Top Gun NCAA Weekend Game 2: WR 8U Blue 16, WR 8U White 1

Just like the first game of the day, the 8U Blue offense started slow. In the first game, it was because the pitching machine's velocity was much slower than normal. But between games, the old machine was switched out for a brand new machine, which put much more heat on the pitches. As the Blue bats adjusted to the new speed, the first inning was once again scoreless.

That zero-spot in the top of the first meant Blue trailed for the first time this summer when 8U White scored a single run in the bottom of the frame (good defense kept what could've been an even bigger inning to just the single run). The 8U Blue response to the deficit? Sixteen unanswered runs, on the way to a 16-1 victory that put them at 2-0 in pool play and in good position to grab the tournament's top seed for Sunday's bracket play.

As the temperatures began to warm up at Middle Creek, it was officially time for the first unique Frogg Togg-wear of the season. This one belongs to Ben, who went with the ninja look:

As you would expect, this stylish new look soon caught on in the dugout, with various 8U players showing varying ninja looks of plain ninja, ninja-with-a-hat, and ninja-with-a-backwards-hat.

After the win, Coach Sean and GM Liz bravely invited the entire team back to their house for a cookout. Having just played three hours of baseball, and with a beautiful pool wide open to them, you probably know exactly what the 8U Blue players did with their afternoon:

Played more baseball, of course. This is the living-in-the-South version of stickball in the street, with the rules evidently made up on the fly, teams constantly changing, and lots of chasing home run balls over the fence.

While the players were playing yet another game, Coach Sean and Coach Kevin fired up the grill and cooked lunch. They were ably assisted by Coach Adam, shown here hard at work:

Bracket pairings will be announced later Saturday evening, or as soon as someone wakes up Coach Adam and reminds him to check the website.

Game 2 8U Blue scoring plays
Second inning
Chace smacked a leadoff single, and moved to second on Jake's ball to shortstop. With one out, Elias went the other way to drive in Chace. Joey blasted a double to right-center that scored a pair.
Score after one and a half innings: 8U Blue 3, 8U White 1

Third inning
8U Blue picked up its second five-run inning of the day. This one began with Andrew's single to left. With one out, Bryce singled to left. JT singled through the middle to score Andrew. Gavin knocked an RBI single to left, and then JT scored on Chace's ball to short. Jake powered an RBI single, and Mason invoked the five-run rule with his contact that scored Chace.
Score after two and a half innings: 8U Blue 8, 8U White 1

Fourth inning
On his way to a 3-for-3 game, Joey scalded a one-out single. Ben hustled out a single in the middle of the field, and then Carter loaded the bases with a single to the left side. With two outs, Asher lifted a two-RBI single to center.
Score after three and a half innings: 8U Blue 10, 8U White 1

Fifth inning
JT hustled to second on a White miscue. Gavin blasted an RBI double to left, then showed great awareness on the bases, as he raced to third when White left the bag uncovered. That put him in position to score on a fly ball, which is exactly what happened--when Chace flew out to first, Gavin was able to hustle home.
Score after four and a half innings: 8U Blue 12, 8U White 1

Sixth inning
Joey led off with a perfectly placed triple to right-center, and immediately raced home when Ben singled. White got a force out at second, but Andrew singled to put runners on first and second. Asher doubled to center, scoring Carter, and then Bryce doubled home a pair.
Score after five and a half innings: 8U Blue 16, 8U White 1

Game 2 Web Gems

• With a runner on third and just one out in the first, with White already having scored the first run of the game, Mason navigated his way around the pitching machine to gather a pop fly at pitcher. It sounds like an easy play, but it's actually tougher than it looks, especially considering Mason hadn't played a game with the pitching machine on the field since last fall. Asher also later made a good catch of a very similar pop fly, as 8U Blue got solid defense from the pitcher position all day.
• After an 8U White hitter roped what looked like an apparent single to right, he quickly found out that you don't test Jake's arm. Jake got to the ball quickly, released it even more quickly, and hosed the hitter at first for the force out on what should have been a base hit.
• Elias pulled an unassisted double play in the third, catching a line drive at first and then tagging the bag, where the runner had strayed too far off the base.
• Bryce showed a ton of range going up the middle in the fifth with a runner on first, as he knocked down a ball near the bag and flipped to second for the force out.
• The play of the day came in the fifth, as White put a runner on first with one out. The next hitter cracked a hard shot that looked ticketed to go up the middle, but Ben stabbed it at pitcher. Without hesitating, he turned and fired to second, where Joey was covering. Not taking just the one out for granted, Joey caught the throw from Ben, stepped on the bag, and whizzed the ball over to Eli/E-Lastic, who was stretched out at first to receive the throw and complete the third 8U Blue double play in two games.

Game 2 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 8U Blue	0	3	5	2	2	4	16	20
WR 8U White	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	7