Topeka, IN 7/4/2011
The Street Kids/Easton/RPN softball team came back from an earlier loss in the Topeka 4th of July Festival event to double dip
Wildman Uniform/Kote-It in the finals and win their third straight tournament of the season, and their sixth of the year.
After opening the tournament on Saturday with a win over Miller Electric (21-9 final) and a 16-14 win over Martin Bros, SKS
came back on Monday (after the tournament is closed for Sunday in observance of their religion) and lost to Wildman 20-14,
ending their 22 game overall winning streak. The game was not as close as the score would indicate as Wildman came into the
seventh inning leading 20-8, but the Kids made a failed comeback, scoring six in the seventh.
After the loss, SKS dropped to the loser bracket and began their climb back with an 11-1 win over Tanel 360 - a team that beat
SKS in league already this year. Up next was Cedar Creek, a team that is only one game behind SKS in the Topeka League
standings on Thursday nights. SKS made quick work of them, however, winning 17-7 with Joe Horvath hitting a walk-off game
ending grand slam. Up next was Softball Fans, who had just lost to Wildman in the winners bracket final, and this one was all SKS
again, as they won 17-6. This time, Leland Schmucker walked off the game with a grand slam.
The Kids were now back in the finals for the ninth straight
time this season, a remarkable feat for any team at any
level. But in order to win their third straight tournament,
they would have to double dip (beat them twice) a very
good Wildman team. The first game was all SKS as they
jumped out to an early 11-0 lead and eventually hung on
to win 21-9, forcing the "if" game.
After the first inning, SKS led 6-1, but Wildman tied the
game with five in the top of the second. SKS answered
back with 12 runs in the home half of the second,
however, highlighted by a three run double by Tim Austin
and a three run homer by Joe Horvath. Wildman would
score one in the third and six in the fourth, but SKS again
answered back with five in the bottom of the fourth,
highlighted by Fred Schmucker's three run home run.
Despite Wildman making an attempt to get back in the
game with five in the top of the sixth, Street Kids were
too strong in the end, holding on for a 25-20 win in front
of over 4,000 people who spent the entire day watching
softball and were ready for the evenings fireworks.
Street Kids (69-9 overall, 42-6 in tournaments) have
played in nine tournaments in 2011 and have reached the
championship in all nine of those events. They have won
six of those tournaments, but in two of the second place
events, they did not even play the championship game for
various weather related reasons.
"This team is very special," said Joe Horvath, who was named tourney MVP and was named as part of the all-tourney team. "We
feel like every time we take the field, we are the best team out there and know we can win, we just have to play our game and get
it done."
Along with Horvath, other SKS players named to the all-tourney team were Leland Schmucker, Tim Austin, Nick Bishop, Jay
Jeffery and Faron Miller.
Street Kids will play league action on Tuesday in Mishawaka and Thursday back in Topeka before traveling to Kalamazoo for the
oldest memorial tournament in the country, the Kiracofe. SKS finished third in this event last year. They play Kovall Properties at
8:45pm on Friday night.
The Street Kids/Easton/RPN softball team came back from an earlier loss in the Topeka 4th of July Festival event to double dip
Wildman Uniform/Kote-It in the finals and win their third straight tournament of the season, and their sixth of the year.
After opening the tournament on Saturday with a win over Miller Electric (21-9 final) and a 16-14 win over Martin Bros, SKS
came back on Monday (after the tournament is closed for Sunday in observance of their religion) and lost to Wildman 20-14,
ending their 22 game overall winning streak. The game was not as close as the score would indicate as Wildman came into the
seventh inning leading 20-8, but the Kids made a failed comeback, scoring six in the seventh.
After the loss, SKS dropped to the loser bracket and began their climb back with an 11-1 win over Tanel 360 - a team that beat
SKS in league already this year. Up next was Cedar Creek, a team that is only one game behind SKS in the Topeka League
standings on Thursday nights. SKS made quick work of them, however, winning 17-7 with Joe Horvath hitting a walk-off game
ending grand slam. Up next was Softball Fans, who had just lost to Wildman in the winners bracket final, and this one was all SKS
again, as they won 17-6. This time, Leland Schmucker walked off the game with a grand slam.
The Kids were now back in the finals for the ninth straight
time this season, a remarkable feat for any team at any
level. But in order to win their third straight tournament,
they would have to double dip (beat them twice) a very
good Wildman team. The first game was all SKS as they
jumped out to an early 11-0 lead and eventually hung on
to win 21-9, forcing the "if" game.
After the first inning, SKS led 6-1, but Wildman tied the
game with five in the top of the second. SKS answered
back with 12 runs in the home half of the second,
however, highlighted by a three run double by Tim Austin
and a three run homer by Joe Horvath. Wildman would
score one in the third and six in the fourth, but SKS again
answered back with five in the bottom of the fourth,
highlighted by Fred Schmucker's three run home run.
Despite Wildman making an attempt to get back in the
game with five in the top of the sixth, Street Kids were
too strong in the end, holding on for a 25-20 win in front
of over 4,000 people who spent the entire day watching
softball and were ready for the evenings fireworks.
Street Kids (69-9 overall, 42-6 in tournaments) have
played in nine tournaments in 2011 and have reached the
championship in all nine of those events. They have won
six of those tournaments, but in two of the second place
events, they did not even play the championship game for
various weather related reasons.
"This team is very special," said Joe Horvath, who was named tourney MVP and was named as part of the all-tourney team. "We
feel like every time we take the field, we are the best team out there and know we can win, we just have to play our game and get
it done."
Along with Horvath, other SKS players named to the all-tourney team were Leland Schmucker, Tim Austin, Nick Bishop, Jay
Jeffery and Faron Miller.
Street Kids will play league action on Tuesday in Mishawaka and Thursday back in Topeka before traveling to Kalamazoo for the
oldest memorial tournament in the country, the Kiracofe. SKS finished third in this event last year. They play Kovall Properties at
8:45pm on Friday night.
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