District Tournament Game 3: WR 8U Blue 14, North Wake Rockets 4

In a rematch of two teams that just played in a tournament championship game last weekend, 8U Blue used a big seven-run first inning to take a 14-4 win over the North Wake Rockets in five innings.

This time, however, West Raleigh had a secret weapon: Coach Bruce led the team in a little pregame yoga.

Please note (in a photo provided by Coach/Paparazzi Regan) Coach Bruce also getting loose. He is constantly bugging Coach Sean to put him in the game and he wanted to make sure he was ready to run the bases if possible.

The stretching must have worked, because the seven runs scored by 8U Blue in the top of the first were their best inning of the weekend so far. That potent offense was coupled with airtight defense, as West Raleigh played its second error-free game of the weekend, making it perhaps one of their most complete efforts of the season.

The victory puts West Raleigh in the district championship game, which is scheduled for Monday night at 6:30 p.m. The opponent is unknown, and rain at The Factory has delayed all of Sunday afternoon's games, which means the opponent may not be known until much later tonight.

Game 3 8U Blue scoring plays
First inning
Bryce and JT led off with back-to-back singles. Gavin ripped a one-hopper to short and then aggressively went all the way to second, with Bryce crossing the plate. Chace, on his way to a 5-RBI game, crushed a two-run double to left. With one out, Mason hit another double, scoring Chace. Andrew singled down the third-base line, and when the throw back into the infield squirted away, Mason scored and Andrew flew all the way to third. Ben singled to drive in Andrew. After a fielder's choice, Asher singled. Bryce's single scored Elias and finished the scoring with seven big runs.
Score after one-half inning: 8U Blue 7, Rockets 0

Second inning
Gavin smoked a leadoff double and tagged and moved to third on Chace's line drive to left field. Jake's bullet to first scored Gavin. With the Rocket defense shifted to left, Mason took advantage of the shift and powered an RBI double to right-center.
Score after one and one-half innings: 8U Blue 9, Rockets 1

Fourth inning
Gavin once again popped a leadoff double, then ran all the way to third when the throw wasn't handled. He scored easily on Chace's drive to left-center. After a pair of fielder's choices put Joey at third with two outs, Ben's grounder scored Joey.
Score after three and a half innings: 8U Blue 11, Rockets 4

Fifth inning
Asher led off with a double to left-center. With one out, JT singled to put runners at the corners, then took second on the throw. Gavin drove in Asher (who looked suspiciously like Jake). Chace powered a two-run double deep to left-center.
Score after four and a half innings: 8U Blue 14, Rockets 4

Game 3 Web Gems

• Andrew bounced off the mound quickly to field a bunt in the third, and made a good throw to first to retire the hitter.
• Showing a little versatility at pitcher, Andrew dove towards the first base side to snag a hot grounder in the fourth, then threw to first to get the out.
• Not being weighed down by the terrible Adam Lucas jersey, JT somehow managed to leap and grab a line drive that looked like it was over his head on the third-base line in the fifth.
• In a tougher play than he made it look like, Gavin ranged back into shallow left field to gather a pop fly over shortstop in the fifth.

Game 3 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 8U Blue	7	2	0	2	3	X	14	17
NW Rockets	0	1	3	0	0	X	4	9