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Crown Point blanks LaPorte
Updated: May 6, 2011 11:18PM
CROWN POINT — With all due respect to all mothers with your big day coming up, let’s begin with a story of a father, his son, and videotape.
The father in question is Jose Andrade Sr. who is a friendly guy who is always ready to talk baseball.
That is until his son, Crown Point first baseman Jose Andrade Jr. comes to the plate. That’s when Dad, armed with a video camera runs toward the Bulldogs’ dugout, and it’s lights, camera, action.
“There are times we argue about his batting style,” the dad said before holding up his camera. “This ends all arguments right here.”
The film session the day before must have been a good one because Jose Jr. had two hits in the Bulldogs’ 3-0 win over Laporte on Friday. But keeping with the family theme, it was a couple of twins that also sealed the win. Not to mention a very clutch — and very short — relief pitching performance.
In avenging a 1-0 loss to the Slicers earlier this season, sophomore Ron Plesac, owner of one of the best curve balls in the region, overcame a shaky first inning to pitch well for the Bulldogs, going 51/3 innings of shutout ball to get the win.
“He got off to a slow start and didn’t have his velosity today but he got better as the game went on,” Crown Point coach Steve Strayer said about Plesac, who got out of a jam in the first inning leaving a runner a third with one out.
The left hander got into another jam in the sixth inning. That time, he needed a little help.
With the Bulldogs leading 2-0 — Plesac’s twin brother, Zach, scored in the first inning on the first of Aaron Orosz’s two hits, and Kevin Brunski scored on a third-inning throwing error — it was LaPorte’s turn to put some runs on the board. The Slicers have had problems scoring since handing Lake Central its first loss Monday.
“We got runners on base but we just haven’t come through this week,” said Laporte coach Scott Upp. “We’ve only scored eight runs all week so we have to hit the ball better.”
The runs didn’t come Friday thanks to Bulldogs reliever Alex Doppler, who replaced Plesac after the Slicers loaded the bases with one out. The senior pitcher retired the next two batters and it took him only four pitches to do it.
“I knew my defense would pick me up,” said Doppler. “We’re coming together as a team and we’re starting to hit the ball better. This is a big win because we beat another big team.”
The Indians finished a stretch of four games in four nights with wins over Lake Central, Valparaiso, and LaPorte and a loss to Portage.
LaPorte had a 2-2 week (wins over the Indians and Valparaiso, losses to Merrillville and the Bulldogs). Kyle Upp had two singles for the Slicers.
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