, the ball slipped out of the catcher?s hand allowing him to get to third. The ball would be overthrown trying to get Hopman at third and he would try to score, but was thrown out at the plate.
The runs finally came in the top of the 8th. Senior C.J. Becerra and sophomore Zach Plesac lead off the inning with singles. Post would get the next batter out, but Goshen commit Jose Andrade was waiting on deck. Andrade took a fastball and hit a no doubt homerun to right centerfield to break open a 0-0 tie. Ron Plesac would shut the door in the bottom of the 8th to advance Crown Point.
Portage 15 Valparaiso 7
Merrillville, IN ? Game two was the complete opposite then the opened, this time it was all about offense. Portage pounded the ball from the first inning on, including an eight run fourth inning that would break the game open.
Portage jumped out to an early lead scoring a run in the top of the first from an RBI single from Senior Gabe Acevedo.
Valpo would respond in the bottom of the second when Senior Nick Simon had a RBI suicide squeeze and a RBI double from Senior Will Timmerman would give them a Valpo a 2-1 lead.
Valpo would hold a 3-2 lead going into top of the 4th, but Portage put up eight runs. Senior Sam Puchalski started the inning with a walk followed by single from Senior Allen Barrett. Junior David Jercha would drive in the first run of the inning on a RBI single and a passed ball would give Portage another run. Senior Nate Ramian would drive in another run and with two runners on Tony Cheky crushed a ball to right center for a three run homerun, putting Portage up 8-3. Portage was not done though as they added two more latter in the inning when Barrett singled driving in two more runs.
Barrett was not done either driving in a run in the 6th on a double and two runs in the 7th on another double. He finished the day with five hits (two doubles), five RBIs, and two runs scored. Barrett also was the pitcher that picked up the victory for Portage.
Portage and Crown Point will face off on Monday for the Sectional Championship.