Fast forward about 53 weeks and now our kids were the 8s, and the brackets dictated that we had to play the West Raleigh 7s in a district tournament game. Now it was their guys who looked tiny and our guys...well, OK, most of our guys...who looked huge. The score even ended up being similar. Last year, the 8s took a 6-2 decision. This year, the 8s won a 5-2 victory.
That wasn't the only similarity to last year's game. In that 2012 contest, the 7U team, with many of these same players, scored just two runs and collected just nine hits. Saturday's output of five runs and 11 hits was the lowest in both categories since that game.
Players and coaches agreed that facing off against familiar players and coaches might have lessened 8U Blue's competitive edge. Coach Sean used it as a teaching point. "It doesn't matter who you play," he told the team afterward. "You just play your hardest. And as long as you're doing your best, there is nothing to worry about."
There remains a good chance that these two teams could see each other again (brackets can be found here), either sometime on Sunday or perhaps even on Monday in the district championship game. Until then, enjoy this West Raleigh family photo from two very good baseball teams:
Game 2 8U Blue scoring plays
First inning
Andrew roped a one-out triple, then scored on Gavin's RBI single.
Score after one inning: 8U Blue 1, 7U Blue 0
Third inning
Andrew led off with a single, then scored on Gavin's double. Chace drove in Gavin with a single. After a fielder's choice advanced Chace to second, Mason scored him with a line drive to left.
Score after one and one-half innings: 8U Blue 4, 7U Blue 0
Fifth inning
Chace hit a one-out single. He moved to second on a fielder's choice, then was able to hustle all the way around to score on Mason's ball to shortstop.
Score after two and a half innings: 8U Blue 5, 7U Blue 2
Game 2 Web Gallahers
- You might notice that the name of this section has been changed. That felt like the only suitable tribute after a play that will live in baseball history forever. As fans, players and coaches stood around watching the game before 8U Blue, a foul ball was hit from an adjacent field. Sensing danger, Coach Sean politely excused himself from his conversation. He disappeared momentarily, but then reemerged just in time to take about five steps forward, find the foul ball in the sky, and then grab it--with two hands, as usual showing good fundamentals--approximately half a second before it would have conked an innocent bystander and her baby on the head. Already, as this story has been retold, it has gained some embellishments. For example, I don't think it's completely true that once Coach Sean placed his hands on the baby, the baby immediately crushed a triple. And it may be a slight exaggeration that Coach Sean came to the rescue while simultaneously helping an old lady across the street. But it was still a nice play, and all great defensive efforts shall henceforth (well, at least for today) be known as Web Gallahers. However, I think all of us can agree that we are a little tired of hearing Coach Sean constantly retell the story. I mean, does this guy ever stop talking about himself? I was able to catch this photo of one West Raleigh fan who I think expresses all our sentiments when Coach Sean begins yet another sentence with, "So the foul ball went up..."
- Chace had a hand in all three outs in the second inning. He smoothly fielded a bad-hop grounder for the first out, scooped up another grounder for the second out, and then speared a hard line drive for the third out.
- Gavin went deep into the hole in the sixth to grab a sizzler by the leadoff man, then threw to first for the out.
| Game 2 line score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H |
| WR 7U Blue | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| WR 8U Blue | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | X | 5 | 11 |
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