BASEBALL: Top 10 for Week of 4/2/18

T-#10.
MORGAN TWP. CHEROKEES
0-0

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LAST WEEK: T-#10

Another week, another tie at #10. It seemed unfair to drop Morgan Twp. completely from the poll with them not having played a single game yet. With five games on the docket for this week, the Cherokees will have plenty of opportunities to show they belong  in the Top 10.

T-#10.
HEBRON HAWKS
0-2

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LAST WEEK: #8

There’s no shame in losing to Andrean in both games of a double-header, even if you do get blown out. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be ramifications in the RSN Top 10 as the losses drop the Hawks from #8 to barely hanging on in the rankings.

#9.
CROWN POINT BULLDOGS
2-1

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LAST WEEK: #7

Wins over Boone Grove and Bishop Noll helped turn the week around, but a season opening loss to Hanover Central wasn’t what the Bulldogs needed to start 2018, nor to stay at #7, so they drop a couple of spots. It doesn’t get any easier for Crown Point this week with games against Chesterton on Tuesday and Wednesday followed by trips to McCutcheon and Lafayette Jeff this weekend.

#8.
HANOVER CENTRAL WILDCATS
2-0

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LAST WEEK: NR

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they aren’t in the DAC. If they were, they’d already be off to an impressive start in the conference, defeating both Portage and Crown Point in early season matchups. They’ll get started with play in the GSSC this week with games against Wheeler both Tuesday and Wednesday.

#7.
HIGHLAND TROJANS

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LAST WEEK: #9

A win over Gavit, combined with Crown Point and Hebron’s losses jumps the Trojans up two spots to #7. With all due respect to the Gladiators, the level of competition picks up for Highland this week as they play Merrillville before heading to the Slicer Classic in LaPorte. Will Highland be able to hold on to their new ranking?

#6. 
VALPARAISO VIKINGS
1-0

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LAST WEEK: #6

Hopefully the Vikings are well rested – and they should be after an 11-1 shortened game victory over Hobart – as Valpo plays every day this week, with a game Monday against Hebron, Tuesdayand Wednesday versus DAC rival Michigan City, Thursday a home game against South Central and road trips to Munster and Griffith on Friday and Saturday.

#5.
MUNSTER MUSTANGS
0-0

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LAST WEEK: #5

With their trip to Terre Haute rained out last weekend, the ‘Stangs are still waiting to take the field for game #1 of the 2018 campaign. They’ll get that chance on Tuesday as the welcome Clark into the friendly confines of Munster High School. The big one though is Friday as #6 Valpo comes to town.

#4.
LAPORTE SLICERS
2-1

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LAST WEEK: #4

We can’t penalize the Slicers too much for splitting a double-header against Logansport . The games were scheduled to take place Saturday in “The Maple City”, but due to weather forecasts got moved to Friday in Logansport. LaPorte also picked up a win over New Prairie last week which qualifies them to stay at #4 for now.  The schedule picks up this week with the Slicer Classic beginning Friday.

#3. 
LAKE CENTRAL INDIANS
2-0

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LAST WEEK: #3

The Indians weren’t kind hosts to Portage Central of Michigan in their double-header last week as LC swept the annual matchup. Not only did Lake Central come away with two wins, they showed they can win in a lower scoring game, taking game one by a 5-2 final, and a slugfest, winning 16-11 in game two.

#2.
ANDREAN 59ERS
3-0

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LAST WEEK: #2

Not only did the Niners run the table in the first week of play, finishing 3-0, they dominated. In their three outings (a game against Brother Rice and a double-header against fellow Top 10 team Hebron), Andrean outscored their opponents a combined 22-1. The Niners won’t keep that scoring differential up all season (at least probably not), but they should be on the winning end of a bunch of one-sided games.

#1. 
CHESTERTON TROJANS
0-0

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LAST WEEK: #1

You can’t lose if you don’t play….nor can you lose your spot atop the RSN rankings. The Trojans are still waiting to play their first game of the season – they’ll do that Monday against Gavit – so they remain at #1 for at least one more week.