Senior lead-off hitter Amodeo gives offense more bite

With his team struggling earlier this spring, Crown Point coach Brett Crutchfield was looking to add a little bit more energy and pop to his lineup.

He made the decision after the first five games this season to move senior Allison Amodeo from the No. 9 spot to lead-off.

“We were looking for a spark and Allison is the most consistent player on our team,” Crutchfield said. “We wanted to get something started early in games. We were looking to get on base with something. It’s made a huge difference in our lineup. Allison gets us started. She gets on with a hit, or a walk, maybe she steals a base, or we get her over, and then, she scores. It’s happened numerous times.

“The thinking was, if we could get her on base early, we’d have a pretty good chance of scoring early, and that’s important.”

Crutchfield said there’s been an across the board improvement in the Bulldogs’ offense since he made the move.

“It ends up being contagious,” he said. “She gets on base and now we’ve got something going. It gets everyone motivated. She’s definitely our table-setter. She comes up in some big spots and gets the job done a lot. She’s a kid I want up at the plate with a bat in her hands when we’ve got runners in scoring position.”

Amodeo, a four-year starter, puts a lot of stress on opposing defenses with her speed.

“She puts a lot of pressure on people when she’s on the base paths,” Crutchfield said. “She battles. She’s a tough kid. If we can get her up in a big spot, she’s going to make something happen.”

Maybe it’s a rushed throw, or a booted grounder while a fielder hurries to get off a throw to beat her quickness.

“I like that role,” said Amodeo, who’s hitting .383, scored a school record 32 runs, stolen 20 bases and has an on-base percentage of .495, heading into today’s Class 4A Regional title game against No. 1 Lake Central (27-5).

“I like using my size to my advantage. I force the pitcher to narrow down the strike zone. I really try to be aggressive at the plate. I like starting the game trying to keep the pitcher off-balance.”

The diminutive right fielder -- she’s 5-foot-1 on her tip-toes -- has driven in 16 runs, has an on-base-slugging percentage of 1.063, with six doubles, three triples and an inside-the-park homer.

Amazingly, she’s fanned only four times in 81 at-bats.

“I try to see the ball in a way that when the pitcher releases it, I’m looking at location,” she said. “If it’s close, I’m looking for a pitch I can drive. As a lead-off hitter, even if I don’t get on base, I’m going to try and challenge the defense and put pressure on them.”

Amodeo said she feels good about the way she’s handled the job Crutchfield gave her.

“I’m the type of player that wherever he puts me, I’m just going to do whatever I can to benefit the team,” she said. “When he put me at lead-off, I thought it was a new job -- a job for the betterment of the team. I felt like my job was to create energy, get on base and get the whole team energized. I want to start off the game by beating the other team in terms of us having more energy. That’s all a part of the whole attitude of the game.

“I think I’ve done my job. I hustle on and off the field. I keep everyone informed in terms of what’s going on, and I try and let them know what the pitcher’s throwing and at what speed.”

Amodeo definitely did her job in Crown Point’s 2-0 sectional championship game win over Chesterton last Saturday.

After the game, Trojans’ coach LouAnn Hopson said: “The lead-off hitter was on too much.”

Amodeo went 2-for-3 with a walk, two stolen bases and a run scored.

The speedy CP star is also a whiz in the classroom. She has a 3.8 grade-point average and an interest in engineering. She’ll play travel ball this summer with the Homer (Glen) Hawks Gold 18 U team before heading to Ferris State University.

Her goal for the rest of the season is simple.

“I’d love to go even further in the tournament,” Amodeo said. “My goal is to end the season on a good note. So when the journey ends, I just want to know we gave it our all as a team and really put up a fight.”

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