SKS Battle to Reach
Finals of Topeka City
Tourney, Lose to LCI
in "if" Game
Finals of Topeka City
Tourney, Lose to LCI
in "if" Game
Kids extend streak of consecutive
finals appearances to 13 in a row
finals appearances to 13 in a row
Topeka, IN 8/31/11
After three weeks and several rounds of softball, the
2011 summer season came to a close on Wednesday
night in Topeka as the final two teams met in the
finals. Undefeated LCI awaited the winner of Street
Kids Softball and Tanel 360.
Tanel 360 defeated SKS soundly last week to send
them to the losers bracket, where they won two
more to get back to the losers bracket final on
Wednesday. Tanel lost their next game last week to
LCI, setting up the SKS vs Tanel "rematch." This
game would be all Street Kids as they rolled to a
17-5 win over Tanel. Joe Horvath had four hits to
lead the Kids.
With the win, SKS reached the finals for the 13th
straight time this season. In order to win the Topeka
City Tournament, however, they would have to beat
LCI twice, as they had not lost yet in the tourney.
SKS opened strong in the first against LCI, scoring
10 runs and after two more seven run innings, SKS
cruised to an easy 24-5 win. Jeremy Hochstetler, Jay
Jeffery, Leland Schmucker and TJ Jorgensen added
four hits in the win.
The "if" game was all that stood in the way of SKS
winning another tourney this year, but this one would
go the distance, no early knockouts here. The Kids
were down as much as eight runs late, and despite
scoring a bunch later in the game, entered the bottom
of the sixth down 18-10. They scored five runs in the
sixth and after LCI scored two more in the top of the
seventh, the Kids were down to their final three outs.
But they managed to get some hits and score five
runs to tie the game, and even had the winning run at
third base but was unable to score. This one was
going into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, LCI had a player lead off
with a double and with some clutch hitting he would
score giving LCI a 21-20 lead. In the bottom of the
eighth, Fred Schmucker and Joe Richard recorded
the first two outs. With the Kids down to their last
out, TJ Jorgensen came through with his eighth
straight hit, then Terry Patesel followed with a single.
The tying run was on base, as well as the winning run
in Patesel and the Kids had a home run left with two
of their top hitters coming up. Jeremy Hochstetler
drew a walk, loading the bases for the single season
home run leader, Joe Horvath. The tying run was at
third, the winning run at second and one of the best
hitters at the plate. But Horvath missed the pitch,
popping it up to third base and giving LCI a thrilling
extra inning win over SKS, to capture the City Title.
"No one likes losing more than me, and I take full
responsibility for that loss," said an angry Horvath
after the game. "I let my team down there and I am
the one who always wants the ball in that moment."
Terry Patesel - a veteran of many tournament wins
and losses - was not as critical on Horvath.
"He's one of our best players and has been for
years," the outfielder said. "He has come through for
us many more times than he hasn't. This one was not
his, and LCI outplayed us and deserved to win. They
played great."
After a double header in Mishawaka on Thursday
night, Street Kids head to Oklahoma City for the
ASA "B" National Championship. You can follow
along with every game right here on the SKS
website, watching the Twitter feed on the right side of
the main page, or on the SKS Facebook page.
Note: On Wednesday, Joe Horvath became the
all-time single season home run king when he hit
three home runs, giving him 126 this season,
breaking the record held by himself and Jake
Underwood (123).
After three weeks and several rounds of softball, the
2011 summer season came to a close on Wednesday
night in Topeka as the final two teams met in the
finals. Undefeated LCI awaited the winner of Street
Kids Softball and Tanel 360.
Tanel 360 defeated SKS soundly last week to send
them to the losers bracket, where they won two
more to get back to the losers bracket final on
Wednesday. Tanel lost their next game last week to
LCI, setting up the SKS vs Tanel "rematch." This
game would be all Street Kids as they rolled to a
17-5 win over Tanel. Joe Horvath had four hits to
lead the Kids.
With the win, SKS reached the finals for the 13th
straight time this season. In order to win the Topeka
City Tournament, however, they would have to beat
LCI twice, as they had not lost yet in the tourney.
SKS opened strong in the first against LCI, scoring
10 runs and after two more seven run innings, SKS
cruised to an easy 24-5 win. Jeremy Hochstetler, Jay
Jeffery, Leland Schmucker and TJ Jorgensen added
four hits in the win.
The "if" game was all that stood in the way of SKS
winning another tourney this year, but this one would
go the distance, no early knockouts here. The Kids
were down as much as eight runs late, and despite
scoring a bunch later in the game, entered the bottom
of the sixth down 18-10. They scored five runs in the
sixth and after LCI scored two more in the top of the
seventh, the Kids were down to their final three outs.
But they managed to get some hits and score five
runs to tie the game, and even had the winning run at
third base but was unable to score. This one was
going into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, LCI had a player lead off
with a double and with some clutch hitting he would
score giving LCI a 21-20 lead. In the bottom of the
eighth, Fred Schmucker and Joe Richard recorded
the first two outs. With the Kids down to their last
out, TJ Jorgensen came through with his eighth
straight hit, then Terry Patesel followed with a single.
The tying run was on base, as well as the winning run
in Patesel and the Kids had a home run left with two
of their top hitters coming up. Jeremy Hochstetler
drew a walk, loading the bases for the single season
home run leader, Joe Horvath. The tying run was at
third, the winning run at second and one of the best
hitters at the plate. But Horvath missed the pitch,
popping it up to third base and giving LCI a thrilling
extra inning win over SKS, to capture the City Title.
"No one likes losing more than me, and I take full
responsibility for that loss," said an angry Horvath
after the game. "I let my team down there and I am
the one who always wants the ball in that moment."
Terry Patesel - a veteran of many tournament wins
and losses - was not as critical on Horvath.
"He's one of our best players and has been for
years," the outfielder said. "He has come through for
us many more times than he hasn't. This one was not
his, and LCI outplayed us and deserved to win. They
played great."
After a double header in Mishawaka on Thursday
night, Street Kids head to Oklahoma City for the
ASA "B" National Championship. You can follow
along with every game right here on the SKS
website, watching the Twitter feed on the right side of
the main page, or on the SKS Facebook page.
Note: On Wednesday, Joe Horvath became the
all-time single season home run king when he hit
three home runs, giving him 126 this season,
breaking the record held by himself and Jake
Underwood (123).
