Weekend Recap: Summer NIT

As we wait for this weekend's state tournament brackets, here's a look back at 8U Blue's 4-0 run through the USSSA Summer NIT in Greensboro this weekend. This tournament will forever be known as the pink-out tournament. Even a few dads got into the spirit, even if it left them just a little confused:

A few key numbers from the weekend:

• The story of the weekend was defense. West Raleigh pitched three shutouts in four games and allowed zero hits in two of those games. For the weekend, they allowed just four hits in 11 games. 
• Some of the defensive prowess was due to weaker opponent hitting on Saturday, but some of it was due to solid defense. For the weekend, 8U Blue made only a combined four errors in four games. That's as many as they made in one game in, for example, Clemmons.
• Sunday's game against 7U Blue marked just the fifth time in 20 games that every batter in the lineup got a hit, and the first time since June 16 against the Western Wake Wildcats.
• The 21 hits in that three-inning game against 7U were the most since that same game against the Wildcats, and the fifth-most in a game this season.
• Everyone on the roster drove in at least one run during the weekend.
• Somewhat surprisingly, the 42 runs scored in the four-game tournament are the fewest scored in any tournament this season. That's partially due to the different run rules, but it's also partially due to a somewhat lethargic effort on Saturday.
• The three runs allowed in the tournament were by far the fewest of any tournament this year (second-fewest were the 11 runs allowed in the district tournament). 
• There was one incredibly impressive postgame dance party during which many longstanding theories of genetics were disproven.

A look back at last week's goals for the weekend:

Get back in a rhythm offensively. Get the team batting average for the weekend back above .600.

Close. The team batting average for the weekend was .590. And while 8U Blue was most definitely in an offensive rhythm for part of Sunday, they weren't at all on Saturday.

Have at least one game in which everyone in the lineup gets at least one hit.

Yep!

Score at least 55 runs in the tournament and have no more than one scoreless inning in the tournament.

Didn't reach the 55 runs, but that was partially a function of the run rule. There were only three scoreless innings, which was down from the previous weekend.

No selfish moments (the team talked about this on Thursday during the practice rain delay). Play as a team and for the team at all times.

This was much improved. The focus wasn't always there, but most players seemed to be playing with the team in mind at all times.

Try to set the team summer record by committing fewer than eight errors over the four-game tournament, all while getting players some experience at multiple positions. 

Mission accomplished on both fronts.

Now, as hard as it is to believe since it seems like the summer just started, it's on to state tournament week in Laurinburg. A few goals for this weekend:

• Win the state tournament.
• Hit over .600 as a team for the weekend.
• Maintain the solid defense. 8U Blue will probably have to make tougher plays in Laurinburg than they made this weekend. With a possible seven games, a goal of 10 errors or fewer seems reasonable.
• No more than six scoreless innings in the potential seven games.
• At least 20 extra-base hits.