Street Kids Finish
Fifth at WSL in
Cincinnati; RSB
Struggles in Debut
Fifth at WSL in
Cincinnati; RSB
Struggles in Debut
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Cincinnati, OH 3-16-09
The Street Kids/Suburban South softball team
opened the 2009 season in Cincinnati, Ohio at
the 8th annual Jim Wessel/WSL Bash for
Cash tournament, and for the first time in
years, the weather cooperated!
Before the SKS team took the field on
Saturday afternoon, new SK team
Ro-Sham-Bo/SKS opened up the 2009
season in the D/E division, which featured 82
teams. In all their were 210 teams, a new
WSL/Bash record.
RSB just could not get much offense going on
Saturday as they dropped their first two games
of the round robin event before winning the
third and final game by a forfeit. They were
seeded in the consolation bracket for Sunday
morning and struggled again, losing 13-10 to
Team Louisville. Read more about the RSB
team by clicking here, or visiting
www.StreetKidsRSB.com.
The SKS team opened the round robin
The Street Kids/Suburban South softball team
opened the 2009 season in Cincinnati, Ohio at
the 8th annual Jim Wessel/WSL Bash for
Cash tournament, and for the first time in
years, the weather cooperated!
Before the SKS team took the field on
Saturday afternoon, new SK team
Ro-Sham-Bo/SKS opened up the 2009
season in the D/E division, which featured 82
teams. In all their were 210 teams, a new
WSL/Bash record.
RSB just could not get much offense going on
Saturday as they dropped their first two games
of the round robin event before winning the
third and final game by a forfeit. They were
seeded in the consolation bracket for Sunday
morning and struggled again, losing 13-10 to
Team Louisville. Read more about the RSB
team by clicking here, or visiting
www.StreetKidsRSB.com.
The SKS team opened the round robin
portion of the C division against Team Insanity/Pure Romance, a class B USSSA conference team from
the area. Although the Kids put up quite a battle, they ended up losing the game, 25-23.
In the next round robin game, SKS defeated Team Quality 26-16 and then beat Total Fitness, 26-11. A
scary moment occurred in the first inning of the final game, when the left fielder for Total Fitness dove for a
ball hit by Mark Hershberger, and landed wrong, dislocating his shoulder. The game was delayed for
about 25 minutes while the player was helped off the field, his arm loosely hanging from his shoulder
socket. He was taken to a local hospital and can only hope for the best.
Through the first three games, the Kids' numbers looked impressive, averaging 25 runs per game. The box
score per player was equally as impressive:
Lanny Fisher: 11 for 13
Kalei Enterline: 11 for 14
Carl Underwood: 11 for 14
Jake Underwood: 7 for 14
Mark Hershberger: 7 for 13
Chris Firebaugh: 10 for 12
Jay Jeffery: 5 for 11
TJ Jorgensen: 9 for 11
Tony Hardiman: 8 for 8
Dan Garey: 6 for 8
Scott Martin: 8 for 11
Nick Bishop: 3 for 7
Josh Taylor: 2 for 2
Total: 98 for 138 (.710 avg)
With a 2-1 record, and a 2nd
place finish in their bracket,
the Kids were set up to play
a 9am game on Sunday in the
single elimination portion of
the tournament, against RPG of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Already playing without one of their best players,
Joe Horvath - who was out of action with a stiff back - the team had to rely on every player to pull the
extra weight and help carry the team deep into the tourney if they had any chance of winning. Against,
RPG, they played very well, leading to a 22-7 victory. Leading the way with three hits a piece were Lanny
Fisher, Kalei Enterline, Chris Firebaugh, TJ Jorgensen and Tony Hardiman.
The team was now into the quarter finals of the tournament, one win away from the final four. They were
pitted next against Boys/Excalibur, the team that won a very tough bracket on Saturday, defeating Laser
Show and Softball Times, both very good Class B teams. Despite the Kids being down 15-3 in the first
inning, and 23-6 after two innings, they didn't give up. They scored 11 runs in the fourth inning and
continued to chip away, eventually tying the game at one point at 26 each. But Boys were able to put 10
more on the board, some on unearned runs but the Kids still never gave up. They scored five more runs in
the sixth and seventh inning, and with two outs in the seventh, the bases loaded and the tying run on deck in
the form of 2008 MVP Jake Underwood, Boys relied on some great defense, snaring a hot ground ball hit
by Carl Underwood that was heading up the middle and making the put out at second base, ending the
game. The Kids lost 36-31 in an epic battle.
"I was upset with the loss, but to look at the way we came back and fought, I am proud of our guys," said
pitcher Lanny Fisher. "We made a few mistakes, and never really caught any breaks, but even though we
finished fifth, there were a lot of positives from this weekend."
Fisher was exactly right. The team averaged .703 as a team and scored 128 runs, averaging 25.6 per
game. They also had some great numbers from players, with six starters hitting over .700, one over .900.
"Tony Hardiman was red hot," said manager TJ Jorgensen. "He had a nearly flawless weekend, and
showed he is ready for the next level."
Hardiman made only one out the entire weekend, a fly ball to right center as he was trying to move Chris
Firebaugh into scoring position after he singled to start the fifth inning of the final game. At one time, Fisher
yelled out he was statistically the hottest softball player on the planet.
Fisher also had another great weekend, batting .826 and showed excellent control on the mound, yielding
only five walks all weekend - three of them coming in the first game. New infielder Kalei Enterline also had
a great weekend, finishing .700, despite an 0-for-3 performance in the final game. Chris Firebaugh, Dan
Garey and rookie Scott Martin all had great weekends as well, with Martin having a fantastic stat line in the
final game: 5-for-5 with two home runs, 10 rbi, two doubles and a triple.
"I felt like I could hit it anywhere in that game," the rookie outfielder said."It just stinks it was all for a loss,
because I would rather go 0-for-5 and win, then 5-for-5 and lose."
So the Kids (13-3 overall) made the long trip back home Sunday, and will get back to practice, where
they have spent the last 10 weeks getting ready for the season. Up next for the team is the NSA Bash for
Cash event in Warsaw, Indiana on April 4-5.
the area. Although the Kids put up quite a battle, they ended up losing the game, 25-23.
In the next round robin game, SKS defeated Team Quality 26-16 and then beat Total Fitness, 26-11. A
scary moment occurred in the first inning of the final game, when the left fielder for Total Fitness dove for a
ball hit by Mark Hershberger, and landed wrong, dislocating his shoulder. The game was delayed for
about 25 minutes while the player was helped off the field, his arm loosely hanging from his shoulder
socket. He was taken to a local hospital and can only hope for the best.
Through the first three games, the Kids' numbers looked impressive, averaging 25 runs per game. The box
score per player was equally as impressive:
Lanny Fisher: 11 for 13
Kalei Enterline: 11 for 14
Carl Underwood: 11 for 14
Jake Underwood: 7 for 14
Mark Hershberger: 7 for 13
Chris Firebaugh: 10 for 12
Jay Jeffery: 5 for 11
TJ Jorgensen: 9 for 11
Tony Hardiman: 8 for 8
Dan Garey: 6 for 8
Scott Martin: 8 for 11
Nick Bishop: 3 for 7
Josh Taylor: 2 for 2
Total: 98 for 138 (.710 avg)
With a 2-1 record, and a 2nd
place finish in their bracket,
the Kids were set up to play
a 9am game on Sunday in the
single elimination portion of
the tournament, against RPG of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Already playing without one of their best players,
Joe Horvath - who was out of action with a stiff back - the team had to rely on every player to pull the
extra weight and help carry the team deep into the tourney if they had any chance of winning. Against,
RPG, they played very well, leading to a 22-7 victory. Leading the way with three hits a piece were Lanny
Fisher, Kalei Enterline, Chris Firebaugh, TJ Jorgensen and Tony Hardiman.
The team was now into the quarter finals of the tournament, one win away from the final four. They were
pitted next against Boys/Excalibur, the team that won a very tough bracket on Saturday, defeating Laser
Show and Softball Times, both very good Class B teams. Despite the Kids being down 15-3 in the first
inning, and 23-6 after two innings, they didn't give up. They scored 11 runs in the fourth inning and
continued to chip away, eventually tying the game at one point at 26 each. But Boys were able to put 10
more on the board, some on unearned runs but the Kids still never gave up. They scored five more runs in
the sixth and seventh inning, and with two outs in the seventh, the bases loaded and the tying run on deck in
the form of 2008 MVP Jake Underwood, Boys relied on some great defense, snaring a hot ground ball hit
by Carl Underwood that was heading up the middle and making the put out at second base, ending the
game. The Kids lost 36-31 in an epic battle.
"I was upset with the loss, but to look at the way we came back and fought, I am proud of our guys," said
pitcher Lanny Fisher. "We made a few mistakes, and never really caught any breaks, but even though we
finished fifth, there were a lot of positives from this weekend."
Fisher was exactly right. The team averaged .703 as a team and scored 128 runs, averaging 25.6 per
game. They also had some great numbers from players, with six starters hitting over .700, one over .900.
"Tony Hardiman was red hot," said manager TJ Jorgensen. "He had a nearly flawless weekend, and
showed he is ready for the next level."
Hardiman made only one out the entire weekend, a fly ball to right center as he was trying to move Chris
Firebaugh into scoring position after he singled to start the fifth inning of the final game. At one time, Fisher
yelled out he was statistically the hottest softball player on the planet.
Fisher also had another great weekend, batting .826 and showed excellent control on the mound, yielding
only five walks all weekend - three of them coming in the first game. New infielder Kalei Enterline also had
a great weekend, finishing .700, despite an 0-for-3 performance in the final game. Chris Firebaugh, Dan
Garey and rookie Scott Martin all had great weekends as well, with Martin having a fantastic stat line in the
final game: 5-for-5 with two home runs, 10 rbi, two doubles and a triple.
"I felt like I could hit it anywhere in that game," the rookie outfielder said."It just stinks it was all for a loss,
because I would rather go 0-for-5 and win, then 5-for-5 and lose."
So the Kids (13-3 overall) made the long trip back home Sunday, and will get back to practice, where
they have spent the last 10 weeks getting ready for the season. Up next for the team is the NSA Bash for
Cash event in Warsaw, Indiana on April 4-5.
| Video courtesy of Josh Taylor, Street Kids/Suburban Softball |