Region RedBirds: 2007 Archives
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Monday, March 17
2007 Archives
10 Tournament Championships for the 2007 season.
Region Redbirds Win
C.A.B.A. World Series
End Season Ranked No. 1 in Nation
LYNWOOD, IL. - The 10U Region RedBirds capped a magical season by winning the Continental Amateur Baseball Association (C.A.B.A.) World Series today, defeating "The Future" (Illinois' #1 ranked 10U team) by a score of 2-1 in the title game at the Ho-Chunk Sports complex.
The Redbirds scored both runs with two outs in their last at-bat. Left fielder Joey Bryant started the one-out rally with a single. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Jake Bishop, Bryant scored on a double by shortstop Scotty Kapers. Kapers then scored the game-winner on a two-out single by pitcher Parker Huttel.
"Last year we were runners-up in the World Series. The boys committed themselves in February to win it all, and here we are," said co-manager Joe Bishop.
"These boys never give up. They play with a lot of heart and seem to turn it up a notch whenever the game is on the line," added co-manager Scott Kapers.
The Redbirds relied on their trademark error-free defense and strong pitching to handcuff opponents. Their bats heated up as the temperatures climbed. Strong hitting up and down the lineup produced close to eight runs a game during their title run.
The Redbirds also dominated the individual awards for the tournament. Scotty Kapers was named Tourney MVP and outfielder Nick Fromm earned the "Slugger" award as the tournaments' top hitter. Joey Bryant, Nick Fromm, Scotty Kapers and Andrew Atchison also earned All-Tournament Team honors. Earlier in the week during the individual skills competition, first baseman Matthew Kubacki topped teammate catcher Jesse Wilkening to win the Home Run Derby.
During the week-long World Series, the Redbirds went 5-1 in pool play before going undefeated in the double-elimination championship bracket as they bested teams from Puerto Rico and throughout the Midwest.
The Redbirds, all from Northwest Indiana, also include first baseman/pitcher Jordan Poore, third baseman/pitcher Jake Kamykowski (who shutout "Gravel Baseball" in the semifinals on Wednesday), and outfielder Joe Bannister.
Going into the World Series, the Redbirds were ranked as the No. 1 among 10-year-olds in the national polls. The Redbirds finished the season with a record of 83 wins and 13 losses. In addition to the C.A.B.A. World Series, the Redbirds won 10 tournaments throughout the Midwest - including one against 11-year-olds and one old-fashioned "wooden bats" tourney. They also played a charity game against the Indiana Challengers.
Prior to World Series, the Redbirds enjoyed one of the ultimate baseball experiences when they were invited to play in the pre-eminent 10-year-old tournament at the Cooperstown Dreams Park in New York. The Redbirds finished 6th in that 96-team field, finally losing to eventual champion Chattanooga Chiefs, an All-Star team assembled specifically for that tournament. Before their elimination in Cooperstown, the Redbirds ousted the top-ranked teams from Florida and California.
At the closing ceremony, the Cooperstown Tournament Director called the Redbirds "the team from Indiana that wouldn't quit." That description seems fitting as the season ended with their first World Series Championship.
Monday, March 17