Crown Point Girls hitting stride with 5th straight win,
including 5-4 over Chesterton in 9-innings

A USA-365 special report by Mark Smith

5-09-2008

Thursday, May 8, 2008 - 51 degrees at CROWN POINT, IN

WP - Jackie Bielfuss (6-6) CG, 7K, 1 walk
LP - Catie Armstrong (6-4) 7K, 0 walks (7.3 innings)
SP - Taylor Harlow (Chesterton) 1K, 1 walk (1.3 innings)

Chesterton (15-7, 10-4 DAC) starters
Alexis Paz (3B) 2-of-4 
Samantha Gross (RF) 1-for-4
Catie Armstrong (DP-P) 1-of-2, sac bunt, walk
Amanda Gough (SS) 1-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs
Samantha Bozak (C) 1-for-4, triple, run scored
Kelci Garcia (1B) 1-for-4, double, RBI
Taylor Harlow (P) 0-for-4
Kathy Maple (2B) 0-for-1
Heather Overla (LF) 1-for-3

CROWN POINT (12-9, 8-6 DAC)
Allison Adank (3B) 2-for-5
Amber Pierce (CF) 2-for-5
Jessica Martinez (2B) 1-for-4, Sac. Fly, RBI
Lindsey Gernenz (1B) 0-for-3, Sac. Fly, RBI.
Amy Fairchild (C)  2-for-4,
Katrina Klingberg (DP) 1-for-3, HBP
Jessica Palm  (SS) 0-for-3, walk
Allison Amodeo (LF) 1-for-4,run scored
Amiee Favia (RF) 2-for-4, 2 doubles

Saturday, May 3, 2008 -  at FISHERS, IN

WP - Jackie Beilfuss (5-6) CG, 2 K, 4 walks
LP - Casey Crozier (6-10)  CG,  3K, 2 walk

CROWN POINT (11-9)
Jessica Palm (SS) 2 singles, 3 RBIs
Amiee Favia (RF) 2 singles, 2 runs scored
Amber Pierce (CF) Triple, run scored

Valparaiso (6-16)
Amber Shuta (OF) Single, RBI


CHESTERTON (4A) Sectional
May 19 - May 24 (Dates and time yet to be announced)

Quarterfinals
Valparaiso vs. LaPorte
Hobart vs. Portage
CROWN POINT vs. MERRILLVILLE
Chesterton vs. Michigan City

Semifinals
Valpo or LaPorte vs. Hobart or Portage
CP or MERRILLVILLE vs. Chesterton or Michigan City

CROWN POINT, IN (5-08-2008) - One year ago, it was Crown Point's Jackie Beilfuss pitching the final nine innings at home in an extra inning game against Chesterton and Jessica Martinez driving in the winning run.  The one-run victory was May 4, 2007 -- the biggest win for the Lady Bulldogs in 2007.

One year later, almost to the day, here was Jackie Beilfuss again pitching nine innings and Jessica Martinez again driving in the winning run in another one-run win over Chesterton.  They hope it's not the biggest win of the 2008 season.

"We showed some nerve and some spunk," said second year coach Brett Crutchfield, who watched his team win their fifth consecutive game after a five-game losing streak.

"And we've come together real well," added Crutchfield.  "We had some chemistry problems early and we've come through it."

That almost sums up Thursday's game.  The 'chemistry problems' came from Chesterton's four-run sixth inning, which erased a 4-0 CP lead.

Crown Point (12-9, 8-6 DAC) could have given up the lead in the innings that followed, especially since pitcher Taylor Perry is out with an arm injury and Beilfuss was being asked to pitch a complete game, win or lose.

Beilfuss was able to keep the Trojans (15-7, 10-4) off the scoreboard in the final three innings until Martinez' one-out sacrifice fly ball scored Amiee Favia from third base, setting off a bench-clearing celebration in the early evening dinner-time 50-degree chill.

Martinez had a third-inning triple, but she struck out in the fifth and the seventh against Chesterton right-hander Catie Armstrong.  She tried not to think about either one.

"Its a game of failure," said the junior three-year veteran.  "I wasn't thinking about the triple or the strikeouts.  There's going to be ups and downs.  I was just thinking about getting the ball out of the infield to drive in the run because we'd played so well."

CP should have won this game in the regulation seven innings.  The Bulldogs scored three times off Chesterton's No. 3 staring pitcher Taylor Harlow as Amiee Favia lined a two-run triple to right center after a wild pitch made it 1-0.

Crown Point improved the lead to 4-0 in the third inning when Martinez tripled deep to right center and scored on Lindsey Gernenz' sacrifice flyball.

But in the Chesterton sixth inning, a slap hit by freshman Heather Overla and a bunt single by senior Alexis Paz set up Amanda Gough for a long three-run homer to left centerfield.  Samantha Bozak then lined a triple to right center and scored the tying run on a two-base hit by junior Kelci Garcia.

Crutchfield did not leave the dugout.  He chose not to go out and talk to his pitcher.

"I wanted to see if we panicked," said the coach.  "Earlier this year at some times, we panicked and we've talked about it.  So, I wanted to see if we were going to panic again."

The game may have been saved for CP in the seventh when leadoff batter Jessica McClellan's potential extra base hit line drive to left center field was stolen on a leaping grab by CP senior outfielder Amber Pierce.  Only one more batter got the ball out of the infield the rest of the game.

Crown Point won the game in the ninth when Favia, who had a day of deep flyballs defensively in right field, lined her second double to left, barely beating the throw from the outfield.  On a controversial play, Allison Adank popped a single to short left.  As Trojan shortstop Amanda Gough retreated for the ball, she ran into Favia, who was going back to the bag in case the ball was caught.  Chesterton coach Lou Ann Hopson complained for what appeared to be an interference call, but the umpires apparently ruled that the ball was not catchable and CP had runners at first and third.

After Pierce popped up to second base, Martinez lifted the game-winning drive to left field.

"I had some adventures in the outfield," Favia agreed.  "There's a couple of balls that I could have caught.  But I just wanted to get on base in (leading off) the last inning.  And I didn't want to stop at first base.  I was going to keep going."

Chesterton had defeated Crown Point 15 times in a row until CP's 3-2, 13-inning victory last May.  The Bulldogs see Chesterton as one of the teams they must become equal to if they hope to rise into the top half of the DAC.  But with the state tourney draw released Thursday and CP drawing Merrillville (2-21), Bulldog hopes are high with one week to play.

"It would have been a big win today even if the draw hadn't just come out," said Crutchfield.  "We've been playing better and it goes back to the win over Hamilton Southeastern (on May 3).  That's definitely what started it."

The Lady Bulldogs won for the fifth time in six days and they clinched a winning record in DAC play.

"We're playing a lot next week," said Favia, who didn't seem to mind five games in the final week of the regular season.  "But we've got the train rolling and we need to keep going."

DOG NOTES:  The pairings for the Chesterton Sectional in the 24th Indiana High School Athletic Association State Tournament virtually assure a semifinal meeting between Chesterton and Crown Point.  The Trojans eliminated CP 4-0 in sectional play last season.  Crown Point's final week schedule is loaded up due to bad weather postponements.

"We've got Andrean Tuesday," said coach Brett Crutchfield.  "Boone Grove Monday.  Lowell Thursday.  Highland Friday and Hanover Saturday.  It's a lot, but... you might say that maybe we'd want to practice, but I don't know.  What can I tell them at this point that we haven't gone over this year?"

"We're playing well.  Let's just play."

Why CP is playing better is anybody's guess.  The 11-4 win at defending 4A state champion Hamilton Southeastern (18-5), even though HSE was using a No. 2 pitcher, clearly lifted the teams' morale.

"I was a little worried that I was leading lambs to slaughter," said Crutchfield, who had a 7-9 team at the time.  "But we came off the bus hitting and we haven't stopped.  Is that a big win in terms of notoriety and publicity?  No.  But for us internally, it was huge.  They knew who they were.  I wasn't trying to hide that from them."

Crutchfield formerly coached at Andrean where the softball team annually takes five or six weekend road trips, something CP has rarely done in the last 15-20 years.

"You get together as a team," he said or road trips.  "You realize there's nobody here for you but you.  You concentrate on your teammates and playing the game more."

CP's winning streak also coincides with a shuffle of infielders.  Former second baseman Allison Adank now shares times with junior Kara Gulvas at third base.  Former shortstop Jessica Martinez moved to second base to replace Adank and freshman Jessica Palm came up from the JV to play shortstop.

"Coach said that most balls are hit to the right side of the infield," explained Martinez.  "So he moved me there.  Jessica Palm's been doing real well on the JV so she came up to play shortstop.  It's a little different.  Sometimes you just knock the ball down and underhand it to first."

Crutchfield explains, "Jessica's a natural second baseman and I looked at our games and 60% of the balls get hit to the right side.  Maybe that's just this year, but that's the way it is. Jessica Palm has a cannon for an arm and she's going to be playing shortstop for us eventually.  We made the change one game before Hamilton Southeastern.  I don't know if that's been the difference or not.  Maybe I know what I'm doing."

Sophomore pitcher Taylor Perry may be out for the season with an arm injury.

"Possible stress fracture," says Crutchfield of Perry, who last pitched on May 3 at Hamilton Southeastern.  "But she's being checked out.  We'll see.  She could be back next week.  Could be 2-4 weeks."

2008 (4A) CROWN POINT (12-9)
Brett Crutchfield (2nd year) 16-14 in 2007

3-24 (W) 6-2 Hobart
3-25 (L) 2-3 (8 linings) New Prairie (12-8)
4-2 (L) 1-7 Lake Central (19-6)
4-3 (W) 4-2 Portage (15-6)
4-6 (W) 10-0 (5 innings) Morton (5 innings)
4-7 (L) 3-4 at Munster (21-5)
4-8 (W) 13-0 (5 innings) Merrillville (3-22)
4-14 (W) 10-0 (5 innings) Michigan City
4-15 (W) 7-2 at LaPorte (12-9)
4-17 (L) 3-5 at Valparaiso
4-18 (L) 0-2 at Chesterton
4-22 (L) 3-7 at Lake Central (19-6)
4-24 (L) 0-3 at Portage (15-6)
4-25 (L) 0-7 Griffith
4-29 (W) 10-0 (5 innings) Merrillville (3-22)
4-30 (L) 2-9 LaPorte  (12-9)
5-3 (W) 13-4 at Hamilton Southeastern (18-5)
5-3 (W) 7-2 at Zionsville
5-5 (W) 10-0 (5 innings) at Michigan City
5-7 (W)  9-1 Valparaiso (7-11)
5-8 (W) 5-4 (9 innings) Chesterton

5-12 (Mon) Boone Grove (13-2)
5-13 (Tues) Andrean  (13-6)
5-15 (Th) at Lowell (15-8)
5-16 (F) at Highland (12-10)
5-17 (S) Hanover Central (15-5)

Chesterton (4A) Sectional
5-20 (Tu) CP vs. MERRILLVILLE (TBA)
5-22 (Th) semifinals
5-23 (F) championship (TBA)
 

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Revised: May 09, 2008.