This didn't start well. In the opening game of the Top Gun NC State Games zone qualifier at Thomas Brooks, 11U Blue slept through a 7-2 loss to 12U Truth Baseball. The offense generated only three hits--meaning the hitters had put together the same number of hits (seven) in the last 11 innings as it has strikeouts.
The two-game losing streak (dating back to last weekend) led to a quick journey down the left field line for a meeting between the players and coaches. Coach Sean's message was pretty simple: that type of effort isn't going to be acceptable. Ripken play is less than a week away, and it's time to start playing to the team's ability level.
Luckily, there was a quick turnaround before the next chance to get that loss out of their system.
Third inning
JT reached on a ball through the left side, then scored on Drew's double.
Score after three innings: Truth 3, WR 11U 1
Fifth inning
John's grandson singled and went to second, then third on a wild pitch. He scored on a balk.
Score after five innings: Truth 7, WR 11U 2
Pitching Performances
Andrew threw three quality innings to start the game.
Gavin fired a scoreless fourth.
Bryce worked out of a jam in the fifth.
Dugout wisdom
Maybe this should have been a sign. When Coach Sean gathered the team before they hit the field in the first inning, he barked, "What day is it?" Multiple members of the team then responded, "SUNDAY!"
Coach Sean stores his pencil on top of the clipboard in the dugout. We're going to leave the participants nameless to protect the guilty, but a couple members of the team were captivated by the pencil. "It's a bendy pencil!" one proclaimed. "Really?" another player asked. "Yep," he was told.
That particular player then tried to bend the pencil...only to see it snap in two.
Without missing a beat, JT observed, "That's the bench."
Gavin fired a scoreless fourth.
Bryce worked out of a jam in the fifth.
Dugout wisdom
Maybe this should have been a sign. When Coach Sean gathered the team before they hit the field in the first inning, he barked, "What day is it?" Multiple members of the team then responded, "SUNDAY!"
Coach Sean stores his pencil on top of the clipboard in the dugout. We're going to leave the participants nameless to protect the guilty, but a couple members of the team were captivated by the pencil. "It's a bendy pencil!" one proclaimed. "Really?" another player asked. "Yep," he was told.
That particular player then tried to bend the pencil...only to see it snap in two.
Without missing a beat, JT observed, "That's the bench."
Game 1 Web Gems
- With a runner on first and one out in the first inning, Andrew coaxed the Truth cleanup hitter into a grounder to second, which turned into a Colin-to-Gavin-to-Banks double play.
- With a runner on first and no outs in the second, Gavin snagged a liner to short, then threw to Banks at first for the second double play of the game.
- With a runner on first and no outs in the third, Jake fielded a liner to second and then threw to first for yet another double play.
- Asher hosed a runner trying to steal second in the fourth inning.
- Nice pick play at second base in the fifth, which turned into a Bryce-to-Gavin-to-JT out.
Game 1 line score |
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
R
|
H
|
Truth
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
X
|
7
|
9
|
WR 11U Blue
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
X
|
2
|
3
|
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