Bolanowski's 3-run homer in the 9th lifts Lowell to 5-2 win over surging Crown Point

A USA-365 special report by Mark Smith

5-16-2008

Team (Record) / Inning	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CROWN POINT (14-10)	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	4
LOWELL (19-9)	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	5	10	3

Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 51-degrees, non-conference game in LOWELL, IN

WP - Allyssa Reed (8-5) 3K, 2 walks (5 innings)
SP - Kaitlyn Bolanowski (Lowell) 2K, 0 walks (4 innings)
LP - Jackie Beilfuss (8-7), CG, 8K, 2 walks (8 2/3 innings)

CROWN POINT (14-10) starters
Allison Adank (DH) 0-for-4
Amber Pierce (CF) 1-for-4
Jessica Martinez (2B) HR, double, single, RBI, 2 runs scored
Lindsey Gurnenz (1B) 1-for-4, RBI
Jessica Palm (SS) 0-for-4
Katrina Klingberg (C) 0-for-4
Kara Gulvas (3B) 2-for-4, double
Ashley Amodeo (LF) 0-for-2, walk, sac bunt
Amiee Favia (RF) 0-for-3, walk

LOWELL (19-9) starters
Jackie Fletcher (3B) 2-for-5
Lauren Wells (1B) 1-for-4, double, walk
Becca Nida (CF) 2-for-5
Megan Bolanowski (SS) 2-fior-5, HR, 3 RBIs
Nina Iaokimidis (C) 0-for-4
Kristina Kuzma (RF) 0-for-4
Amanda Underwood (2B) 0-for-3, walk
Kaitlyn Bolanowski (P) 2-for-4
Nicole Roniak (LF) 0-for-1

LOWELL, IN (5-15-2008) - I remember, in February and March before the softball season began, wondering how Lowell was going to replace four-year (2004-2007) all-area star Kelly Johnson, maybe the best non-pitcher in program history. But I forgot. There's always someone new. Megan Bolanowski, whose only 2007 claim to fame was being confused in box scores for her star pitcher older sister, hit her school-record ninth home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday, a three-run opposite field home run that gave Lowell a 5-2 win over Crown Point in the final regular season game for the Red Devils.

"I don't know how she does it," admitted Kaitlyn Bolanowski, who played her final game at Lowell along with seniors Allyssa Reed, Nicole Roniak, Becca Nida and Kristina Kuzma. "She doesn't even seem to swing hard. I don't know how it happens. I don't think she's changed anything from last year. When it happens again, everyone in the dugout just says: 'What?' She's broken two records now. I'm so proud of her."

Lowell's Pete Iussig is equally amazed that the ball is flying over the fence more than he's ever seen in his 19 years as head varsity Red Devil coach. But he understands how his rookie clean-up hitter keeps clearing the fence when she's built more like Sara Lee than Derreck Lee.

"Her bat's not slow," he insists. "Its all wrists. I talk to them (his players) about buggy-whipping the bat. She does it naturally. She throws the head of the bat at the ball and it takes off. She just broke the CAREER home run record at Lowell in one season."

The towering drive into the descending darkness beyond right field ended Crown Point's seven game winning streak and the four-game winning streak of Bulldog sophomore right-hander Jackie Beilfuss (8-7). Crown Point (14-10) shouldn't take anything bad away from this loss.

"She (Beilfuss) made a good pitch," said CP coach Brett Crutchfield. "That pitch was outside. She (Bolanowski) just put a great swing on it. Maybe I should have walked her."

In retrospect, Crown Point could have walked Bolanowski, the Northwest Crossroads Conference leader in home runs and RBIs, to load the bases for sophomore catcher Nina Iaokimidis. But frankly, she isn't scary. She doesn't play for Whiting. Bolanowski still doesn't have the reputation of a game-breaking player and she doesn't act like one.

"The newspapers interviewed her at Chesterton the day she broke the RBI record," recalled Iussig. "They said, 'Did you know you broke the record?' Some players would know, but they would say they didn't. She really had no idea."

On a 'Senior Night' final day for Lowell's graduating class, the focus was on players like Reed who pitched five shutout innings in relief of Kaitlyn Bolanowski to give her team time to rally. The Devils continued a late season surge that saw them win eight of the final 11 regular season games after a 5-5 split in the previous 10 games.

"We just turned a corner," said Kaitlyn Bolanowski, a three-year varsity player. "I don't really know why. We all seemed to turn it around at the same time."

CP, which played without starting senior catcher Amy Fairchild, who was home sick, led 2-0 on a first-inning run scoring single by Lindsey Gurnenz and a third inning homer from junior Jessica Martinez. Lowell, who will go the rest of the way without catcher-third baseman Katherine Allert, who needs shoulder surgery, rallied on Lauren Wells' two-run double to left in the fifth. Both teams made a couple of strong defensive plays and a couple of base-running boo-boos to extend the game.

CP had a 7-game winning streak broken, despite a fifth consecutive complete game from Jackie Beilfuss, who was coming off a 1-0 win over Andrean and a 5-3 win over Boone Grove this week.

"We fought a real good foe tooth and nail for nine innings," said CP's Crutchfield. "We hit the ball well, but we didn't capitalize on a lot of chances. They've got good hitters up and down the lineup. I don't want to say it was a 'good loss', but it was a good game for us."

DEVIL-DOG NOTES: Megan Bolanowski, a right-handed hitting sophomore shortstop, extended school records that may not be broken unless the rules of softball (the distance between the pitcher and the plate) change. The younger sister of pitcher Kaitlyn Bolanowski finished the 28-game regular season with nine home runs and 39 RBIs. Lowell's 30-7 Class 4A state finals TEAM hit just five home runs all last season.

Whiting's Mel Dumezich has 12 home runs to lead the state but she's doing a lot of that against 1A and 2A competition. Pioneer is the only 1A team Lowell played and the Red Devils' three Class 2A foes (Boone Grove, Hanover Central and Wheeler) are all ranked in the Top-10 state wide.

Senior catcher Amy Fairchild did not play in CP's final two games, but she figures to be back for the Chesterton 4A quarterfinal game with Merrillville Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.

Lowell opens the Class 4A Lake Central sectional with a quarterfinal game against Gary West Side on Tuesday, May 20 at 6:00 p.m.

2008 (4A) CROWN POINT (16-10)
Brett Crutchfield (2nd year) 16-14 in 2007
3-24 (W) 6-2 Hobart
3-25 (L) 2-3 (8 innings) New Prairie (12-8)
4-2 (L) 1-7 Lake Central (22-6)
4-3 (W) 4-2 Portage (17-8)
4-6 (W) 10-0 (5 innings) Morton (5 innings)
4-7 (L) 3-4 at Munster (24-6)
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 (15-13)
4-17 (L) 3-5 at Valparaiso
4-18 (L) 0-2 at Chesterton (16-9)
4-22 (L) 3-7 at Lake Central (22-6)
4-24 (L) 0-3 at Portage (17-8)
4-25 (L) 0-7 Griffith (19-7)
4-29 (W) 10-0 (5 innings) Merrillville (3-22)
4-30 (L) 2-9 LaPorte (15-13)
5-3 (W) 13-4 at Hamilton Southeastern (19-6)
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 (16-9)
5-12 (W) 5-1 Boone Grove (17-5)
5-13 (W) 1-0 Andrean (16-10)
5-15 (L) 2-5 at Lowell (19-9)
5-16 (W) 9-1 at Highland (12-12)
5-17 (W) 5-2 Hanover Central (18-7)

Chesterton (4A) Sectional
5-21 (W) CP vs. MERRILLVILLE (TBA) 6 p.m.,
5-22 (Th) semifinals (probably vs. Chesterton) 7 p.m.
5-23 (F) championship (TBA)

Elkhart Memorial (4A) Regional
5-21 (W) semifinal [probably Lake Central (22-6)] 10 a.m. (EST)
5-21 (W) final [probably South Bend Adams (18-8)] 7 p.m.