You've got to wonder what worlds are left to conquer for the Color Haus powerhouse in the Ketchum Coed Softball League after last weekend's city tournament at Atkinson Park's West Ketchum Coliseum. Could Color Haus be finally headed to Hailey's league for tougher competition?
Maybe, or maybe not, but one thing is for sure. The two-year winning streak stands at 21 games and counting for Color Haus (9-0 this season, 12-0 last summer) after relatively easy 12-6, 10-4 and 18-3 victories in the seven-team slow-pitch meet on the Ketchum diamond.
It was Color Haus' third city tournament title in six years, and fourth this decade. The champions haven't been beaten since falling 13-8 and 12-7 to now-defunct View Point in the 2007 city championship games.
Veteran Color Haus catcher Twyla Bulcher, the women's Most Valuable Player, batted .545 from the clean-up spot of a dangerous lineup and new addition Jeff Schroeder, the second baseman, hit .455 with a couple of big homers for the two-time defending champions.
Schroeder cracked a two-run homer in the first inning of Sunday's championship game and added a two-run single in the second. Top-seeded Color Haus built leads of 9-0 and 14-0 en route to an 18-3 romp over #2-seeded Lefty's Bar & Grill (7-4). Schroeder also had seven assists in the field and was in the middle of two double plays.
And he wasn't on Color Haus last year when the winners handled Lefty's by a strikingly similar 17-4 score in the championship mismatch.
With each of its 11 players contributing at least one hit topped by left fielder Jeff Burrell (4-for-4, 3 RBI), Color Haus out-hit Lefty's 22-11 in the championship. Sharing the pitching duties were Josh Jacobson and Chris Benson.
Sparked by men's MVP Dave Hausmann (.733 with 11 hits and 8 runs), Lefty's earned its title game berth earlier Sunday with a hard-fought 12-11 win over the #4-seeded Casino (7-4). Leading the Casino was Men's Leading Hitter Nic Nottingham (15-for-18, .833 with 10 runs, 2 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers).
Women's Leading Hitter Sharon Payne (.786) helped #3-seeded Principal Recruiting/Group Six (6-4) capture two of its four games on its way to fourth place in the seven-team season-ending tourney. It was quite an improvement for Principal/Group Six, skunked last year with a 0-2 tourney record.