Crown Point overpowers Portage

Updated: May 30, 2011 9:10PM

MERRILLVILLE — Even when he apparently wasn’t good enough to wear a Crown Point uniform, Nick Nauracy never lost faith in himself.

The senior right-handed pitcher always believed in his ability even after failing to make his high school roster for three straight years.

After Monday’s 4-1 win over Portage in the Class 4A Merrillville Sectional championship game, Nauracy’s teammates mobbed him on the mound to celebrate Crown Point’s sixth sectional title in the last seven years and the program’s 20th overall.

The victory gave the Bulldogs (19-11) a berth in Saturday’s LaPorte Regional.

“Nick’s really grown up, not only in the last year, but to come in here and be able to pitch the way he did today says a lot about him,” CP coach Steve Strayer said. “That was a big challenge for him today. He accepted the challenge and he pitched really well. I was very proud of him.”

Nauracy allowed only four hits, recorded five strikeouts, walked none, but hit a batter, while going the distance for his eighth win in 10 decisions.

His tricky knuckle-curve ball was working well throughout the game. He mixed that pitch with his regular curve, along with his cutter and fastball.

“I knew I could play at this level and I finally got the opportunity this year,” said Nauracy, who played on Crown Point’s Babe Ruth Red team last year.

“I wanted this game so bad. I love the big games. I didn’t feel any pressure. I didn’t even hit a fence — I was locked in.”

Nauracy said he had to pitch around Portage hitters Tony Cheky, Gabe Acevedo and Zach Thorn, but otherwise claimed he just wanted the Indians to put the ball in play.

Crown Point’s defense played a big role in helping the Bulldogs capture the sectional title.

“Our defense did a nice job today,” Strayer said. “I just liked that look (of determination) on their faces. That look said there was no way any balls were getting by us today. Playing good defense is something we talked about all year, but we really didn’t execute until this week.”

Nobody illustrated that ‘nothing’s getting by us’ mentality better than Bulldogs’ third baseman Zach Plesac, who made an incredible diving catch of a looping liner in foul territory to end the bottom of the second inning.

“I was just going to make sure nothing got by me today,” Plesac said. “I didn’t want to let anyone down.”

When Nauracy saw Plesac make the catch, he just laughed.

“Zach’s clutch, he makes catches like that all the time,” he said. “Our defense was great today.”

Plesac — whose uncle Dan starred as a pitcher at Crown Point, N.C. State University, and as a professional for 18 years with six teams -- also provided a spark offensively for the ‘Dogs, lining a two-run single in the top of the second inning to give CP a 2-0 lead.

Kevin Brunski followed with an RBI single to make it 3-0 as CP scored three unearned runs in the frame. An error by Portage pitcher, Cody Jackson, on a come-backer to the mound with two outs started the uprising.

“It always comes back to bite you,” lamented Portage coach Tim Pirowski, whose team still finished 25-8 after finishing second in the Duneland Athletic Conference.

“It’s been a good season, but it’s one of those things that you’re happy about, but you’re never satisfied with.”

Portage cut CP’s lead to 3-1 when Acevedo drove in Nate Ramian with a single in the bottom of the fourth.

The Bulldogs, though, added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Jose Andrade, who went 2-for-4, including a double, singled in C.J. Becerra, who doubled leading off the inning.

“This is the best feeling in the world,” Nauracy said. “It means we’re going to the regional, so anyone who doubted us in the beginning, we went out and proved them wrong.”

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