Regionals Game 4: WR 8U Blue 19, Giles County 10

In perhaps the most entertaining game of the summer so far, West Raleigh outlasted a hard-hitting Giles County (Tenn.) team, 19-10, in the final game of pool play.

The game was a slugfest from the very first inning, as the 8U Blue bats put up eight runs in the top of the first, only to watch Giles County respond with six of their own. But while West Raleigh kept scoring—they had at least one run in every inning—the 8U Blue defense was able to shut down the Giles bats, as they allowed just four runs in the final five innings and put together three scoreless defensive frames, including a big inning-ending double play in the fourth.

As both Coach Sean and Coach Kevin mentioned after the game, it was one of those wins where everyone contributes. Three different hitters had four-hit games, nine different players had at least one hit, and 10 of the 11 batters scored at least one run. Half the roster participated in at least one web gem. Even Coach Bruce got into the act (it was a one-umpire day until the other two umpires showed up in the fifth), as he had to man the pitching machine and was knocked around for 19 runs. Seven of West Raleigh's 24 hits went for extra bases.

The victory gave West Raleigh a 4-0 mark in pool play and the top seed in the North Division. Single-elimination bracket play begins Saturday morning at 10 a.m. with a quarterfinal matchup against the host team, Varina (Va.). The Southeast Regional semifinals and championship will be played on Sunday.

The early finish to the day gave the 8U families time to kill during the afternoon. As you know, this can be a dangerous proposition, but they were incredibly excited about it, as you can see:

Coach Bruce had just finished giving a stirring lecture on standard deviation and the Weibel Theory (note: may or may not be an actual real thing, but it's important to act like we have some idea of what's going on). Other activities included a fierce auction for valuable autographed memorabilia featuring some of today's top players, plus a table at which shirts could be bedazzled to read "Baseball Mom," which allows the wearer free entry to the playing field at the Southeast Regional even when everyone else just wants them to go away and be quiet.

Game 4 8U Blue scoring plays

First inning

In what turned out to be a key top of the first, West Raleigh sent 12 hitters to the plate. It started when Bryce reached on a grounder to short. Then JT smoked a triple and Gavin went to center for an RBI single. Chace lined a double that scored Gavin. Jake singled to drive in Chace, then moved to third on Joey’s double. Andrew lifted a sacrifice fly to left that scored Jake. Elias singled home Joey and took second on the throw. Ben singled, and after some infield adventures moved up to third while Eli scored. Asher singled home Ben to end the scoring.

Score after one-half inning: 8U Blue 8, Giles County 0

Second inning

Needing to answer the big Giles bottom of the first, Gavin led off with a double and hustled to third after an outfield misplay. Chace singled him home. Then, with two outs, 8U Blue tacked on two big two-out runs on a two-run single by Ben that scored Chace and Andrew.

Score after one and a half innings: 8U Blue 11, Giles County 6

Third inning

Gavin ripped a two-out single and scored on Chace’s clutch triple.

Score after two and a half innings: 8U Blue 12, Giles County 7

Fourth inning

Joey led off with a single and moved to second on a fielder’s choice. Elias singled him home.

Score after three and a half innings: 8U Blue 13, Giles County 7

Fifth inning

JT reached on a ball to short, then scored on Jake’s two-out double. Jake moved up to third on the throw, putting him in perfect position to score on Joey’s single.

Score after four and a half innings: 8U Blue 15, Giles County 10

Sixth inning

Elias (the last of his four hits on the day), Ben and Asher loaded the bases with nobody out. Bryce smacked a sacrifice fly, and then with two outs, Gavin (RBI double marking the last of his four hits in the game) and Chace (two-run single capping his monster five-RBI game) came through with clutch hits to provide some cushion.

Score after five and a half innings: 8U Blue 19, Giles County 10

Game 4 Web Gems

Needing an out to stop a Giles County tidal wave of hits in the first, the Giles EH slapped a single to left. The runner on second tried to score on the play, but Joey fired a strike to Asher for the sprawling tag and the out.

Andrew sprinted into foul territory to corral a pop fly for the first out of the third.

With three runs already in and two runners on base, the 8U infield turned a key inning-ending double play in the fourth. JT picked up a grounder to third, tagged the runner coming from second, then whipped it to Bryce at second for the force and the end of the inning.

Still on fire defensively, JT proceeded to make a diving stop for the first out of the fifth, then went ahead and made the next two outs himself also. Four straight Giles batters hit the ball at JT during that sequence, and he turned it into five outs.

Elias shouldn’t really get a web gem for this, since he makes them routinely, but for a normal human his sprint and dive for a left-center liner leading off the sixth was a great play.

Game 4 line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 8U Blue	8	3	1	1	2	4	19	24
Giles County	6	1	0	3	0	0	10	13