Top Gun NC State Games Championship: WR 11U Blue 15, Team Ghost 12U 5

After a scant nine and a half hours at the field on Sunday, 11U Blue won their first championship of the summer, and did it in style with a title in the 12U bracket at Thomas Brooks. The championship clincher was a 15-5 win over Team Ghost.

After a 7-2 loss to Truth Baseball on Saturday, 11U responded by outscoring their next four 12U opponents by a combined 58-10. They once again faced an early deficit against Team Ghost, trailing 3-2 after one inning and then playing to a 5-5 tie after three innings. But the offense would not be denied, and posted ten runs in the final two innings of the five-inning affair.

The powerful offense supplemented some terrific pitching. After the game against Truth, West Raleigh pitchers walked just three in the next 17 innings. In addition to great starting pitching, 11U Blue also got tremendous efforts from the bullpen, as a combination of four relievers pitched eight innings and did not allow an earned run.

But wait, there's more: Sunday marked the debut of the knickers, which made it a perfect day to take the official team picture:

The next time West Raleigh Blue hits the field, it will be in the Ripken area tournament in Winterville. Until then, 11U Blue out:

Championship 11U Blue scoring plays

First inning

Gavin walked and went to third on an error. Chace singled him home. Drew singled. Andrew walked. Banks singled home Chace.

Score after one-half inning: 11U Blue 2, Ghost 0

Second inning

Elias singled and motored to third when the ball was kicked in the outfield. JT doubled him home. Bryce singled and took second on the throw. A wild pitch scored JT. Gavin's sacrifice fly scored Bryce. 

Score after one and a half innings: 11U Blue 5, Ghost 3

Fourth inning
Ben walked and stole second, then took third on a throwing error. Chace and Drew walked. Andrew came through with a two-run single. Jake followed with a two-out, two-run single.
Score after three and a half innings: 11U Blue 9, Ghost 5

Fifth inning
Ben singled. Bryce beat out a fielder's choice. Gavin doubled home Ben. Chace singled, scoring Bryce. Drew doubled in Gavin, and then Andrew doubled home a pair. Banks hit a double that scored Andrew.
Score after four and a half innings: 11U Blue 15, Ghost 5

Pitching Performances

Chace started and pitched two strong innings.

Banks gave up just one hit in his two innings of relief.

Asher finished the game with a hitless frame.

Dugout wisdom
I don't know who started it (I think Chace claimed credit), but somehow "Taste the rainbow" became the encouragement of choice when 11U Blue was on offense. There are a lot of different permutations of "taste the rainbow" that can be shouted when a hitter is in the box.

In a four-run championship game of the gold bracket with 11U Blue coming to the plate in the fifth inning, the primary conversation concerned who was planning to see Finding Dory. I guess you can decide for yourself, here's the preview:

Championship Web Gems

• Chace made a nice play bouncing off the mound to gobble up a hopper on the right side, then took it himself for the rare 1U putout.
• Colin made a sparkling play in the hole between first and second to scoop up a grounder in the second, then completed the solid throw for the out.
• The defense finished it in style, with a quick Gavin-Jake-Chace 6-4-3 double play for the final two outs of the game.

Championship line score	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H
WR 11U Blue	2	3	0	4	6	X	15	17
Team Ghost	3	0	2	0	0	X	4	5