But the offense--which had been held scoreless for the first time this weekend in the first two innings--responded by churning out two runs in the top of the third, then cracking it open with five runs in the top of the fourth. 8U Blue played just enough defense to win over the final innings, claiming the Top Gun Super State championship with a 9-3 victory.
Fortunately, after Coach Kevin channeled Roy Orbison and drove all night, Sunday's games included Bryce (oh, and Coach Kevin), meaning the full roster was able to accept their championship hardware (which inexplicably listed the tournament as being played in Wake Forest, even though I feel pretty sure we were in Cary, unless those cupcakes were laced with something other than Oreos):
The win capped a fun Father's Day, as the dads raked in a major haul, including gift cards, a team picture, and the right to be photographed next to their smelly sons. The situation works out especially well for the dads because Mother's Day doesn't fall during all-star season, and we all know the dads would probably forget anyway.
Since the boys had played hard through four games, they deserved a little something also. After a stern talk from Coach Sean on the importance of preparing for districts this week--no soda, no going to bed late, no taking candy from strangers, look both ways before you cross the street, and don't eat yellow snow--each player was given the much-desired pink practice shirt, featuring their nickname on the back:
It's a safe guess that you'll see several of them on the practice field on Monday night. Remember that practice will be at Ephesus instead of West Raleigh, and will be from 5-7.
Championship 8U Blue scoring plays
Third inning
After back-to-back singles from Ben and Elias, Asher sacrificed them to second and third. Andrew grounded a game-tying fielder's choice to third, and then Bryce picked up a clutch two-out RBI single to give West Raleigh their first lead of the day.
Score after two and a half innings: 8U Blue 2, Rockets 1
Fourth inning
After playing a little small ball in the third, West Raleigh went big in the fourth, and scored five runs with just six hitters going to the plate. Joey and Gavin started it with a pair of doubles. Chace's shot to shortstop put runners at the corners. Jake singled, scoring Gavin, and then took second on the throw, while Chace hustled to third. Carter's single scored both Chace and Jake. Mason's single was hit so hard it took the third baseman's glove off, and it scored Carter while activating the five-run limit.
Score after three and a half innings: 8U Blue 7, Rockets 1
Fifth inning
Playing small ball once again, West Raleigh scored a run without a true ball to the outfield. Ben's line drive to shortstop just eked over the defender's head. Elias sacrificed him to second, and Ben raced to third on Asher's fielder's choice. Andrew came through with a two-out single to score Ben.
Score after four and a half innings: 8U Blue 8, Rockets 1
Sixth inning
Getting the leadoff man on base again produced a run. JT and Joey strung together two straight singles to start the inning. After a fielder's choice moved JT to third, he scored on Chace's fielder's choice.
Score after four innings: 8U Blue 9, Rockets 1
Championship Web Gems
- North Wake put runners on second and third with just one out in the bottom of the first. But in a big momentum-turning play, Jake caught a fly ball in shallow right, loaded up, and fired a strike to Asher at the plate, who tagged the runner trying to score from third in what turned into an inning-ending double play.
- Carter grabbed a sinking liner down near his knees in right field for the final out of the third inning.
- Before the bottom of the fourth, Bryce somehow managed to throw the infield warmup ball under the closed dugout gate and into the dugout, where it came to rest almost next to the ball bucket.
- With one out in the fourth, the North Wake batter singled and then got adventurous. But Joey picked up the ball in left-center and immediately fired it back to Bryce at second base. Still hot off his major infield warmup ball achievement a few moments earlier, Bryce whirled and threw a seed to Chace at first, who slapped the tag on the hitter, who had taken too wide a turn.
- With a runner on in the fifth, the hitter hit a bullet back through the middle. Mason got a glove on it at pitcher and redirected it in the infield. JT tracked it down and threw to Bryce at second to get the force out.
| Championship line score | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H |
| WR 8U Blue | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 13 |
| NW Rockets | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
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