Street Kids Win
2nd Flag Day Title
in Four Years
2nd Flag Day Title
in Four Years
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| Tony Hardiman of SKS singles during a game at Flag Day on Friday, June 11, 2010. |
Three Oaks, MI 6/13/10
The last time SKS base coach Teddy
Panagakos won the Flag Day Championship in
Three Oaks, Michigan, SKS outfielder Scott
Martin was three months old. After 23 years, he
can now claim the areas biggest festival prize
once again as the Street Kids/Easton/PAS
softball team from South Bend won the 2010
Flag Day tournament, defeating Elite Softball in
the "if" game of the finals.
The Kids won the Flag Day crown in 2007, and
finished runner up in 2008 and third place in
2009 - both years the event was won by
The last time SKS base coach Teddy
Panagakos won the Flag Day Championship in
Three Oaks, Michigan, SKS outfielder Scott
Martin was three months old. After 23 years, he
can now claim the areas biggest festival prize
once again as the Street Kids/Easton/PAS
softball team from South Bend won the 2010
Flag Day tournament, defeating Elite Softball in
the "if" game of the finals.
The Kids won the Flag Day crown in 2007, and
finished runner up in 2008 and third place in
2009 - both years the event was won by
Suburban Softball. But this year, despite missing a handful of players, they had softball icon and hall of famer Jeff Hall on the team.
Hall was at the very popular festival event promoting his line of clothing for East Coast Athletics as well as his new signature bat by
Bass Sports called the First Degree, which comes out in July. But he told Street Kids that he would try to make it in time to play as
well, as he has always been fond of what SKS does off the field. His presence was felt not only around the park by the hundreds in
attendance, but on the field, where he was nearly perfect for Street Kids in helping them to victories throughout the weekend.
The Kids opened up against Straight and Nasty out of Plymouth, Indiana, and the Kids made quick work of this one, winning 26-7
in four innings. Joe Horvath had four hits, including two home runs to help lead SKS, while Lanny Fisher - who made his return to
competitive softball for this weekend only - led a slew of other players with three hits each in the win. Jeff Hall hit three monstrous
home runs in his Three Oaks debut. The win gave the Kids nearly 21 hours off (the tourney is played on one field with a limit of 18
teams) before they would return Saturday night against Wings of Dowagiac.
The game against Wings would go seven innings, but the Kids would win this one, 25-17. Jeff Hall had five hits while Mark
Hershberger, Joe Horvath and Justin Newcomer all added four hits each in the win. Horvath homered three times in the game, while
Hall homered twice.
After the game, Jeff Hall put on a short
home run display, showing the
hundreds in attendance what the
new Bass bat can do, blasting
about 20 balls well over 400'.
Street Kids were now in the final four
of the winners bracket, along with
Monhollon Softball of Kalamazoo,
Elite Softball of Indianapolis and
Pauly's Place/Outlaws, a
cinderella-story team who picked
up two impressive wins to reach the
final four. Pauly's is a Class E team
from Coloma, who hasn't even played
in their first NSA tournament. Still alive
in the losers bracket on Sunday
morning was Arsenal Softball of New
Buffalo, Region Sports55 of La Porte,
Featherbone Softball of Three Oaks and the two time defending Flag Day champions, Suburban Softball Club, who lost to
Monhollon in the second round of the tourney to get into the losers bracket.
On Sunday morning, Suburban defeated Featherbone, thus eliminating them from the tournament, and Arsenal eliminated Region
Sports55. In the winners bracket, Elite escaped an upset by narrowly defeating Pauly's Place by three runs, sending Elite into the
winners bracket finals, awaiting the winner of the SKS vs. Monhollon game. Paulys was sent to the losers bracket, where they lost
to Suburban Softball. It was now time for Street Kids and Monhollon, who defeated SKS in 2009 before they eventually lost to
Suburban in the finals. So the Kids were looking to get some revenge on Monhollon here in Three Oaks as well.
Monhollon came out with four runs in the first inning and four more in the second, but SKS answered back with seven in the first and
six in the second. This game would not feature the hype it should have received having two good Class B teams squaring off, as
SKS would steam roll Monhollon, 26-16, sending them to the losers bracket to face Arsenal. Lanny Fisher, Nick Bishop, Jeff Hall
and Joe Horvath all had four hits each in the win over Monhollon.
Street Kids were now in the winners bracket finals, where they
were set to play Elite Softball. Prior to this game, the loser
bracket featured Arsenal beating Monhollon to eliminate them
and giving them a fifth place finish (tied with Paulys). It was now
time for SKS and Elite to square off for the second straight
weekend. In Kokomo, Indiana last weekend, the Kids battled
back from being down by double digits early to beat Elite in the
first round of the NSA Tom Thumb tourney. The Kids went on
to win that event, so playing Elite could be a good sign for them.
Neither team played exceptionally well in this game, but the Kids
played well enough to take a relaxing 15-4 lead into the bottom
of the seventh inning. But Elite has several former world
champions on their roster and know how to not give up no matter what the inning. They made a valiant effort to come back, scoring
seven runs in the bottom of the seventh, but that would be all they would get as the Kids held on to a 15-11 win, sending Elite to the
losers bracket. Jeff Hall had to leave prior to this game to catch a flight back to North Carolina, but Kyle Yerkes of SKS arrived in
town on Sunday morning and provided a big offensive lift, especially in this game, where he led everyone with four hits, including a
home run and six rbi's. Lanny Fisher, Nick Bishop and Jay Jeffery all added three hits each in the win.
The Kids were now in the finals of the Flag Day tournament, knowing that whoever came out of the losers bracket would have to
beat SKS twice to take the title. In the loser bracket, Suburban defeated Arsenal, who gained a lot of attention with a strong run
through the losers bracket after losing the first game of the tournament to Chief's Bar. This was the first time out for Arsenal during a
very competitive weekend and they showed they could have a big year in 2010 still. So it was now Elite and Suburban in the losers
bracket finals, with the winner earning a trip to the finals of the tournament. In what started out as a pretty balanced game turned to
be an upside down one as Elite ended Suburbans run by defeating the two time champions and ruining their shot at a possible
three-peat.
It was now Elite and SKS in the finals. Elite would have to win both games in order to win the championship, but the Kids were
hoping it would not go that far. The three hour wait in between games might have caused the Kids to be a little too relaxed (or stiff) it
would turn out, though.
Elite came out strong, only scoring in two innings, but they scored nine runs in each of those two innings and the Kids could get
nothing going on offense. Elite crushed the Kids 18-6, ending SKS' overall winning streak at 19 games, one short of the team record
set in 2006. Street Kids looked lost, tired, uninspired and worn out as the tournament reached after 9pm. But manager TJ Jorgensen
would not give up on the a team that just scored their season low in one game (six) despite leaving four home runs on the table.
Trying desperately to fire up a team that looked flat as can be, he shook up the lineup a little and continued to fire up the team, which
the team responded to, putting up seven runs in the top of the first inning of the "if" game. Elite would answer back, however, scoring
10 runs in the bottom of the first.
At this point, the Street Kids players could have easily packed it in, gave up and just went through the motions, but they refused to
give up, answering back with seven more runs in the top of the second inning, highlighted by home runs by Chris Firebaugh, Tony
Hardiman and Jay Jeffery. In the bottom of the second, Elite came back with four more runs to tie the game at 14, but that would be
where they would reach their peak.
Street Kids put up two in teh third, six in the fourth and four more in the fifth and would hang on in the bottom of the fifth to run-rule
Elite 26-14, giving Street Kids Softball their second Flag Day title in four years, their fourth tournament win of the 2010 season and
their second straight tourney win (Kokomo last weekend). Kyle Yerkes (three home runs, seven rbi's) and Nick Bishop led the team
with four hits in the game, and five other players had three hits each, including Mark Hershberger who came in to pitch and shut the
door on Elite in the "if" game.
It was a long hard fought tourney for the Kids (58-12 overall), who showed a lot of heart to come back and beat Elite after an ugly
game that looked as if no one wanted to win. There were several bright spots on the weekend that helped lead to this victory,
including the great defense by Shane Varga, who came back from defeating cancer last year to return to competitive softball last
weekend, earning all-tourney honors in Kokomo. He made outstanding plays again this weekend in Three Oaks, showing he can do
whatever is needed to help this team win in 2010. Kyle Yerkes missed the first two games of the tourney as his AJS/Easton team
was playing in Joliet, Illinois, but he made the early morning
drive to make it in time for Sundays games and turned in a
great performance at the plate, going 13-for-16 at the plate.
It was also a special weekend for former Street Kids MVP
Lanny Fisher, who returned to competitive softball for one
weekend to play in the tourney that he has won 10 times
now. To him, this was his World Series and winning today
meant a lot to him.
Street Kids will play league games on Tuesday in Mishawaka
beginning at 8pm as well as league games on Thursday in
South Bend at the Belleville Complex beginning at 7:30pm.
They return to tournament action in two weeks at the NSA
B/C NIT in Kokomo, where they have won twice already
this year.
This weekends tournament was also plagued by tragedy as
one of our own softball fraternity brothers Mick Mize of Slick
Softball died of heart complications on his way home from the
Flag Day tournament on Saturday evening. Mick was only 39
years old and leaves behind a wife and three kids, as well as a
grandchild. More information will be released as it becomes
available, but for now, please keep Mick's family in your
prayers. Its hard to imagine what they are going through and
words will never ease the pain they will experience for years
to come, but despite our differences in competition, we are
all one in this softball fraternity. When we lose one of our own, we must all pull together as one to help keep his name alive.
Hall was at the very popular festival event promoting his line of clothing for East Coast Athletics as well as his new signature bat by
Bass Sports called the First Degree, which comes out in July. But he told Street Kids that he would try to make it in time to play as
well, as he has always been fond of what SKS does off the field. His presence was felt not only around the park by the hundreds in
attendance, but on the field, where he was nearly perfect for Street Kids in helping them to victories throughout the weekend.
The Kids opened up against Straight and Nasty out of Plymouth, Indiana, and the Kids made quick work of this one, winning 26-7
in four innings. Joe Horvath had four hits, including two home runs to help lead SKS, while Lanny Fisher - who made his return to
competitive softball for this weekend only - led a slew of other players with three hits each in the win. Jeff Hall hit three monstrous
home runs in his Three Oaks debut. The win gave the Kids nearly 21 hours off (the tourney is played on one field with a limit of 18
teams) before they would return Saturday night against Wings of Dowagiac.
The game against Wings would go seven innings, but the Kids would win this one, 25-17. Jeff Hall had five hits while Mark
Hershberger, Joe Horvath and Justin Newcomer all added four hits each in the win. Horvath homered three times in the game, while
Hall homered twice.
After the game, Jeff Hall put on a short
home run display, showing the
hundreds in attendance what the
new Bass bat can do, blasting
about 20 balls well over 400'.
Street Kids were now in the final four
of the winners bracket, along with
Monhollon Softball of Kalamazoo,
Elite Softball of Indianapolis and
Pauly's Place/Outlaws, a
cinderella-story team who picked
up two impressive wins to reach the
final four. Pauly's is a Class E team
from Coloma, who hasn't even played
in their first NSA tournament. Still alive
in the losers bracket on Sunday
morning was Arsenal Softball of New
Buffalo, Region Sports55 of La Porte,
Featherbone Softball of Three Oaks and the two time defending Flag Day champions, Suburban Softball Club, who lost to
Monhollon in the second round of the tourney to get into the losers bracket.
On Sunday morning, Suburban defeated Featherbone, thus eliminating them from the tournament, and Arsenal eliminated Region
Sports55. In the winners bracket, Elite escaped an upset by narrowly defeating Pauly's Place by three runs, sending Elite into the
winners bracket finals, awaiting the winner of the SKS vs. Monhollon game. Paulys was sent to the losers bracket, where they lost
to Suburban Softball. It was now time for Street Kids and Monhollon, who defeated SKS in 2009 before they eventually lost to
Suburban in the finals. So the Kids were looking to get some revenge on Monhollon here in Three Oaks as well.
Monhollon came out with four runs in the first inning and four more in the second, but SKS answered back with seven in the first and
six in the second. This game would not feature the hype it should have received having two good Class B teams squaring off, as
SKS would steam roll Monhollon, 26-16, sending them to the losers bracket to face Arsenal. Lanny Fisher, Nick Bishop, Jeff Hall
and Joe Horvath all had four hits each in the win over Monhollon.
Street Kids were now in the winners bracket finals, where they
were set to play Elite Softball. Prior to this game, the loser
bracket featured Arsenal beating Monhollon to eliminate them
and giving them a fifth place finish (tied with Paulys). It was now
time for SKS and Elite to square off for the second straight
weekend. In Kokomo, Indiana last weekend, the Kids battled
back from being down by double digits early to beat Elite in the
first round of the NSA Tom Thumb tourney. The Kids went on
to win that event, so playing Elite could be a good sign for them.
Neither team played exceptionally well in this game, but the Kids
played well enough to take a relaxing 15-4 lead into the bottom
of the seventh inning. But Elite has several former world
champions on their roster and know how to not give up no matter what the inning. They made a valiant effort to come back, scoring
seven runs in the bottom of the seventh, but that would be all they would get as the Kids held on to a 15-11 win, sending Elite to the
losers bracket. Jeff Hall had to leave prior to this game to catch a flight back to North Carolina, but Kyle Yerkes of SKS arrived in
town on Sunday morning and provided a big offensive lift, especially in this game, where he led everyone with four hits, including a
home run and six rbi's. Lanny Fisher, Nick Bishop and Jay Jeffery all added three hits each in the win.
The Kids were now in the finals of the Flag Day tournament, knowing that whoever came out of the losers bracket would have to
beat SKS twice to take the title. In the loser bracket, Suburban defeated Arsenal, who gained a lot of attention with a strong run
through the losers bracket after losing the first game of the tournament to Chief's Bar. This was the first time out for Arsenal during a
very competitive weekend and they showed they could have a big year in 2010 still. So it was now Elite and Suburban in the losers
bracket finals, with the winner earning a trip to the finals of the tournament. In what started out as a pretty balanced game turned to
be an upside down one as Elite ended Suburbans run by defeating the two time champions and ruining their shot at a possible
three-peat.
It was now Elite and SKS in the finals. Elite would have to win both games in order to win the championship, but the Kids were
hoping it would not go that far. The three hour wait in between games might have caused the Kids to be a little too relaxed (or stiff) it
would turn out, though.
Elite came out strong, only scoring in two innings, but they scored nine runs in each of those two innings and the Kids could get
nothing going on offense. Elite crushed the Kids 18-6, ending SKS' overall winning streak at 19 games, one short of the team record
set in 2006. Street Kids looked lost, tired, uninspired and worn out as the tournament reached after 9pm. But manager TJ Jorgensen
would not give up on the a team that just scored their season low in one game (six) despite leaving four home runs on the table.
Trying desperately to fire up a team that looked flat as can be, he shook up the lineup a little and continued to fire up the team, which
the team responded to, putting up seven runs in the top of the first inning of the "if" game. Elite would answer back, however, scoring
10 runs in the bottom of the first.
At this point, the Street Kids players could have easily packed it in, gave up and just went through the motions, but they refused to
give up, answering back with seven more runs in the top of the second inning, highlighted by home runs by Chris Firebaugh, Tony
Hardiman and Jay Jeffery. In the bottom of the second, Elite came back with four more runs to tie the game at 14, but that would be
where they would reach their peak.
Street Kids put up two in teh third, six in the fourth and four more in the fifth and would hang on in the bottom of the fifth to run-rule
Elite 26-14, giving Street Kids Softball their second Flag Day title in four years, their fourth tournament win of the 2010 season and
their second straight tourney win (Kokomo last weekend). Kyle Yerkes (three home runs, seven rbi's) and Nick Bishop led the team
with four hits in the game, and five other players had three hits each, including Mark Hershberger who came in to pitch and shut the
door on Elite in the "if" game.
It was a long hard fought tourney for the Kids (58-12 overall), who showed a lot of heart to come back and beat Elite after an ugly
game that looked as if no one wanted to win. There were several bright spots on the weekend that helped lead to this victory,
including the great defense by Shane Varga, who came back from defeating cancer last year to return to competitive softball last
weekend, earning all-tourney honors in Kokomo. He made outstanding plays again this weekend in Three Oaks, showing he can do
whatever is needed to help this team win in 2010. Kyle Yerkes missed the first two games of the tourney as his AJS/Easton team
was playing in Joliet, Illinois, but he made the early morning
drive to make it in time for Sundays games and turned in a
great performance at the plate, going 13-for-16 at the plate.
It was also a special weekend for former Street Kids MVP
Lanny Fisher, who returned to competitive softball for one
weekend to play in the tourney that he has won 10 times
now. To him, this was his World Series and winning today
meant a lot to him.
Street Kids will play league games on Tuesday in Mishawaka
beginning at 8pm as well as league games on Thursday in
South Bend at the Belleville Complex beginning at 7:30pm.
They return to tournament action in two weeks at the NSA
B/C NIT in Kokomo, where they have won twice already
this year.
This weekends tournament was also plagued by tragedy as
one of our own softball fraternity brothers Mick Mize of Slick
Softball died of heart complications on his way home from the
Flag Day tournament on Saturday evening. Mick was only 39
years old and leaves behind a wife and three kids, as well as a
grandchild. More information will be released as it becomes
available, but for now, please keep Mick's family in your
prayers. Its hard to imagine what they are going through and
words will never ease the pain they will experience for years
to come, but despite our differences in competition, we are
all one in this softball fraternity. When we lose one of our own, we must all pull together as one to help keep his name alive.
| 2010 Flag Day Champions: (back row): Jay Jeffery, Dan Garey, Lanny Fisher, Chris Firebaugh, Kyle Yerkes, Shane Varga, Joe Horvath and Mark Hershberger. Front row: JR Shapiro, Teddy Panagakos, Nick Bishop, Tony Hardiman, TJ Jorgensen and Justin Newcomer. |
